I don’t follow trends, cave to peer pressure or like things without thought and reason. When something captures my attention, my appreciation rarely waivers and I tend to share my exuberance with everyone. That’s the reason most people know I love chocolate, teddy bears, high heels, Johnny Walker Black - though I no longer drink it - formal clothes, Broadway shows, New York City, and the music of Barry Manilow!
Specifically speaking, four months since the release of Barry’s latest album; 15 Minutes I still haven’t heard it often enough. The music, lyrics, unique story-line and delivery, in the way only Barry Manilow can do it, is still fresh, new and inspiring with each listen.
And so I continuously promote the album on Facebook, Twitter, to people I know and don’t know, any and everywhere I can . Recently, with a hint of sarcasm someone asked why I’m still doing this; “you must get something for talking about it all the time”. The statement left me more sad than annoyed; as it played into the mind set held by many; if you’re not personally getting something in return, why bother doing anything! Yet in spite of myself, uncharacteristically caring what someone else thinks, I pulled back and kept quiet.
Until…
I watched the latest entry of “Barry’s 15 Minutes Song Journal” on YouTube. In brief videos Barry and David Wild discuss the albums cuts. The latest one, covering the albums final song; Everything’s Gonna Be Alright. Mr. Wild states 15 Minutes is “such an important record because we’re at a time when the album as a concept is sort of slipping away from us…” “this is a celebration of what an album can be, it can take you on a journey”.
They go on to wonder what’s going to happen to the “art of making an album”, especially a concept album, at a time when you can purchase a song at a time and never bother to hear the whole thing. David affirms Barry has done this one on his own “Barry Manilow the Indie hero” where he put his passion into an album worth having, not for a hit single but for the journey it takes you on; “a journey worth taking”.
I couldn’t agree more. Chopped into fragments, albums in their entirety barely exist. Sadly we live in a world of constant hustle, with a need for instant gratification. With extreme quantity of music, so readily available, literally at our finger tips, we’ve reached what I refer to as “hum it today, forget it tomorrow”. There’s little substance, creativity or depth to dig in and hang on to. Our minds and souls no longer wander and float with the music. We rarely take time to absorb lyrics, feel them and discover what thoughts they invoke. Concept albums? Almost a thing of the past.
*15 Minutes* has yet to achieve the recognition and appreciation it so richly deserves. Not merely because it’s Barry Manilow’s, but for the very essence of it’s quality. It could serve as an example for other artists to bring music back to the standards once known in the industry.
Again I saw the passion Barry has put into this album. I thought about the career risks he took in creating and releasing it. He could have settled for a much easier path; and given the world an album of exquisite ballads. But he believed in the concept and message of this one. He put his heart and genius into it, put himself out there because it stirred his senses; and he wants it to stir you.
Because of the change in how consumers purchase music, because albums are not what they were, Barry said something he wouldn’t have needed to say in the past; > give me a shot, just give me one listen, two listens in your car put it on from the beginning to the end, just listen to the whole thing
If you haven’t given it a “shot”, listened to the album all the way through you’re missing a rare masterpiece of excellence. If you or someone you know is thinking about a career in show business, hear the message. If you’re dealing with struggles of life, not within the world of fame, there’s something in it to be gleaned by you also.
I support and promote many things, issues and people I admire and believe in. Why should this album be any different? So I’m back on board telling everyone in my path how great 15 Minutes is. And if you want to know what I’m getting out of it, the answer is simple. Maybe just one more person will appreciate it as much as I do; sharing that joy is all the reward I need!
You can watch all the entries in Barry’s *15 Minutes Journal* on YouTube: