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That was a beautiful rendition. Emma is sounding brilliant as always and it actually suits Robbies voice!
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Or what little voice that showbiz chancer has! Can't sing c an't dance and was the worst of a baad band.

 

However Emma slaaying it! Also with ropey vocals but ok :lol: Shoulda released it and got Xmas no 1.

Or what little voice that showbiz chancer has! Can't sing c an't dance and was the worst of a baad band.

 

However Emma slaaying it! Also with ropey vocals but ok :lol: Shoulda released it and got Xmas no 1.

Oh wow, that performance of 2 Become 1 is sooo nice and Emma is so charming :wub:

 

2 Become 1 was anyway one of my fave Spice Girls song :wub:

  • 2 months later...
Geri has Tweeted that she is hosting a new documentary going out next Saturday at 9pm on BBC Two. It's called "Geri's 1990s: My Drive to Freedom", and will focus on the music of that decade including, amongst other things, the Spice Girls. Should be a good watch!
Soo this comeback bombed :lol:

 

What were they thinking!!

 

They have to do something for it to 'bomb' though? :huh:

  • 4 weeks later...
So Victoria is doing Carpool Karaoke with James Corden on The Late Late Show in America tonight!
^ I thought that was just for the Mannequin sketch?
  • 5 months later...

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Mel-C...OREVER-20170906

 

 

Mel C AKA Sporty Spice has told Gay Times that the Spice Girls have discussed a return for their West End jukebox musical Viva Forever!.

 

"I loved it, too," she said in response to the anger the musical isn't still running. "What happened? What went wrong?

 

"It was such an exciting time. I started my career in musical theatre. I went to a performing arts college, and for me to work in the West End and then have the Spice Girls musical on the West End was such a thrill.

 

"It sadly closed after six months, but I think, at some point, yeah - at some point, I think. The music lends itself so well to musical theatre and I just think, at some point, we will.

 

"It's something we talk about. We'd really love to make that work and for people, not only in London to enjoy it but tour it and take it international. We'd love to do that!"

 

Viva Forever! was written by Jennifer Saunders and produced by Judy Craymer. It had a short run in the West End, playing from December 2012 to June 2013.

 

Would you like to see it spice up your life again?

Would you like to see it spice up your life again?

OOH I saw a headline for this on my Facebook news feed earlier but didn't actually read the article! I would love for it to return to the West End as I never got to see it first time around :(

I never got to see it first time around so I'd be interested if it came around again. But I'd be very surprised if this actually happened after it was so critically panned and ceased happening so quickly.
Yes it would be great if we can see Viva Forever again! Hope its come to Australian theatre to relive our childhood memories! But it need to be reworked. Judy Chaymer who created Mamma Mia said in the interview few years ago that she was pretty sure that Viva Forever would rise again at some point. :)

I saw 'Viva Forever' and enjoyed it, as I think any real fan would.

 

I felt that it had scope for improvement in sets and costumes, but I think that would come with a profitable run. It just lacked a bit of colour and scale.

 

But I also thought some of the more lyrically interesting songs were wasted as part of "TV performances". Personally, I'd like to see the TV talent show element played down a bit. It could be more of a background, like in 'Hairspray'. Or it could be changed entirely for another situation that causes the protagonist to grow/move on.

 

The songs worked really well for emotive themes of coming-of-age, motherhood, romance and friendship.

 

Everyone should watch 'Goodbye'/'Mama' medley, and the male version of 'Viva Forever' at least once.

 

(From The Lounge, "Songs You Can't Stand From Artists You Like" thread) -

Spice Girls - Holler (yes I just went there. No I do not care. Everything about the 'Forever' era showed lack of direction and a bizarre desire to turn them into a halfway house between J.Lo and Destiny's Child. Which was never the point of them)

 

This post isn't to say you're wrong, because it's obviously your opinion, but I was just interested to give my stance on the matter. The Forever era is one of the most fascinating moments in the Spice Girls' history!

 

 

Personally I don't think Forever showed a lack of direction at all! The Spice Girls were actually very focused and determined to record an R&B album. Geri has said a couple of times in recent years that even when she was still in the group, the other girls had expressed a desire to make an R&B album - which she didn't believe would be very her.

 

"They wanted to make an R&B album. Am I a big R&B fan? Not really. I'm a pop writer. I felt comfortable in that genre and it felt completely alien to me to sing in that R&B style. My departure almost set them free a bit, and allowed them to make [Forever]."

 

 

I guess it's fair to say that the sound they explored on Forever was "(musically) never the point of them", but that's with the benefit of hindsight and taking into account that their pop music singles have since been embraced as iconic and defining of the 90s. At the time though, their music wasn't exactly lauded. They were only 3 years into their fame by the time it came to recording the third album, so with such a small discography they probably didn't feel that their previous sound had to be the be-all and end-all of their musical output. Also, it's worth noting that there are in fact R&B elements present on the 'Spice' album.

 

 

In 1999 there was certainly a shift towards commercial R&B becoming a major chart force. I would imagine that the girls & the label felt that R&B music would showcase progression and maturity, moving with the times... plus, combined with the fact they wanted to do it, ultimately it was a no-brainer. They were initially very excited about the Forever album, particularly because they felt they were given the opportunity to showcase their vocals more than ever before (which is certainly true, they really went to town with their vocals on most of the tracks... numerous intricate melodies & ad-libs). Maybe they probably would have been wiser to go in a StarGate direction rather than with the American producers, if they wanted some R&B-flavoured pop - but they very much enjoyed the fact they were actually in a position to be able to work with those American producers, it's ultimately what they wanted.

 

 

Personally I don't think their downturn of success is primarily because of the music (let's remember they had a #1 comeback single, and the album was still a #2, platinum success on the strength of that single alone) - but other circumstances surrounding that time. Such as, their general apathy by the time it came to release the album. They recorded most of the album in August/September 1999 (including Holler), but didn't release this music until October/November 2000. Melanie C experienced major solo success within that time, but also became increasingly depressed as well. By the time the Forever era began, she was truly over being a Spice Girl. Her behaviour was said to have taken its toll on the other girls, particularly at their Forever album launch party. Additionally, they'd probably left it a bit too long to release it. It had been 2 years since Goodbye, 3 years since Spiceworld. A decline in sales since Spiceworld was inevitable, so in that sense they were always setting themselves up for a fall - and the media loved to be able to write about their apparent failures. Them getting to #2 was a flop in the eyes of the media. It was like they weren't allowed to under-perform at all, and I think the girls bowed to that pressure, ultimately.

 

 

As for Holler itself... I actually love the song. I think it holds up well to this day as one of the best pop-flavoured R&B songs from that time. The fact it's American R&B produced obviously means it sticks out somewhat against their other singles, but whatever, in its own right it's a catchy song. Its lyrics are bold & self-assured, and therefore as Spicy as previous offerings. It also added a much needed uptempo to their run of singles (they have 7 ballads vs 6 uptempos).

 

Also, its existence lead to one of their very best performances, at The Return of the Spice Girls tour -

*_*
(From The Lounge, "Songs You Can't Stand From Artists You Like" thread) -

This post isn't to say you're wrong, because it's obviously your opinion, but I was just interested to give my stance on the matter. The Forever era is one of the most fascinating moments in the Spice Girls' history!

 

Personally I don't think Forever showed a lack of direction at all! The Spice Girls were actually very focused and determined to record an R&B album. Geri has said a couple of times in recent years that even when she was still in the group, the other girls had expressed a desire to make an R&B album - which she didn't believe would be very her.

 

"They wanted to make an R&B album. Am I a big R&B fan? Not really. I'm a pop writer. I felt comfortable in that genre and it felt completely alien to me to sing in that R&B style. My departure almost set them free a bit, and allowed them to make [Forever]."

 

I guess it's fair to say that the sound they explored on Forever was "(musically) never the point of them", but that's with the benefit of hindsight and taking into account that their pop music singles have since been embraced as iconic and defining of the 90s. At the time though, their music wasn't exactly lauded. They were only 3 years into their fame by the time it came to recording the third album, so with such a small discography they probably didn't feel that their previous sound had to be the be-all and end-all of their musical output. Also, it's worth noting that there are in fact R&B elements present on the 'Spice' album.

 

In 1999 there was certainly a shift towards commercial R&B becoming a major chart force. I would imagine that the girls & the label felt that R&B music would showcase progression and maturity, moving with the times... plus, combined with the fact they wanted to do it, ultimately it was a no-brainer. They were initially very excited about the Forever album, particularly because they felt they were given the opportunity to showcase their vocals more than ever before (which is certainly true, they really went to town with their vocals on most of the tracks... numerous intricate melodies & ad-libs). Maybe they probably would have been wiser to go in a StarGate direction rather than with the American producers, if they wanted some R&B-flavoured pop - but they very much enjoyed the fact they were actually in a position to be able to work with those American producers, it's ultimately what they wanted.

 

Personally I don't think their downturn of success is primarily because of the music (let's remember they had a #1 comeback single, and the album was still a #2, platinum success on the strength of that single alone) - but other circumstances surrounding that time. Such as, their general apathy by the time it came to release the album. They recorded most of the album in August/September 1999 (including Holler), but didn't release this music until October/November 2000. Melanie C experienced major solo success within that time, but also became increasingly depressed as well. By the time the Forever era began, she was truly over being a Spice Girl. Her behaviour was said to have taken its toll on the other girls, particularly at their Forever album launch party. Additionally, they'd probably left it a bit too long to release it. It had been 2 years since Goodbye, 3 years since Spiceworld. A decline in sales since Spiceworld was inevitable, so in that sense they were always setting themselves up for a fall - and the media loved to be able to write about their apparent failures. Them getting to #2 was a flop in the eyes of the media. It was like they weren't allowed to under-perform at all, and I think the girls bowed to that pressure, ultimately.

 

As for Holler itself... I actually love the song. I think it holds up well to this day as one of the best pop-flavoured R&B songs from that time. The fact it's American R&B produced obviously means it sticks out somewhat against their other singles, but whatever, in its own right it's a catchy song. Its lyrics are bold & self-assured, and therefore as Spicy as previous offerings. It also added a much needed uptempo to their run of singles (they have 7 ballads vs 6 uptempos).

 

Also, its existence lead to one of their very best performances, at The Return of the Spice Girls tour -

*_*

 

Some interesting and valid reflections there! I've always thought, especially in light of the leaked pop version of "Right Back At Ya" and looking back at W.O.M.A.N, that the girls would have seen much more successful with a 3rd album that still had a lot of pop influence. With Forever, you can really tell Geri is gone - and although she wasn't the Spice Girls by herself - she certainly brought out a camp and cheeky side which was a part of their iconography.

 

Having said that, they were only 3 years into their careers, and it is easy to forget just how influential RnB was at the time (Destiny's Child, All Saints, Eternal, Louise, TLC, The Honeyz). They would have seen their fans growing up too, possibly moving on from pure pop to something more adult. It makes complete sense that artistically and commercially they would have gone in an RnB direction.

 

We'll never know if a pop based 3rd album would have fared better, Geri's solo career which was more pop-based did arguably about as well overall (her album peaked lower but she had more hit singles and equaled two No 1s in the UK). Of course, it's easy to forget that forever did well, just not as well as Spice and Spiceworld (which were truly exceptional). In some ways they were victims of their own success - they had a very tall order to 'better', and clearly were just a bit exhausted/bored by it all come time to promote Forever.

 

It's a shame that Forever didn't take off as much as the others as I think it was very unfairly perceived as a bit of a 'flop' and that may very well have fed into a sense that the party was over (after Forever that was it until Headlines in 2007!)... Holler was actually a GREAT comeback single - it was also a perfect idea to double A-side it with a much more 'traditional spice girls ballad... I was so nervous when it came out but off it went right to No.1!

 

I'd say I always preferred the pop side of the Spice Girls, but Spice had a lot of RnB influence (I've always loved Naked)... and whilst I can't say I go running to Forever it's nice to have as something different, and Holler and Let Love Lead The Way are gems in my opinion.

 

In conlusion: I completely agree that waiting until November 2000 to release Forever, 3 years after Spiceworld, was a huge mistake. They lost some momentum and never really got it back (even if Return of the Spice Girls was epic). If Forever had launched in 1999, RnB or pop version, I suspect it'd have hit the top-spot and had more of an impact just because the interest in the group hadn't cooled off.

 

Final say: The cover. I will never ever understand the cover for Forever. Just the logo by itself would have been much better.

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