Gay & Lesbian Times - Melissa Manchester Interview
Scooter
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http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=15399
Gay & Lesbian Times
August 28, 2009
San Diego Symphony Summer Pops: Melissa Manchester
by Randy Hope, Editor
[snip to]
GLT: What is it that allows you or an artist to maintain their relevance?
MM: I can�t speak for any of my lovely colleagues who have had
extraordinary careers. I was taught song writing by Paul Simon, and I
worked with Bette Midler and did lots of commercials with Barry Manilow.
We all have a big dream for ourselves. Part of my dream, which was a big
personal risk, was to leave the industry for 10 years to raise my kids.
And I just think we have a light inside of us that does not dim. It was
very interesting to come back into the industry. It�s a big leap of faith
to leave your career; it�s a big leap of faith to try to come back. And to
realize on the surface that just about everything about your industry has
changed.
GLT: It did change. How did you respond?
MM: It left me sort of understruck. All the old paradigms that used to
work for me somehow shifted. I didn�t recognize the landscape when I came
back. I�m somebody who regards making an album as working on a very large
canvas and making an artistic statement. Here we are back in the age of
singles, when you can just download one song, which forces artists to say,
�Oh why bother I�ll just do one song.� And I�m thinking how the hell do
you do that now again? I forgot. It�s interesting. Little by little, I�m
easing my way into this age. We put up a Web site and it�s a beautiful Web
site ( http://www.melissa-manchester.com/ ). But now I want to go on
Facebook and Twitter, where I can get lots of people instantaneously � who
hopefully won�t e-mail me back. *****I don�t want to hear their comments
about what I�m wearing or the last time they saw it or how fat I am or
whatever. I just want to put up the information and hope it�s a really
swell idea.*****
[snip]
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Scooter
Brenda
> Melissa "gets it."
>
> ...
Of course she does - she's a very bright lady.
It's about managing the technology, instead of allowing it to manage
you.
:-)
Brenda
marvin
Melissa strikes me as being very open and honest about her life,
ambitions, and how she has evolved as an artist. The wrtiter asks some
very candid question and it is always refreshing for me to hear an
artist talk a lot more than on just the latest project that is being
promoted. Marvin
Jackie
> Melissa "gets it."
Darned tooting. She does seem like she's always had the gift of risk
taking and honesty which only continues to compliment her talent.
Good for her!
Jackie
marvin
To me, Melissa seems to have it all- high praise of her music from
fans,critics and peers; gifted as singer/songwriter, actress and a
risk taker and an ability to be honest with the public about her
career.. Of all her CDs, I love Tribute best of all, especially her
rendition of "Over The Rainbow" and she will be forever remembered for
"Through The Eyes Of Love", "Don't Cry Out Loud" and "Come In From The
Rain". In the A&E biography of Barry, Melissa shows much enthusiasm
for working with Barry and shares much about what makes Barry's music
so endearing. Marvin