Girlbands Forever

[straightorbroken]

I always expected All Saints to have good ALBAMS because of the way they spoke about and carried themselves as songwriters etc but their albums were so full of filler. They were as much of a singles band as any of the other girl groups of the 90s.

I haven’t really deep dived Sugababes beyond the singles but I feel only the first two Eternal albums and some of Girls Aloud’s felt like the most complete start to finish girlband albums though not without a tiny bit of filler either.

Surprised you say this about Eternal, but I think you'd be surprised at the first batch of Sugababes albums. Three of my favourite tracks by them are album tracks (Look At Me, Whatever Makes You Happy, Ace Reject), and then you have stuff like Maya that you wouldn't necessarily expect from a girl band usually aiming solely for the hit parade. I do need to check out the first 2 Eternal albums now though.

 

[Shoat]

Also was thinking will S Club 7 and Steps get a look in if they do a mixed gender programme? Trying to think off the top of my head..Buck Fizz, ABBA, Steps, S Club 7, Scooch, S Club Juniors, A Teens...but do locals care enough?

Steps already had their own in-depth documentary series, so all of the really juicy stuff is already out there. It would just be a bit of a "how nice we're still touring".

Similarly what new insights could be offered up on ABBA?

S Club and S Club Juniors would be the only real draws. A Teens were never the phenomenon in the UK that they were in Scandinavia. And if we think the amount of screen time devoted to Atomic Kitten was unwarranted this time around, no way are they were going to be able to stretch episodes around Scooch or AllStars. And we don't need to be giving airtime to Cherly Baker these days.

 

[straightorbroken]

Also was thinking will S Club 7 and Steps get a look in if they do a mixed gender programme? Trying to think off the top of my head..Buck Fizz, ABBA, Steps, S Club 7, Scooch, S Club Juniors, A Teens...but do locals care enough?

Hear'Say, Liberty X, allSTARS*, Five Star.

I mean, if they don't cost much to do, they absolutely should, especially if prepared to do their research a bit more.

 

[BoysForSeles]

Five Star is a whole three parter all on its own, the rise the fall, the financial and personal scandal , the dad, and now Deniece and Lorraine don’t speak.

 

[Shoat]

Would Kym Marsh acknowledge Hear'Say now that she's a SERIOUS ACTRESS?

Liberty X were pretty likeable for the most part, did they generate much DRAMA?

 

[Devil]

Surprised you say this about Eternal, but I think you'd be surprised at the first batch of Sugababes albums. Three of my favourite tracks by them are album tracks (Look At Me, Whatever Makes You Happy, Ace Reject), and then you have stuff like Maya that you wouldn't necessarily expect from a girl band usually aiming solely for the hit parade. I do need to check out the first 2 Eternal albums now though.

The 2nd to 4th Sugababes albums are very strong for girl band albums. The first as well if that’s what you like (not for me, but I know it’s popular). Alongside GA during this point for consistency.

 

[Pipo]

Scandalous was a modest hit in America, so Mis-teeq do have that over Girls Aloud, Sugababes and Atomic Kitten.

So was Ce'st La Vie; I remember B*witched spent almost a year in the States touring, tv show appearances, endless magazines, special US-only releases and even a Disney Channel Special (5ive and Steps also got theirs); everyone wanted to break out in the USA. Strange how this show also just ignored all of that.

I got the impression that All Saints never did anything kid-friendly because they were trying to seem cool when the truth is they couldn't stand each other The Saints relied a lot on MTV but I Wonder why they never even got a slot on the VMAs whereas B*Witched, Steps, Cleopatra all rode the Disney/Nickelodeon machine and stood with the kids.

 

[straightorbroken]

So was Ce'st La Vie; I remember B*witched spent almost a year in the States touring, tv show appearances, endless magazines, special US-only releases and even a Disney Channel Special (5ive and Steps also got theirs); everyone wanted to break out in the USA. Strange how this show also just ignored all of that.

I got the impression that All Saints never did anything kid-friendly because they were trying to seem cool when the truth is they couldn't stand each other The Saints relied a lot on MTV but I Wonder why they never even got a slot on the VMAs whereas B*Witched, Steps, Cleopatra all rode the Disney/Nickelodeon machine and stood with the kids.

Whitney is on the record talking about taking Bobbi K to B*Witched concerts and scrunching her nose to impersonate them.

All Saints didn't keep the momentum going long enough into 1998 States-wise for a VMAs slot (although their If You Wanna Have A Good Time (was that the name Mel?) still went top 40), but EMAs they really cemented themselves Fun For Europe-wise at this point with a successfully executed double A side (I loved Bridge and hated Marmalade, but the video concept was fantastic).

 

[Devil]

I didn’t realise they had a second top forty in the US and a million selling album

Makes not doing anything with Pure Shores rather baffling. I assume it is on the US soundtrack?

 

[Pipo]

I didn’t realise they had a second top forty in the US and a million selling album

Makes not doing anything with Pure Shores rather baffling. I assume it is on the US soundtrack?

Yeah, like I said, back in the day this practice was very common in the US; no CD single and you had to buy the whole soundtrack (understandably) especially for artists whose sophomore album was never gonna see the light of day in this side of the ocean.

There was a promo cd pressed for the States but nothing came after it. https://www.discogs.com/release/2566848-All-Saints-Pure-Shores-Out-Of-Reach

 

[Devil]

I’m guessing it wasn’t sent to radio at all? Or maybe it was and just bombed. It seems like such a waste if not.

 

[VoR]

I don't think it was ever sent to radio in the US. I assume a combination of record company issues and the group being in complete meltdown.

 

[VoR]

Anyway, I'm finding this series quite disappointing to be honest. Maybe I just know the stories too well already by comparison, but I feel like I learned a lot more from the boyband doc, whereas this one is just hitting all the widely known beats.

Just having one member from each group commenting is quite limiting too. I'd love to hear reflections from the Appleton sisters or Shaznay to see how their memories/attitudes lined up with grumpy old Mel's.

 

[VoR]

Also, multiple talking heads openly discussing Nicole's abortion without her having a right of reply felt really fucking gross.

 

[Devil]

The Mis Teeq record label stuff was quite interesting. I always thought they run their course, albeit having a rubbish label that never knew how to deal with them (random remixes, reissued albums, jumping all over the show etc). But perhaps they did have some more potential. I don’t know how much money was put into promoting ‘Style’ or whether it just wasn’t liked, but given they had the Brits after that ‘flop’ they normally would get another go.

Additionally in the US, a top 40 hit was a big deal for a UK girlband. One Night Stand pretty much bombed at radio, but I now wonder whether that was due to the label being in such strife and so no money was there to plug and promote which is needed that early in your US career.

 

[GNL]

Also, multiple talking heads openly discussing Nicole's abortion without her having a right of reply felt really fucking gross.

Didn't Mel Blatt drop the original "I don't know that story" when the Appletons book came out back in the day?

 

[straightorbroken]

Oh I fucking loved Style and never understood it performing less well.

 

[syl]

Eternal's first album is classic if you jettison some of the covers/spirituals.

I was also surprised by All Saints' prime albums. Quite variable in quality. And some very dull, one-note lyrics.

 

[PGCMc]

The Mis Teeq record label stuff was quite interesting. I always thought they run their course, albeit having a rubbish label that never knew how to deal with them (random remixes, reissued albums, jumping all over the show etc). But perhaps they did have some more potential. I don’t know how much money was put into promoting ‘Style’ or whether it just wasn’t liked, but given they had the Brits after that ‘flop’ they normally would get another go.

Additionally in the US, a top 40 hit was a big deal for a UK girlband. One Night Stand pretty much bombed at radio, but I now wonder whether that was due to the label being in such strife and so no money was there to plug and promote which is needed that early in your US career.

I think the songs weren't as good on the 2nd album bar Scandalous. The 1st album did really well, the 2nd abum barely passed a 100k. I don't think it was down to Telstar I think people were just over them.

Telstar hadn't gone under at the time of them charting with Scandalous in America. I don't think One Night Stand's floppage would've had had anything to do with it anyway as they were signed to Warner there.

 

[Devil]

The second album was largely rubbish, though it did manage just over 200k with the re-release. Certainly not great, but not a complete disaster given they weren’t high budget.

I do agree it would’ve been a slog back, but it does seem the label folding did seem to stop them in what normally would’ve at least given them a crack at a new single to try a third album. I can’t think Warner in the US would bother chucking money in them when they didn’t even have a UK label so it no doubt impacted severely on them.

 

[supermassive]

It's always a shock to me that Mis-Teeq's first album is called "Lickin' on Both Sides". Is Su-Elise BI?

 

[Halli]

Su-Elise is anything you want her to be, apart from a pop star.

 

[PGCMc]

The second album was largely rubbish, though it did manage just over 200k with the re-release. Certainly not great, but not a complete disaster given they weren’t high budget.

I do agree it would’ve been a slog back, but it does seem the label folding did seem to stop them in what normally would’ve at least given them a crack at a new single to try a third album. I can’t think Warner in the US would bother chucking money in them when they didn’t even have a UK label so it no doubt impacted severely on them.

Surely had Warner seen potiential in them they'd have signed them in the UK like they had done with Craig David.

 

[Devil]

Playing the first Mis Teeq album and it’s actually rather fantastic

 

[Rita]

Playing the first Mis Teeq album and it’s actually rather fantastic

I remember loving it back then too. It was always on in my car. Secrets of the Night is a BANGER.

 

[Rita]

Just looking at the track list. These Days was a Precious song?

 

[straightorbroken]

@Rita now would be a good time to deliver a mammoth post about your entire girlband past...

 

[Rita]

We were called HAVANA. Unfortunately we didn’t meet the dizzy heights of even Vanilla.

 

[Halli]

Girlband night on BBC2 tonight. Jade at the Proms, Spice Girls At TOTP, Sugababes at Glasto and Eternal at TOTP

 

[jyxz]

We were called HAVANA. Unfortunately we didn’t meet the dizzy heights of even Vanilla.

Should have done a duet with Kavana

 

[Ellie]

We were called HAVANA. Unfortunately we didn’t meet the dizzy heights of even Vanilla.

I bet you were better than LOOSE CHIPINGS at least.

 

[Rita]

Should have done a duet with Kavana

We were before him my love.

 

[Rita]

I bet you were better than LOOSE CHIPINGS at least.

I have never been blessed with the best voice to be honest but could dance, and the songs were ok for the early 90’s. Our lead singer got pregnant, and management weren’t happy and wanted to get rid so we split even before a single release.

 

[straightorbroken]

I have never been blessed with the best voice to be honest but could dance, and the songs were ok for the early 90’s. Our lead singer got pregnant, and management weren’t happy and wanted to get rid so we split even before a single release.

Do you have the tracks to share? I'm imagining a Those 2 Girls/Milan flavour.

 

[Rita]

Do you have the tracks to share? I'm imagining a Those 2 Girls/Milan flavour.

I do have them yes. Where? I don’t have a clue. In a box with promo pictures, and old photographs of us all. The last time I recall seeing said box was when I brought it all out to show the kids quite a few years back now. They will be in this house here as I didn’t clear out the attic when I moved to Ireland.

 

[Suomi]

One thing that made me quite emotional about this documentary is that it really captured the sheer tenacity, professionalism and strength of Heidi Range as both an artist and a human being.

The Sugababes were unpolished and unready in their first iteration, and it took a star like Heidi to come and give the project the heart it was missing. It’s difficult to imagine that Keisha and Mutya immediately changed their cliquey ways when Heidi joined, so Heidi must have had real determination to just stick at it and keep going, despite clearly being in a toxic workplace.

If the current version of the Sugababes really want to break through again, they need to repeat history by dumping Siobhan and bringing back the woman responsible for all their success, Miss Heidi Range.

 

[Shoat]

Why on earth would Heidi want to?

And surely nobody has any delusions that any incarnation of the Sugababes are troubling the sharts again. So why risk another implosion when it took them so long to rebuild bridges with Siobhan? They're never going to sell records again, but they can at least continue having some fun on the live circuit.