European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 2, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Mooning Over Manilow by Chuck Vinch Washington bureaus All him campy Call him corny Call him virtually Willess in this decade but whatever you do Don t Call Barry Manilow a has been unless that is you want the thundering Wrath of 1.200 card carrying members of the b m International fan club brought Down on your head the Man has t had a record Dent the charts since Copacabana to 1979 but that hardly mailers to hardcore fans who came from All Over the United Stales As Well As from Europe Canada. Australia and Japan to spend the past week in was Melon Lor their third biennial convention. Although Manilow attended the Lisl two conventions he did not attend this year s event because he was cutting a record and finishing his autobiography however he did Send his tans a video message the general feeling was that the new York Singer who wove a siring of pop songs about broken hearts and unrequited love into the american consciousness in the 1970s is far beyond Many other performers who sell out commercially to Rake in the Money to these Irue believers Manilow s Aura does t Pale us because he May not have As Many hits As he once did. The conventions Are serious affairs one look at this year s schedule would quickly disabuse anyone of the notion that it was All just an excuse for the delegates to gather in a hotel cocktail lounge and sing Oil key renditions of Mandy the Agenda included seminars on How to Starl a local fan club recruit club members edit newsletters and take concert photos there was also an awesome display of personal Memorabilia collections with everything from quills and crocheted pillows with a Manilow Motif to scrapbooks and huge poster size photos Bui it was t All work and no play in Tacl. The highlight was last wednesday night s costume parly when delegates enjoyed an evening of games Skils and lip synch singing contests in an atmosphere of a 40s nightclub " it s not easy for an outsider to crack the convention among those who Are not fans Barry Manilow has. Well let s be Blunt an image problem. Most delegates were wary hardened by years of outright ridicule from those who Ihrk of Manilow As simply a syrupy crooner Noi worthy of attention in fact Many were incensed Over a local to report thai did nothing but poke Lun at the convention anyone not wearing a Delegate ribbon was Likely to be asked More than once Are you Here to make Lun of us which brings us to the big question just what is in about Barry Manilow that would make 1 200 people who represent Only a fraction of the worldwide Tan club membership of 60.000. Want to come irom around the world to commune Over him it s hard to said Joanne Langmade of Decatur. Ill we even ask each other what be like about him so much i m not easily impressed Page 18 the stars and stripes celebrities but when i saw him in concert he made me fee like i was the Only one out there. People make us seem like teen age groupies but we Don t idolize the Man. He s just a great performer and a very Nice Guy " he s very genuine said Linda Clay of Lincolnshire England who said she had been working several jobs to fund her $2.500 trip to the convention sometimes i would t get Home until 2am. With my feet hurting but i would just put on one of his records and i d feel line " we re not airhead teeny said Debbie Duhammel of los Angeles he s just an excellent performer and songwriter my family just goes along with me about it. My mom says she s still wailing for me to grow out of this phase " he s a real person quiet shy arid unassuming " said Ruth Ann Ellison a native of Springfield. Iii., who met Manilow backstage alter a 1985 concert in Iowa he was very interested in what we had to say i suppose i like him because his songs really touch Home. They be helped me out of some Down times " Many of the delegates can pin Pool the exact moment they became Manilow fans Josie Lemon of Bra tree. England said in happened while she was driving to work one Day in 1978 up until then. I co Uklyn i stand him " Lemon said but thai Day on the radio i heard some Hutc in i night. And my whole Vica of him changed i be Bren a Ian Ever since " ii was the first Lime i heard on the radio " said Shelley Bregman of Charlotte n c i was a newlywed at the time and did t have a lot of Money but alter hearing thai song and Ihen Sceini sunday. August 2, 1987 Barry Manilow on a to show not Long after i went out and bought All his albums " one Delegate even credited Manilow s hit. Weekend in new England Tor helping to save her ailing marriage that song really brought my husband and me Back said Kathy Swanson of Morrison. Ill the overwhelming majority of convention delegates were women and they had no doubts about the reasons for that of. Men have this Macho thing that makes it hard for them to admit they like Barry Manilow because his songs Are about Romance Langmade said Bui our men Benefit from Swanson said when i got Home after meeting Barry a few years ago. My husband and i she said dissolving into laughter All i had to do was close my eyes and dream " it s easy to Label these lans Star struck hero worshippers but that s not really accurate while Barry Manilow is the common denominator this year s convention was really just a convenient reason Lor a party where friendships begun six years ago at the first convention were renewed and brought up to Date. Langmade and Ellison said they began a pen pal relationship with members of the England Ian club a Lew years ago. And they met for the first time this week of. In s been wonderful to meet and Lalk with them. It a t ill-.on1 thai Lull its All about really snid Heather Turner of Sloe i port England we All like Barry Manilow but. Treat Chr As a Holiday Swap Addre Leo min other Fano mave new friends it s such a great time and ho.1, can any one mate Tun of that7
