Gary last night at the launch of the album:

 

The album is no 1 on the soundtracks chart and it's doing really well on Amazon : #14 and #16 and on iTunes : #15

It would be nice if it charted inside top 40 on Friday, so it can add commercial success to the critical acclaim.

The album has been received very well by the critics. I've heard snippets from it and whilst I don't like all of the songs there's more than enough quality overall. It's worth buying for the song Ascension alone, so I'll pick up a copy sometime soon.

 

There are some videos out there and one in particular is of Holly Johnson singing Ascension - a fantastic performance, although I can hear people chatting which does distract from it. I for one cannot understand why anyone goes to a concert and doesn't listen to the performer !!

 

I think you've mentioned this a number of times Milly, but Gary does seem to be producing fantastic work outside of TT at the moment.

It's really worth buying the album, dylandog. And this comes from someone who isn't too keen on the 80s music.

I bought the album for Ascension, but I discovered other great songs: Fly and Moment are stunning, Determination is very catchy, The Sky's the Limit (although not written by Gary) is very beautiful as well.

A solid album overall. There are 2-3 tracks I don't connect with, but, since I was expecting to like only Ascension, I can't complain :D

Gary last night at the launch of the album:

 

The album is no 1 on the soundtracks chart and it's doing really well on Amazon : #14 and #16 and on iTunes : #15

It would be nice if it charted inside top 40 on Friday, so it can add commercial success to the critical acclaim.

 

Wow! Sounds great! Better than a lot of recent Take That songs! Gary Barlow looks like very energetic.

 

I don't know if this has been discussed before, but what is it with his eyes? Does he have a false eye?

 

 

A false eye? :lol: He does have a lazy eye, which is more evident when he sings and his eyebrow moves a la Elton, but, otherwise, he has no problem with the eyes.

For me, his eyes are his best physical attribute :wub:

http://f***yeahgarybarlow.tumblr.com/post/62552964600

Edited March 19, 20169 yr by milly

Sorry, that really made me chuckle - glass eye :) Yes, as said, he has a lazy eye which is more prominent the older he gets. Body wise he looks in fantastic shape, but facially I think he looks better when he's heavier. Whilst we're on the subject of his appearance - credit to his hairdresser. Whoever it is , they're not paid enough. In the last couple of days his hair looks twice as thick as it normally does.

 

Tried to get the album today but it wasn't in the shop. I could buy off Amazon but I try and avoid that company if I can. Looking forward to hearing the songs in their entirety. I understand that Eliot has writing credits for a couple of the songs. Gary seems to be collaborating a lot with him at the moment. Both Eliot and Tim Firth seem to be genuinely lovely and talented men - Gary has a good support system around him.

These are the writing credits for Fly:

Ascension - Holly and Gary

Eagle will fly again- Howard Jones

Out of the sky - Ben Mark,Mark Owen and Gary

Moment- Gary

Touching hearts and skies- Midge Ure

Sky is the limit - Nik Kershaw

Living inside my heart- Martin Fry,Gary Barlow

Without your love- Glenn Gregory,Berenice Scott,Gary

Fly- Eliot and Gary

Determination- Peter Cox,Richard Drummie,Eliot,Gary

Pray-Glenn Gregory,Martyn Ware

People like you- Eliot ,Gary

Thrill me- Andy McCluskey,Gary

 

You could download the album from iTunes if you want to avoid Amazon.

Glad to see Ben and Mark's involvement. I often wonder how Mark feels about Gary's song writing career. I'm sure he's delighted for him but there must be an element of disappointment that his career hasn't taken off in the same way- even though he's a very good songwriter.

 

Thanks for the list - I may download but I love a physical copy so I'm sure I'll be able to pick one up from somewhere soon.

 

It looked like a really good night - Gary seemed to enjoy himself. I can see your message Milly - will reply - thanks.

Unfortunately, the track co-written by Gary and Mark is one of the tracks I don't like.

In my defense, I disliked it before I knew who had written it, just like I loved The Sky's the Limit without knowing that Gary had no involvement in it.

 

Dylandog - check your inbox :)

The album has been received very well by the critics. I've heard snippets from it and whilst I don't like all of the songs there's more than enough quality overall. It's worth buying for the song Ascension alone, so I'll pick up a copy sometime soon.

 

There are some videos out there and one in particular is of Holly Johnson singing Ascension - a fantastic performance, although I can hear people chatting which does distract from it. I for one cannot understand why anyone goes to a concert and doesn't listen to the performer !!

 

I think you've mentioned this a number of times Milly, but Gary does seem to be producing fantastic work outside of TT at the moment.

 

Why is Holly Johnson singing on this album? That is what I wondered. Wasn't she in For Your Eyes Only, as the girl to who Roger Moore said: "go and buy yourself an ice cream?" It all made sense as she was an ice skater and Eddie the Eagle was a skier. Maybe she was in the Eddie the Eagle movie. I did a quick Google and found I was mistaken. It was LYNN Holly Johnson in the James Bond movie and Holly Johnson is the guy from Frankie Goes to Hollywood. So who is Frankie anyway? All very confusing.

 

Oh, Bond Bug you're on form today!! No idea what the Frankie stands for - maybe nothing, or possibly there is some reason behind it.

 

FGTH was massive in the UK for a number of years and it's great to hear some of these 80's stars in the spot light again. I know most of them have never gone away, but they've not had any real publicity.

 

Interesting the track you didn't like was the Mark/Gary collaboration - that doesn't bode well for the new album, Milly :)

 

Didn't actually know I had an inbox until today !!! The technological age somehow past me by - will check it out.

Love the sound of this album! Gary's done a great job getting it to sound like it's been released in the Eddie the Eagle era!

 

My favs have to be Living inside my heart and Fly! Pleased to see Mark involved too!

Living inside my heart is growing on me too, Jay :) Glad to see you like Fly. Gary and Eliot did a good job writing that song.

It's a great album to work out on :dance:

Dylandog, you can listen to the whole album for free on Deezer:

http://www.deezer.com/album/12652068

It's very much like Jump as you say! I'll listen to it in full tomorrow morning on the way to work!

Thanks Milly - will have a listen now.

 

From what I have heard I agree with everyone else- the album has truly captured the sound of the 80's. Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman were on the JR show last night - it would have been an ideal opportunity to showcase one of the songs. They could have sung Thrill Me , but unfortunately it didn't happen.

 

 

I know it's really selfish of me, but, based on what I've heard lately from Gary, I really want a new solo album.

It's difficult because if I'm honest I preferred Gary's solo tour to the lll tour - although I still thought lll was fab. The band together are fantastic performers and their shows are great, but the music has lost some of it's direction.

 

I hope I'm not offending anyone when I say this, because I recognise Mark's talent and Howard input on the tours and his backing vocals on recordings, but as they get older the gulf between Gary and the other two has become more noticeable.

 

Gary's voice is still of a good enough quality to warrant a continued solo career, but I don't think Mark or Howard have that vocal ability. Gary is carving out a solid career in musical theatre and has an interesting sideline in other projects. I would actually like to hear an album from Gary of existing songs from his current musicals and an intimate tour showcasing those songs.

 

It will be interesting to see what direction they take over the next year or so. The Fly album does show Gary's versatility and his dedication to all kinds of musical genres. There was a picture on line of Mark over the past couple of days in the recording studio with a couple of artists - so maybe he also has something in the pipeline.

Im looking forward to hearing this album as I havnt heard it yet, the reviews are good and the views on here have me a little excited.

It's difficult because if I'm honest I preferred Gary's solo tour to the lll tour - although I still thought lll was fab. The band together are fantastic performers and their shows are great, but the music has lost some of it's direction.

 

I hope I'm not offending anyone when I say this, because I recognise Mark's talent and Howard input on the tours and his backing vocals on recordings, but as they get older the gulf between Gary and the other two has become more noticeable.

 

Gary's voice is still of a good enough quality to warrant a continued solo career, but I don't think Mark or Howard have that vocal ability. Gary is carving out a solid career in musical theatre and has an interesting sideline in other projects. I would actually like to hear an album from Gary of existing songs from his current musicals and an intimate tour showcasing those songs.

It will be interesting to see what direction they take over the next year or so. The Fly album does show Gary's versatility and his dedication to all kinds of musical genres. There was a picture on line of Mark over the past couple of days in the recording studio with a couple of artists - so maybe he also has something in the pipeline.

 

That would be amazing. Unfortunately, with all the upcoming projects for Gary and TT, I don't see it happening ... ever :(

I was surprised to hear the public's reaction to Gary appearing last night at Jason Donovan's concert. I almost got deaf from all that screaming :D If I didn't know better, I'd have thought half of Gary's fanbase was in that venue :) https://www.periscope.tv/w/1ypKdykLqzLGW

That certainly bodes well for him if he ever decides on going solo again. And I see no reason for him to do so again, without parting with TT, of course. His voice sounds better than ever - even the Asian papers picked up on that -, he seems to be inspired to write and to experiment with music and, while I love III, his offerings outside the band have been more interesting and more full of substance than his work with TT. I'd say that the pairing between Gary and Eliot is way more successful than the partnership between Gary, Mark and Howard, at least from my perspective. Mark has his own style and, to me, it doesn't seem too versatile, which, in the end, leads to a monotonous output. Gary and Eliot are more alike music wise and their collaboration pays off because they enhance each other's ideas; for Gary and Mark, the collaboration seems more of a compromise and a struggle to find a middle ground. As Gary said, Mark isn't "happy unless he's done it", which, to me, reflects the way they work - Mark pushes for his ideas, Gary takes a step back and we get a "neutral" product that is pleasant, likeable, but that doesn't say much about any of the 2 - well, maybe a bit more about Mark.

Edited March 21, 20169 yr by milly