There is a disscusion in other forum about Gary as a well-known across the world songwriter. Some there were very astonished that they are people in universe who doesn't know that Mr Gary Barlow is one of the best / well-known songwriter.

 

While i don't want to take anything from Gary success, as he made the songs who made TT successfully for the beginning, i want to ask: look at this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs..._by_Gary_Barlow . Apart from the errors inside (he was not a songwriter of "4 minutes warning"), how many songs apart from the TT one do you know instantly, do you remember the melody without much thinking? Cause i can only for Mark Owen songs (which i am in a minority here) and the Geraldine one. Ok, i somehow past the Delta fenomenon, i have no idea who she is and cannot remember hearing her (was she ever big in Germany?) . But apart of that? I don't speak here about charts positions, as this normally is not a very reliable quotient of the quality of the songs.

 

I think that Gary was a very good songwriter but only for TT / his solo. Quite all the other songs are album filler, nice but light to forgot songs. It seems to me that the magic cannot spark at the others, that the songs are powerless and without heart. So, i really cannot get the press and the public admiration everytime another article about his collaboration came.

 

To tell the truth, if i woudn't have been a TT fan, i would have not any idea about him being a successfully songwriter. Or being a songwriter at all :lol: . Sorry you UK people, the world doesn't revolve only on your musical axis... :lol: . But i supose his songwritting credits will go up here after him making Robbie's new album (well, i am worried for Robbie a bit).

I think that Gary was a very good songwriter but only for TT / his solo. Quite all the other songs are album filler, nice but light to forgot songs. It seems to me that the magic cannot spark at the others, that the songs are powerless and without heart. So, i really cannot get the press and the public admiration everytime another article about his collaboration came.

 

I'm forced to agree! I have actually mentioned this on another forum, but apart from the songs Gary has written for TT (and now with TT) with the exception of three or four (incidentally the only ones I can recall) I can't bring to mind ANY songs he's written for others that could be called a resounding success. In fact - I believe he has only been involved in ONE number one song (correct me if I'm wrong) and that's Blue's Guilty. I do actually like the chorus on that song - but then again - Gary was only a co-writer on it. The only other songs I can recall that could be called a relative success would be Geraldine's The Winner's Song (which surely the sales of which can be contributed to Leon Jackson's first proper, post-X-Factor release), a song on Shirley Bassey's album and a song that he wrote for Katherine Jenkins. His songs for John Barrowman, Alesha Dixon and this latest one for Matt Cardle, have been - quite honestly - bloody awful.

 

I know one poster on Take That's site said that - given the output of songs he's going to be producing (he's also rumoured to have written a song for that kid from BGT) he's in danger of becoming this decade's Burt Bacharach. I hope she meant it as a compliment - as if Gary had only one 50th of the top ten hits that Burt Bacharach (and Burt's were world-wide - not just in the little-old-UK) then he truly could be called a genius.

 

In short - Gary Barlow is a good songwriter. He is NOT this genius that everyone is now making him out to be.

 

Kath

His songs for Delta were actually really great. Not Me, Not I especially, one of my all time favourite songs.

 

 

His Atomic Kitten songs were very good too if you're into that sort of thing :lol: Oh and Blue's Guilty peaked at #2 Kath so I don't think he's yet to ever have a credit on a #1 that wasn't a Take That song! Shame, Guilty and The Winners Song all peaked at #2, lets see if Run For Your Life can change that for him! I do agree though that his post TT rejuvianted songs for other people haven't been anything special on the whole...

why am i not suprised that kath is straight in there again when gary is the topic :lol:

 

Personally i think gary is better at writing the music than the lyrics, but as a songwriter he is still top notch. He may not have written loads of hits for other artists but for himself and take that he has come up with loads of hits.

 

regardless of what is said on this forum he is laughing all the way to the bank and i say good luck to him. you dont get 5 ivor novellos for nothing do you..

 

 

why am i not suprised that kath is straight in there again when gary is the topic :lol:

 

Personally i think gary is better at writing the music than the lyrics, but as a songwriter he is still top notch. He may not have written loads of hits for other artists but for himself and take that he has come up with loads of hits.

 

His strength is always the melody (I said this ages ago and I'll say it now - his lyrics are terrible) that is why I've been a bit disappointed in some songs he's written (outside of Take That that is). I mean - the Barrowman song - have you heard it? It sounds like something Des O'Connor would have had on one of his albums in the 60's! His music for Alesha's To Love Again was dreadful. I really love the tune to Geraldine's song (the christmas song he did for him/her too), his Katharine Jenkins song was excellent musically as was his song for Shirley Bassey - so please don't say I don't give credit where its due. He has written quite a few turkeys.

 

regardless of what is said on this forum he is laughing all the way to the bank and i say good luck to him. you dont get 5 ivor novellos for nothing do you..

 

I agree about laughing all the way to the bank but I'm not so sure the Ivors are that big a thing outside of the UK. I mean I appreciate there have been some excellent recipients of it in the past (as well as Gary - Rob has won several, as has Jeff Lynne, Oasis, Amy Winehouse, and a whole host of others) but outside of the UK (apart from within the music industry itself) I'm not too sure how well known they are. For instance I think there are more ordinary people in the streets of the UK/Europe that are aware of The Grammy's than there are in the States/Europe aware of the Ivors.

 

Still - he is winning me back as an X-Factor judge (although I must admit I only watch snippets of it now). I do wish he'd have seen through that Cowell scenario of 'come back as a solo singer and ditch your mates' and rallied against it. Everyone can see through it and its old hat now. I really want Gary to prove that he isn't Cowell's puppet - which he still seems to be.

gary is nothing like simon Kath, it is clear already that gary is there for the music, simon was more worried about keeping the ratings as high as possible. i havent seen gary put through any s***t yet compared to cowell who would do so frequently.

 

 

but on the subject of lyrics, you cant deny how good some of his lyrics are in songs such as never forget, back for good, forever love, patience, rtw amongst others. he is a great songwriter and im very interested to hear what way he will go musically on take that's new album.

 

 

Gary definitly is there for the music, he has no time for novelty acts or stories its music only which wasnt always the case with simon, with regards his song writing there is no denying he can write a good song wioth a good melody but he has done some crappy songs too. I think gary has yet to write a huge hit for another act, i think he keeps his best work for take that, it will be interesting though that now he is part of x factor will they take his song writing on board. Whethere its gary or not as much as i love the x factor i think its a disgrace the winners song isnt a new song every year. For a show that is so huge there is no reason why new songs xcannot be the winners singles.

Gary is like 20 years in the business. So, don't come folk to me that he is so naive to think X Factor is about the music or that he doesn't see clear how manipulative is everything. We have a similar competition here with Dieter Bohlen as a judge. It goes exactly like your X-Factor, exactly with big drama, family stories. You can tell which one will come in final already at the audition. And you can bet quite easy who will be in the final, watching who gets the better stories, slot and comments from Bohlen. AT the end Dieter make the winner song, wins buckets and laught a lot while the "poor winner" is after 2 maximum 3 years history. So, this is a reason i lost totally the respect from Barlow as a people. And it ruined also Take That as a credible act to me. I even didn't regret too much that i coudn't see them live (well, was more about the money i lost, as i could have invested them in some books i long wanted). I don't care how witty or how much "professional" he looks. It is just the look.

 

And is such a pity, he can write for anyone songs in UK. And what he does? He goes with the half-talented starlets like Alesha, now with the X-factor winners. Instead trying harder and making good songs or collaboration (well, he did one but with N-dubt, wtf????) , he indulges himself to write to the ones who are always in The Sun and Dailymail.

 

THe only song i love the words from Gary work is Never Forget. The rest lyrics are common places.

Gary like all of us know the x factor isnt just about music, but when gary has gave his yes vote in my opinion its been based on the contestants voice.

Coldplay about Barlow:

 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showb...re-ask-her.html

Edited September 13, 201113 yr by checkers

Nice of chris martin to heap such praise on them. Leaving take that aside one thing i like about chris martin is he is never afriad to critisice his own music etc and likewise he isnt afriad to heap praise on others, for a band as successful as coldplay they seem to be still quite modest which is great and very rare these days.

So, this is a reason i lost totally the respect from Barlow as a people.

 

 

you lose total respect for someone you don't even know? deluded much?

well then if that's the way you feel why do you waste your time and ours ranting about him.

you lose total respect for someone you don't even know? deluded much?

well then if that's the way you feel why do you waste your time and ours ranting about him.

 

Now I'm not going to go on a Barlow Bashing Rant - before you accuse me! :lol: But I empathise a lot with what Iris is saying. I was massively disappointed in Gary for taking the X-Factor job (for the sake of Take That). There are those who will say that by him being in the public eye - keeps Take That in the public eye ... but surely its the music that should be keeping people aware of them - not some Saturday Night, Light Entertainment show (and a pretty irreputable one at that).

 

Seriously - if you look on the Take That site - people are only loving Gary Barlow being on X-F because they want to see him. Any opportunity! I'm sure if he agreed to be on Jeremy Kyle - people would start saying how great the Jeremy Kyle show is.

 

No - I'm actually 100% behind Iris on this. The only reason I can see Gary has done X-F is to raise his own profile. I'm not saying that that is wrong - as he does have to think of a career once Take That is done and dusted with - I listened to the concert in Hyde Park and no way, on God's green earth could Gary make it as a solo artist on that performance. But for Take That - apart from them being guaranteed future X-F appearances to push their songs - then it does nothing other than diminish the credibility of Take That.

 

Mind you ... I'm one of those people who remember when 'promotion' wasn't needed at all. Artists produced songs that had legs of their own and the music spoke for itself.

 

Kath

Edited September 13, 201113 yr by Sheila Blige

The only reason I can see Gary has done X-F is to raise his own profile. I'm not saying that that is wrong - as he does have to think of a career once Take That is done and dusted with - I listened to the concert in Hyde Park and no way, on God's green earth could Gary make it as a solo artist on that performance. But for Take That - apart from them being guaranteed future X-F appearances to push their songs - then it does nothing other than diminish the credibility of Take That.

 

Kath

 

 

Gary has already made it as a solo artist..2 number 1 singles, a number 1 album that sold 2 million worldwide and 5 more top 30 singles. That's alot better than most solo artists today.

 

and on the subject of Hyde Park, everywhere i've read i have only seen great reviews and critics praising Barlow for a superb performance.

 

 

you lose total respect for someone you don't even know? deluded much?

well then if that's the way you feel why do you waste your time and ours ranting about him.

 

You don't have to waste your precious time reading my posts, you know? You can invest much better in adoring a person, which, well you don't know either. :lol:

 

 

Give me a rest next time, please. Here is not the adoring fan corner. If I have an opinion i would like to say it. If you like it or not. Did i make myself clear?

 

So, if you need more to understand what i mean, and is not so much for your precious time to read it: Gary have two images, on each he works: one professional, as a sonwriter / singer / producer and one as a person. If he didn't wanted to be perceived also as a person, he woudn't have published his autobiography to start with, didn't do the "family and friend" bashing with fotoshop for certain press. He wanted to be perceived by the people who doesn't know him personal. So, it backfired. I certainly am not interested now to know more about him as a person.

 

Some don't care to be manipulated and if some choose when they like a person to don't find a fault on it and to find excuses for everything he made, well, i am not like that. I don't like to be lied, to feed myself with illusions, i like to use my head and to think. If you don't like it is your problem, not mine. Stop pressing your views on me and stop pressing your behaviour on me. Stop being so agressive each time i am not a gushing fan about TT. I AM NOT A FAN! Fan comes from fanatical, and i am for none, not even Beatles, Queen, Credence clear water revievel and Jaques Brel, which i think much better as professionals than i do for TT. I am interested in TT, i am interested in certain aspects of music business(and for a reason it is called business, you know?). This forum is not just a meeting point for the fans.

 

 

 

 

and on the subject of Hyde Park, everywhere i've read i have only seen great reviews and critics praising Barlow for a superb performance.

 

Did you listen to the concert itself though Jay? I agree - I've read loads of Take That fans (especially Gary fans) say it was brilliant, one of the best, some even say he sang the Take That songs better on his own. I listened to it and what I heard was quite a competent performance - a pleasant voice - but with zero atmosphere in it whatsoever.

 

He really puzzles me does Gary. I know he can write good stuff / sometimes terrific stuff - but as a solo performer he leaves me cold. His interaction with the crowd is severely lacking. It is one thing that I noticed about Robbie in his solo set on the Progress tour - at times he had me almost belly-laughing. With Gary I wish he'd leave the talking to the others and do what he does best - perform as part of a group.

 

On the plus side - I am warming to him a bit on the X-Factor.

 

Kath

Give me a rest next time, please. Here is not the adoring fan corner. If I have an opinion i would like to say it. If you like it or not. Did i make myself clear?

 

i think you need to grow up.

 

 

Did you listen to the concert itself though Jay? I agree - I've read loads of Take That fans (especially Gary fans) say it was brilliant, one of the best, some even say he sang the Take That songs better on his own. I listened to it and what I heard was quite a competent performance - a pleasant voice - but with zero atmosphere in it whatsoever.

 

He really puzzles me does Gary. I know he can write good stuff / sometimes terrific stuff - but as a solo performer he leaves me cold. His interaction with the crowd is severely lacking. It is one thing that I noticed about Robbie in his solo set on the Progress tour - at times he had me almost belly-laughing. With Gary I wish he'd leave the talking to the others and do what he does best - perform as part of a group.

 

On the plus side - I am warming to him a bit on the X-Factor.

 

Kath

 

yeah i agree kath there is something missing if you compare him to rob, but yeah i caught the the end of it, about halfway thru patience and earlier got will young and james blunt who both did really well i thought.

 

i didnt realise that the performance was only his 2nd solo in 11 years! so i guess with that in mind it must be pretty strange for him at the moment lol albeit he has a far stronger catalogue of hits now to perform..interesting that mark isnt doing any solo appearances as i always heard that he was the one most eager to return to his solo music..hmm time will tell i guess.

 

I dont mean to be on the fence but in a way i am with what i am gona say, i can see why fans would hate gary doing x factor and why some love it, again i can also see why people think he is doing it to raise his own profile.

 

To start, im one of those who is happy gary is on x factor and i am enjoying it, but while i have always been a big gary fan i would think gary is in some ways testing the waters to see how people take to gary barlow rather than take that. Personnelly i want take that to continue but chances are they will call it a day one day and im sure gary has the desire to record music solo wise again and without doubt im sure he would love a huge solo selling album on the sales level of take that. i Think this could be part of his reason for doing x factor and if so i cant say it bothers me as i loved gary's solo work especially the 2nd solo album that killed his career.

 

Between x factor, his duet with robbie and now the children in need is just 3 examplke of where gary barlow is ocming up rather than take that so im sure it will all eventually lead to something.

 

I havent heard or seen the solo performance gary recently done but i do agree that gary never seems to connect with the crowd the way the others do, in that respect i always say he isnt really a great showman and even though im not a big robbie fan i have to give him his credit by saying he is one the best showmen around. Gary is probably the least connected with the crowd from take that (well he is slightly better than jason) but mark, robbie and howard do it so much better.

 

I must mention a friend of mine who was never a take that fan well actually hates nearly all their music, made a comment the other nite and i quote ( f***ing hate take that but i actually love gary barlow on x factor) i think they are the comments that in some ways would please gary as it means he has won people over to even liking his name!!!