I will put my last two cents here and after that i will rest my case, as the person in discussion is not worth more from my time.

 

There is now very fashionable for every celebrity to make "charity work". Their PR people are running across the universe to find one where are not already too many celebrities involved. For more than 90% of these celebrities is not a genuine work but a methode to gather "plus" points from the media and audience, to be in the news and pictures (eventually with the new Versace robe).

 

I accept such charity work as genuine only from those celebrities which are making it subtle, without putting themselves in the media like every publicity-hunter. Especially attention seeker are for me those doing "documentary" and "reality shows". Here both Gary and Mark done it the fault pas... at least Mark seems to have learned from his Celebrity Big Brother and make only support charity, which is for my more genuine as putting your name always in the front of it.

 

As for Gary, if you want to see him as Santa Gary, go for it. I see him more as genuine as the Coca-Cola-Santa. Naturally, that his fans will say "yeah, a gig, hurraaa". A fan group is not known for being objective, especially those of TT. As for being only for 2000 people, ahem, doesn't change the amount of publicity he will get or the people in front of TV if he sells the TV rights or make a DVD.

 

The Kili-Climb was only about publicity and for me not genuine at all. Yeah, it is easy to say to other people "give your penny" and after that to fly with your 20000 Euro private jet... I think a lot of mosquito nets could have been bought and it would have been only a couple of hours of normal comfort for Gary &Co. If Gary would say " i will travel only normal class and give the extra money for the charity" it would have been more sincere as the whole crocodile tears...

 

Second: his marriage anniversary. I find beyond tasteless to sell a private anniversary. I know that a lot of people are mildly toward such a thing "when the money gets for a good cause", but for me is not an excuse. There are better ways to do a charity and gather money as selling your pics with you and your celebrity pals in expensive gala robs and feeling charitable without doing nothing actually. The only charity i was liking was his CIN gig, but where he didn't adulate himself so much, as he does in this "let's congratulate myself what a charitable kind great songwriter i am". It has "EGO" all over it and has nothing genuine. Another publicity stunt. I bet the same money would have been made if he would give his rights for the Back for good for example. But the media attention would have been very little, no pics, no celebrity pals to adulate you.

 

Sorry if my opinion is not yours. But i am tired to see people in Versace and Dior telling me how every cent counts for charity, going out of a Roll Royce and telling me about clima change or saving the world.

 

For me Gary would be genuine if he will refuse that "sir" title , which in my opinion is he after.

 

Peter, i agree, i like their music and i would still like it, like i like U2 songs but not giving two cents about Bono saint messages. But i still have my eyes open and an opinion about it and i give my support to celebrities only when the charity has style and is genuine. There are a lot of charities , which deserve a lot more support as seeing Mr. Barlow in TV.

 

I do see where your coming from and everyone is entotled to your opinion. I do agree on the charity thing and not just with gary, alot of celebrities put their names charities where there faces can be seen and everyone knows about it, on the other we have celebrities like Kylie who has done charity work for years but its all off camera stuff which has to be admired and she hasnt to my knowledge used it to enhance or further her career.

 

 

I do see where your coming from and everyone is entotled to your opinion. I do agree on the charity thing and not just with gary, alot of celebrities put their names charities where there faces can be seen and everyone knows about it, on the other we have celebrities like Kylie who has done charity work for years but its all off camera stuff which has to be admired and she hasnt to my knowledge used it to enhance or further her career.

 

I think this is my preferred way for a celebrity to do charity work.

The Kili-Climb was only about publicity and for me not genuine at all. Yeah, it is easy to say to other people "give your penny" and after that to fly with your 20000 Euro private jet... I think a lot of mosquito nets could have been bought and it would have been only a couple of hours of normal comfort for Gary &Co. If Gary would say " i will travel only normal class and give the extra money for the charity" it would have been more sincere as the whole crocodile tears...

 

Sadly, this is the first time I started to see Gary for what he is

 

Second: his marriage anniversary. I find beyond tasteless to sell a private anniversary. I know that a lot of people are mildly toward such a thing "when the money gets for a good cause", but for me is not an excuse. There are better ways to do a charity and gather money as selling your pics with you and your celebrity pals in expensive gala robs and feeling charitable without doing nothing actually. The only charity i was liking was his CIN gig, but where he didn't adulate himself so much, as he does in this "let's congratulate myself what a charitable kind great songwriter i am". It has "EGO" all over it and has nothing genuine. Another publicity stunt. I bet the same money would have been made if he would give his rights for the Back for good for example. But the media attention would have been very little, no pics, no celebrity pals to adulate you.

 

Another reason.

 

Personally ... I'd prefer rich celebrities to just do what Kevin Costner and Sandra Bullock do ... give £1M and then just say 'I can afford it'.

 

Kath

Ya i do like the celebs who just give money to celebrities but i do understand why some events take place publicly and why celebrities take part, sometimes its the only way that the public will get involved and hand over money, children in need is an example of this.

The point of doing something for Charity openly is to raise awareness of that Charity to more people - particularly the sector of society for whom giving to charity isn't a regular thing - not to feed an ego trip. It's easy to criticise good intentions, but so many do absolutely f*** all.

 

There were tens of thousands of donations made through Radio1 for the Kili climb. Please don't kid yourself that a fraction of those listeners would have donated without an incentive. If that incentive is Cheryl Cole, Ronan Keating or Chris Moyles doing something unusual then so be it...it bloody worked!

Apparently this is going to be broadcast on 20th January hosted by Jo Wiley. This moved very, very fast considering it was only suggested on his own site a few months back with 'I've been wondering .... '

 

Still ... more publicity I suppose. And all publicity is good publicity.

 

I wonder if Robbie will be in the audience? I wonder if Robbie applied for a ticket? If he does I hope he gets up on stage and does a serenade to Gary.

 

Kath

I'll bet that when suggested on the website, it was already planned... And i bet we will have till mother day or for the next Christmas also a DVD.

I would say a christmas time release unless its rush released for mothers day market which is also a huge sales time.

I'll bet that when suggested on the website, it was already planned... And i bet we will have till mother day or for the next Christmas also a DVD.

 

Iris you and I are so completely in agreement. I thought that when I first saw that 'Yes Gary, its a very good idea' post on the official site. He's had this planned for over a year. You don't get hold of a venue like the Shepherd's Bush Empire (yes I know it isn't massive), arrange all your musicians, your set-list, your radio coverage, etc in a month. The only thing I'm puzzled by ... is at what point the 'charity' element came in. Couldn't he get enough genuine friends to fill the venue?

 

Still ... it makes his fans happy. I wouldn't mind ... he's only made one excellent solo song ... the rest have just been ... pleasant. The only stuff of note he has ever produced is the stuff he has produced with Take That. And ... to be honest ... I'm beginning to wonder if he actually has written all the stuff in the past (unaided anyway).

 

Kath

 

And before JG1 comes along and points out Saint Gary's credentials and good intentions ... I just don't believe it. I would have done two years ago ... but £50,000 on a private jet for his 'pals' at the end of another 'charity' event was the point at which I began to see the light.

Edited January 11, 201114 yr by Kathyp

If anyone lives in London and would like to go to this ... there are still tickets available on Seetickets. There is standing room in the stalls and I think you can buy up to six tickets. Unreserved seating is available - Level 3 - but only in ones and twos.

 

http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/GARY-BARLOW

 

It is on Thursday too so due to the short time ... they are box office collection only.

 

Kath

 

Edit - all gone now.

Edited January 18, 201114 yr by Kathyp

Still ... it makes his fans happy. I wouldn't mind ... he's only made one excellent solo song ... the rest have just been ... pleasant. The only stuff of note he has ever produced is the stuff he has produced with Take That. And ... to be honest ... I'm beginning to wonder if he actually has written all the stuff in the past (unaided anyway).

 

you are completely deluded if you think he is not the brains behind Take That and the one who lays the foundations for every song they have written. Im not even going to argue with you because you are clearly set in your ways and people like that cant be reasoned with even if the facts are as clear as crystal in front of you....not a good look

<_< <_< <_<

you are completely deluded if you think he is not the brains behind Take That and the one who lays the foundations for every song they have written. Im not even going to argue with you because you are clearly set in your ways and people like that cant be reasoned with even if the facts are as clear as crystal in front of you....not a good look

<_< <_< <_<

 

And you are clearly as mad as the proverbial box of frogs if you think I don't know how controlling Barlow is Sadly I don't think it is only in the music that he is so clearly controlling. And there's no need to argue. I know I'm right. BTW - I'm one of those people who believed then, and believe now - that Barlow had written Patience a few years earlier than 2006 - but knew, as fabulous a song as it was, no way, on god's green earth would that have been a solo hit for him.

 

I do think Nigel Martin Smith got a bit of a bad press now with regard to the old days. I'd say he and Barlow were 50/50 puppet-masters. And ... although it pains me to say this ... Rob was right to leave the way he did. I know he said some awful things in the intervening years ... but I do now believe there was an element of truth in what he said.

 

Kath

Edited January 18, 201114 yr by Kathyp

And you are clearly as mad as the proverbial box of frogs if you think I don't know how controlling Barlow is Sadly I don't think it is only in the music that he is so clearly controlling. And there's no need to argue.

Kath

 

 

I know I'm right.

 

Firstly my point has been proven ---->'I know I'm right. '

 

You have completely missed the point, from Barlow writing the music you have gone straight to how in the old days he was the puppet master etc if anything it was more Jason who was Martin Smith's enforcer, he has said so himself...and what were they then? late teens early twenties? that was the past, this is the future so grow up and stop starting needless arguements.

 

oh and 'mad as the proverbial box of frogs??' i'll let that pathetic comment lie, from someone with 17 million posts or something on BJ isnt it about time you start acting your age. -_- -_-

 

 

I must say I too have always been a bit sceptical about Mr Barlow's true songwriting talents. Sure he wrote some brilliant stuff for TT back in the day but how many hits did he write between the break-up and the reunion? Even since then the majority of the stuff he's written for other artists has been complete dross.

I must say I too have always been a bit sceptical about Mr Barlow's true songwriting talents. Sure he wrote some brilliant stuff for TT back in the day but how many hits did he write between the break-up and the reunion? Even since then the majority of the stuff he's written for other artists has been complete dross.

 

They have been rather poor. I think the only song I've liked (and fortunately was a hit) was the Blue song 'Guilty' which he co-wrote. I know Eliot Kennedy was a partner in the past ... and I think of the songs he has written in the past - Eliot has been a major contributor. I also know Gary has written a couple of nice songs for / with Delta Goodrem but his contribution to Charlotte Church's album was negligible. I'm not saying anything about the song he wrote for Barrowman except it made me heave and the Alesha Dixon one was a very damp squib. In all honesty ... the best stuff Gary has written lately (outside of Take That) were the two Peter Kay / Geraldine songs and the Shirley Bassey track on her last album. Outside of Take That ... I can't see what his contribution to songwriting is and as for the talk of 'genius'. Hmmmm!

 

Kath