On PopJustice forum, fans are stating that back in 2012 around the Olympics/Viva Forever musical, the record label was up to release a b-sides/rareties CD and apparently the group blocked it!

 

It's the first time I hear about it. Does anyone else have any more information on this?

I wouldn’t be in the slightest bit surprised if it is true “B-sides are B-sides for a reason” surely had a part in that. Geri is very against re-releases of her own music so guessing she would have blocked it and Victoria we all know wanted distance from it all. I despair 😩

They veto releases all the time, Universal hold the rights to their catalogue and you can bet they would love to milk it. Ultimately the girls have the final say on releases though. It is one of the downsides to Simon negotiating them a great contract at the beginning of their career, very few artists have the cut of royalties and control as the girls do over their music but then very few go to a label with a powerful manager to get them a contract.

I respect the girls for being very careful about their legacy. I think they've made some very sensible, carefully considered decisions (and some less good decisions but they can't be expected to get it right all of the time.)

 

I certainly think a greedy record label milking the girls by chucking out below average songs/albums here and there wouldn't be helpful. Their back catalogue is so strong.

I'm not sure it would make any difference to their legacy or status. Bowie is currently having any and everything released on vinyl, cd etc his legacy and name wont change because of that.

 

If anything what holds the Spice Girls back from being true legends is their lack of material and such a small discography. A compilation of b-sides and some of the best unreleased tracks would I'm sure only enhance their sales, streams and be seen more as less of a flash in the pan act. A live album would seriously help too and we know one is sat in the vaults. Liam Gallagher is currently number 1 in the UK with a live album.

 

Ideally the girls would have a b-sides and rarities, live album and expanded Greatest Hits sitting nicely on their Spotify and available on Amazon.

Edited June 20, 20205 yr by sammy01

I'm not sure it would make any difference to their legacy or status. Bowie is currently having any and everything released on vinyl, cd etc his legacy and name wont change because of that.

 

If anything what holds the Spice Girls back from being true legends is their lack of material and such a small discography. A compilation of b-sides and some of the best unreleased tracks would I'm sure only enhance their sales, streams and be seen more as less of a flash in the pan act. A live album would seriously help too and we know one is sat in the vaults. Liam Gallagher is currently number 1 in the UK with a live album.

 

Ideally the girls would have a b-sides and rarities, live album and expanded Greatest Hits sitting nicely on their Spotify and available on Amazon.

As a previous poster has said, there must be a reason that nothing else has been released. Perhaps their other material isn't good enough. There's nothing worse than BAD new material from a legacy act.

 

They are already true legends and a huge part of that is their very strong back catalogue, which hasn't been diluted by attempts at new music because the girls are smart and they know it's not a good idea.

I don't see the harm in just doing a B-Sides/Live album, they have the fans to easily go #1 and it's not like these girls would have to put in much effort

I'm pretty certain it would require all 5 to sign off on it and Victoria wont even put Let your head go and This Groove on streaming services when she owns the rights to them.

 

I'm pretty certain the b-sides for a reason and other excuses are a cover for Victoria not wanting to have new music (new to the public) released with her vocals on it. It would almost certainly be not the way she wants to be seen these days and the tabloids would no doubt find a way to attack her for it 'Victoria cashes in on unreleased Spice Girls music as fashion business continues to lose money'.

The idea that a b-sides/unreleased compilation would somehow reflect bad on their legacy is, quite frankly, a bit of a stretch. I don't think you have that issue with so many artists who have released similar type of compilations across their careers. Most artists do it and often legacy acts get involved in the making of those albums too.

 

It won't get 'reviewed' as if it was a new album. People and critics know that this isn't material like the rest of their catalogue.

 

So, it is ultimately because they can't be arsed or because they themselves don't see the value in it - and ultimately I do think it is all about value for them....

The idea that a b-sides/unreleased compilation would somehow reflect bad on their legacy is, quite frankly, a bit of a stretch. I don't think you have that issue with so many artists who have released similar type of compilations across their careers. Most artists do it and often legacy acts get involved in the making of those albums too.

 

It won't get 'reviewed' as if it was a new album. People and critics know that this isn't material like the rest of their catalogue.

 

So, it is ultimately because they can't be arsed or because they themselves don't see the value in it - and ultimately I do think it is all about value for them....

Of course it would reflect badly on their legacy if it wasn't good. It's a no-brainer really.

 

I respect the girls for deciding (for whatever reason) that it isn't a good idea. You've only got to listen to the leaks and to the new tracks on the Greatest Hits album to realise that we've definitely heard their strongest material.

Edited June 20, 20205 yr by Slick

Step to me is amazing and Mel C reckons 'Spice is back' was the best song they recorded for the Greatest Hits but never made the tracklist. Geri evidently loves We're gonna make it happen. A lot of fans like Woman.

 

I cant believe there aren't 5 top quality songs sat in the vaults that could be added to the b-sides and Step to me, My strongest suit to make an album of very very good material. Shining a light on songs like Take me home and Walk of life would surely only enhance them as they are very good songs that aren't typical Spice Girls songs.

Edited June 20, 20205 yr by sammy01

They could have released a live greatest hits as i think the fans would have really liked it, ideally a live cd plus some b sides or left over songs would be the best for fans but if the girls are against it, it wont happen. Im surprised the label hasn't tried to cash in as sometimes the rarity style album get released regardless if the artists agrees or not.

They could have released a live greatest hits as i think the fans would have really liked it, ideally a live cd plus some b sides or left over songs would be the best for fans but if the girls are against it, it wont happen. Im surprised the label hasn't tried to cash in as sometimes the rarity style album get released regardless if the artists agrees or not.

What I want (what I really really want) is a DVD of last year's tour DAMMIT. That would be such a money maker for them, surely.

What I want (what I really really want) is a DVD of last year's tour DAMMIT. That would be such a money maker for them, surely.

Omg please, I remember last year being desperate to go to the Edinburgh show but I went on to find tickets and found the show had already passed the day before :')

I understand the girls don't want *everything* released. The Strong Enough leak proved that song's pretty worthless...and none of them have ever had anything nice to say about See You Next Tuesday.

 

But. They're their own worst enemies in terms of interest in unreleased material. Emma kept talking up W.O.M.A.N. until it didn't appear on the album tracklist...and then she basically switched her story to "welp. That wasn't my call." It was also considered good enough to debut their new material on tour. As sammy01 mentioned, Mel C considers Spice Is Back to be the best of the reunion material. Richard Stannard has called Feed Your Love one of his favorite songs he ever did with the girls...and has talked up his unheard Forever material.

 

And then there's the leaks of Pain Proof, Give You Want You Want, A Day In Your Life, and the pop Right Back at Ya. Which. You might like em. You might not. But they *are* good enough for some kind of release. (I personally like Pain Proof, Give You Want You Want, and the pop Right Back At Ya better than about half of what did make the album). And Right Back At Ya is obviously more comfortable in this pop mix than what Darkchild did.

 

In terms of b-sides, I think at the very least, Bumper to Bumper, Take Me Home, and Walk of Life deserve space on an album. Pair those with the best of the unreleased material...and Step to Me...and My Strongest Suit...I don't know. Sounds like it'd be a solid little release to me.

 

I get that they want to preserve their legacy and stuff. But. I'm not sure how releasing a rarities album hurts their image more than...yet another potato chip commercial?

 

I also get that Richard Stannard is uncertain about releasing demos like W.O.M.A.N. But. I mean. Is it just impossible to complete them now? Mark 'Spike' Stent ain't dead...

I'm not hugely bothered by the old stuff at this point.

 

I would absolutely love to know what music they could write and release together today though. I'd love to see the evolution.

I get that they want to preserve their legacy and stuff. But. I'm not sure how releasing a rarities album hurts their image more than...yet another potato chip commercial?

That's a good point :lol:

I definitely agree that they need a bigger catalog. They can release rarities silently for hardcore fans, just for fun, and another decent new album or more for general public. Imagine when they all leave this earth and only leave two legendary albums behind for new generations.

I mean. I agree with you guys. New material would be the most ideal. I just haven't viewed it as especially...plausible...

 

But. Yeah. It'd be great if they did it. I think the Spices are a pretty rare example of a group hitting their commercial peak LONG before they reached their peak as performers. Emma, Mel C, and Geri are significantly better singers today than they were in 96-98. Mel B, Emma, and Mel C are better performers than in their heyday...all three with such confidence and command of the stage.

 

Some are likely going to disagree with me about this...but honestly, if a group album had been released including Baby Please Don't Stop, Too Many Teardrops, Who I Am, Anymore, Love and Light, and Without Love...I would have been pretty happy. That's a hypothetical, of course. Think of it as some alternate timeline where they weren't solo songs. I bring it up just to say...those are songs released (or leaked) in just the past five years. There's still very much an ability there to craft a solid pop song.

 

Anyway. I know they don't want to hurt their legacy. But...the legacy isn't perfect. No artist's legacy is perfect. Forever and Headlines already crashed and burned. Might as well just have fun at this point. At least people would sit up and take notice of a group song...instead of another solid solo song that we just hope manages some YouTube views...

The obsessions with the "legacy" at this point is pretty pointless - I could see this being an issue pre-Olympics, but after that plus the 90s nostaglia that's been kicking in for the past few years, it just feels like they have established themselves as proper legends and they might as well just do what they feel like at this point. It's frustrating to see them holding back everything due to constantly overanalysing the whole "legacy" business while also doing crisp adverts.