Source: http://scootertalk.blogspot.com/2006/11/british-pressurejanuaryfebruary-1982.html
BRITISH "PRESSURE"
January/February 1982
MANILOW'S FRIEND FLIES IN FOR TOUR
As Barry Manilow continues his grueling sell-out Royal Albert concerts, he is doubtless glad of the company of his close friend and business adviser, American Gary (sic) Kief.
Kief, 30-ish, who flew into London yesterday specially to look after the superstar crooner, is Manilow's chief executive in charge of merchandising.
The pair often stay at the singer's magnificent mountain-top villa in Bel Air, Los Angeles, where Gary helps Barry to relax away from the hurly-burly of showbiz.
In fact, say their nearest chums, Manilow confides in Kief more than his girlfriend, ...film-set designer Linda Allen, who shares the house. Barry has said of Linda: "We love each other, but we're not in love with each other."
Of course, we mustn't forget that the star was once married 14 years ago to his Brooklyn teenage sweetheart. The marriage lasted only a year and now his aides are ordered never to reveal her name.
On the subject of marriage he has remarked: "I tried it once and didn't like it...."
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500 FANS MOB PLAIN 'MR. PARKER' IN LONDON
London - Singer Barry Manilow, beginning a sold-out, six-week concert tour of Europe, flew here under an assumed name, but his bid to travel incognito failed when tour promoters leaked his arrival plans and about 500 screaming fans mobbed him at Heathrow Airport.
"What's going on here?" shouted Manilow as he emerged from customs Thursday. "I'm just a kid from Brooklyn."
Manilow was showered with roses and scarves - a personal trademark - and had to be hustled through the crowd by airport security officers.
Reporters, tipped to Manilow's arrival by publicity agents who also let word slip to some fans, discovered the teen idol was booked aboard the flight simply as "Mr. Parker."
Asked about this as he pushed through the well-wishers, Manilow said, "I don't usually travel as plain 'Mr. Parker,' but I use a lot of different names on tour to avoid crowds."
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BARRY DOES BUNK
Superstar singer Barry Manilow stormed out of his hotel before a sell-out concert last night.
He and his constant companion, Roberta Kent, quit the Grand at Brighton after he was given twin beds instead of doubles in his two suites.
He booked into the nearby Hotel Metropol - and caused another flurry by asking for a grand piano to be brought to his suite.
He later decided that none of the hotel's six pianos were suitable.
Tour manager Les Joyce denied the singer was tense. "He is just fine," he insisted.
Grand Hotel manager Paul Boswell was surprised by Barry's walk out. "We are used to looking after Prime Ministers and other important people here," he said.
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BARRY'S BED OF WOE
Superstar Barry Manilow and his girlfriend Roberta Kent stormed out of Brighton's top hotel last night.
The couple were angry when they discovered they had been allocated twin rather than double-bedded suites.
The American star walked out of the sea-front Grand - where Prime Ministers have stayed over the years - and marched 200 yards to the rival Metropole.
Manilow, starring in two concerts at the resort, was said by the Metropole to be "very happy." A spokesman added: "When he arrived we did not know there had been a row at the Grand."
A friend of the 35-years-old singer said: "A large bed is important to Barry because he can relax in it. After a concert he likes to lie in bed late in the morning."
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MANILOW DUCKS FANS
Patient fans of pop star Barry Manilow wept yesterday after their hero slipped into Ireland unseen.
Many had camped out for hours at Dublin Airport hoping to catch a glimpse of the American singer.
But Manilow insisted on keeping a low profile and left by a side entrance.
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MANILOW FANS IN THE DARK
Officials have snuffed out the traditional climax to Barry Manilow's concert in Dublin tonight.
Organisers of the singer's sell-out stage show have been told that fans must not light candles in the Royal Dublin Society concert hall in Ballsbridge.
After last year's Stardust disco disaster, in which 48 people died, Doublin Corporation want to make sure that every safety precaution is taken when 4,500 fans pack the hall.
A corporation spokesman said: "We have told the society that if evidence of any fire hazard is seen we will object to the continuation of their license."
Manilow left a trail of tearful fans at Dublin Airport yesterday when he left by a side door.
Earlier, he shrugged off a report of a threat to kill him and said: "I heard about it, but as you can see it's not happened."
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MANILOW FANS IN FURY AT 'RIP-OFF'
Hundreds of furious fans stormed the box office demanding their money back at a Barry Manilow concert.
About 500, many hysterical, complained they could not see or hear their idol.
And the fans who had paid £10 and more or tickets, were disgusted by prices asked for Manilow souvenirs.
Housewife Dawn Paget, who paid £12.50 for a balcony seat at the Edinburgh show, said: "I couldn't hear him sing at all."
Dawn, 26, of Glendon Avenue, Edinburgh, added: "I've been to a lot of concerts, but I've never seen a rip-off like this.
"If you buy good tickets, you expect to at least see the man.
"Barry Manilow sweatshirts cost £12, and T-shirts were £4.50. Even badges were £1 and £2.50.
"The programme cost me £3.50, and it was all pictures.
"Some people had come from as far as London, and at the interval we went to the box office to demand our money back.
"There were hundreds complaining. They started signing cheques for refunds but ran out and told us to get in touch with the promoters."
About 9,000 people packed the McRobert Pavilion at the Royal Highland Showground for the performance on Friday night.
A policeman who took his wife to see the American star said: "We could only see because we had binoculars. It was a disaster.
"The back of the hall was about 200 yards from the stage.
"Most theatres have a sloped floor, but this one was flat so the majority only saw the back of other people's heads.
"It even took us nearly an hour and a half to get out of the car park afterwards."
Last night Barry's management refused to comment on the chaos.
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PNEUMONIA ENDS MANILOW'S EUROPEAN TOUR
Los Angeles - Singer Barry Manilow, bedridden in a Paris hotel with bronchial pneumonia, has been ordered by doctors to cancel a nine-concert European tour, a spokeswoman said.
Publicist Heidi Ellen Robinson said Thursday the Grammy Award-winning singer became ill in Paris earlier this week after completing a month-long United Kingdom tour. She added Manilow has given about 70 concerts, most of them in North America, since he began touring in August.
"He's absolutely worn down because he has been on tour so long," Miss Robinson said. "I know he's lost a lot of weight."
Manilow, 35, was to have started his European tour with a Feb. 6 concert in Hamburg, West Germany, before continuing on to the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. However, Miss Robinson said he was ordered to remain in bed for at least a week and would probably return to his Loa Angeles home when he is able to travel.
Originally posted 11/30/2006 09:19:00 AM
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