Jump to content

Gary Barlow: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Trident13 (talk | contribs)
103,559 edits
Trident13 (talk | contribs)
103,559 edits
Line 2: Line 2:


==Career==
==Career==
[[Cheshire]] born Barlow entered a [[BBC]] [[Pebble Mill at One]] competition called ''A Song For Christmas'' aged 15, with a song called ''"Let's Pray For Christmas"''. After getting through to the semi-finals he was invited to [[London]]'s West Heath Studios to record his song, where he met [[Lancashire]] born child model and tea boy [[Mark Owen]].
Barlow's career began as Kurtis Rush, releasing a single "''Love is in the Air''" in [[1990]].

While Barlow developed his talent playing the organ on the northern club circuit, the pair formed the [[Manchester]] based band '''Cutest Rush''', singing cover versions and Barlow's own songs. Barlow also recorded as Kurtis Rush, releasing a single "''Love is in the Air''" in [[1990]]. When Owen reached the age of 16, they were recommended to seek management from Manchester based [[Nigel Martin-Smith]].


===Take That ... And Party===
===Take That ... And Party===

Revision as of 02:33, 30 November 2006

Gary Barlow (born January 20, 1971 in Frodsham, Cheshire, England) is an English singer, songwriter, bandleader and producer. He was one of the most successful songwriters of the 1990s, penning no less than 16 hit singles during the decade.

Career

Cheshire born Barlow entered a BBC Pebble Mill at One competition called A Song For Christmas aged 15, with a song called "Let's Pray For Christmas". After getting through to the semi-finals he was invited to London's West Heath Studios to record his song, where he met Lancashire born child model and tea boy Mark Owen.

While Barlow developed his talent playing the organ on the northern club circuit, the pair formed the Manchester based band Cutest Rush, singing cover versions and Barlow's own songs. Barlow also recorded as Kurtis Rush, releasing a single "Love is in the Air" in 1990. When Owen reached the age of 16, they were recommended to seek management from Manchester based Nigel Martin-Smith.

Take That ... And Party

Main article: Take That

Barlow was generally recognised as the musical talent behind the successful boy band Take That. This UK group were signed to RCA records and after a number of top 40 hits, eventually secured their first Number 1 with Barlow's "Pray". Previous hits included "A Million Love Songs", "It Only Takes A Minute" and " Could It Be Magic".

The band issued four albums between 1992 and 1996. The debut set was entitled Take That ... and Party in 1992 (see 1992 in music). The following year saw the release of Everything Changes. Their third outing, which was to be their last studio album, Nobody Else, came in 1995 (see 1995 in music). A greatest hits collection followed.

Barlow was reputedly less happy when other band members sung the lead vocals on songs. However, he remained the songwriter, and the hits kept on coming with the likes of "Back For Good" (yet another #1 in the UK and a Top 10 U.S. hit) and "Everything Changes". The song "Back For Good" caused some controversy because rumors surfaced that Barry Gibb in fact wrote this song but agreed to credit Barlow if he would arrange that Take That would cover a Bee Gees song ("How Deep is Your Love" was covered). In a 2001 interview, Robin Gibb stated this information was false and no such agreement was ever made. Barlow had indeed written this hit song himself.

Going solo

In 1996, Take That split up and Barlow went solo, and his first release the single "Forever Love", was an immediate number one hit in the UK. His album, Open Road, also went to the top of the chart, as did his second solo single "Love Won't Wait" written by Madonna and Shep Pettibone. The remix was produced by Junior Vasquez. The original demo remains one of many unreleased Madonna songs. He also topped the United States adult contemporary music charts with "So Help Me Girl", which was also a top 20 hit in the UK. Another single (the album's title cut) "Open Road" reached #7 in the UK. He followed that up with his sophomore album Twelve Months, Eleven Days.

Barlow performed at the first two annual Capital FM hosted "Party In The Park" events in London's Hyde Park, in both 1998 and 1999.

Second Career

An unsuspected backlash came in the very late 1990s, when the media (who had just been declaring him as the greatest songwriter of current times) turned their backs on Barlow. The press staged a battle between Barlow and his former bandmate, Robbie Williams after his single "Angels" was a hit.

With little support from both the press and radio, Barlow was not in much of a position to compete. (Williams made fun of the missing success of the allegedly more talented Barlow in a hidden track at the end of his record Escapology in 2002, singing "Where has Gary Barlow gone?").

Barlow quit his career as a singer, with his final single remaining unreleased, he returned to songwriting and producing, writing hits including single "Not Me, Not I" for Delta Goodrem. Barlow is company president of True North Music Company. He has also worked with Elton John, Donny Osmond and Christina Aguilera amongst others.

Reformation of Take That

Following a succesful TV documentary, Take That experienced a career renaissance in 2006 when the post-Williams line-up reformed for a sell-out stadium tour. They released a single (Patience - reached UK Number1 position on 26 November, 2006) and are shortly to release their first album of new material in over ten years. Although all songs are written by Barlow, he now shares writing credits with the other three remaining members of the band.

Personal life

Barlow married former Take That backing dancer Dawn Andrews in 1999, and the couple have two children: a son Daniel (born 2000) and a daughter Emily (born 2002). In a 2005 television documentary on Take That, Take That... for the Record, Williams retracted his previous taunting of Barlow, and claimed that he would swap all of his current success for Barlow's happy family life.

In his autobiography My Take, he mentions he was on the Edgware Road train that was one of the targets of the 7 July 2005 London bombings.

Discography

Solo Albums

File:Openroadalbum.jpg
Album Open Road
  • Open Road — (1997) Charts: #1
  1. "Love Won't Wait" (4:17) (Madonna/S. Pettibone)
  2. "So Help Me Girl" (4:29) (H. Perdew/A. Spooner)
  3. "My Commitment" (4:48) (G. Barlow/D. Warren)
  4. "Hang On In There Baby" (3:39) (J. W. Bristol)
  5. "Are You Ready Now" (4:19) (G. Barlow)
  6. "Everything I Ever Wanted" (3:32) (G. Barlow)
  7. "I Fall So Deep" (4:02) (L. Loftin/M. Gustafsson/A. Powers)
  8. "Lay Down For Love" (5:33) (G. Barlow/R. Stannard/M. Rowbottom)
  9. "Forever Love" (4:50) (G. Barlow)
  10. "Never Knew" (3:50) (G. Barlow)
  11. "Open Road" (4:23) (G. Barlow)
  12. "Always" (3:32) (G. Barlow)
File:12m11d.jpg
Album Twelve Months, Eleven Days
  • Twelve Months, Eleven Days — (1999) Charts: #35
  1. "For All That You Want" (3:36) (G. Barlow/M. Martin/K. Lundin)
  2. "Arms Around Me" (3:50) (G. Barlow/P. Vettese)
  3. "Lie To Me" (5:30) (G. Barlow)
  4. "Fast Car" (4:45) (G. Barlow)
  5. "Stronger" (3:40) (G. Barlow/G. Gouldman)
  6. "All That I've Given Away" (4:30) (G. Barlow)
  7. "Wondering" (3:43) (G. Barlow)
  8. "Don't Need A Reason" (4:35) (G. Barlow)
  9. "Before You Turn Away" (4:35) (G. Barlow)
  10. "Walk" (5:20) (G. Barlow)
  11. "Nothing Feels The Same" (4:05) (G. Barlow)
  12. "Yesterday's Girl" (6:54) (G. Barlow)
  13. "Lie To Me" (edit from dat) (4:04) (G. Barlow)

Chart positions are for the UK.

Some songs written for others:

  • Album track "Testify" for Amy Studt
  • Album tracks "Always Be My Baby" and "I Won't Be There" as well as B-Side "Somebody" for Atomic Kitten
  • Single "Guilty" and album tracks "Girl I'll Never Understand", "Made For Loving You", "Supersexual" and B-Side "Whatever Happens" for Blue
  • Album track "Easy Way Out" for Charlotte Church
  • Single "Not Me, Not I" and album tracks "A Little Too Late", "Butterfly", "Longer", "My Big Mistake", "Running Away" and "Throw It Away" for Delta Goodrem
  • Single "Breeze On By" and album tracks "Christmas Time", "Climbing", "In It For Love", "Insecurity", "Keep Her In Mind", "My Perfect Rhyme", "Shoulda Known Better", "What I Meant To Say" and "Whenever You're In Trouble" for Donny Osmond
  • "Walking Away" for former 10cc member "Graham Gouldman"
  • B-Side "Together" for H & Claire
  • "No Big Deal", "Intoxicated", "Conquered", "Unbreakable" for Belgian-Canadian female singer Lara Fabian, included on her 2004 album "A Wonderful Life"
  • "True To Yourself" for Vanessa Amorosi

Solo Singles

  • "Forever Love"

Barlow's very first solo single (July 1996) UK: #1 Germany: #5 France: #7 Australia: #7 Switzerland: #5

  • "Love Won't Wait" (April 1997)

UK: #1 Germany: #78 Australia: #16 Switzerland: #23

  • "So Help Me Girl" (July 1997)

UK: #11 Germany: #35 Australia: #36

  • "Open Road" (November 1997)

UK: #7 Germany: #63 Australia: #38

  • "Are You Ready Now"

Released only in the Netherlands in November 1997, reaching the #8.

  • "Hang On In There Baby"

The sixth and final single from the Open Road album released in Europe in April 1998: UK: #12 Germany: #69

  • "Stronger" July 1999

UK: #16 Germany: #73

  • "For All That You Want" September 1999

UK: #24 Germany: #94

The song 'For All That You Want' was originally recorded and released as 'Superhero' and released in the USA only in 1998.

Gary's first ever single to be released in the States as a solo artist was "So Help Me Girl", which reached 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart and Number 1 on both the Billboard Adult Contemporary and Radio & Record Play (R&R) charts.

Videography

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gary_Barlow&oldid=91064388"