She's talking about the producer Teddy Riley.

 

Yep.

But what He did or said about her?

Ooh wow, 20 years since Feels So Good! Mel B's final experience of achieving a Top 5 hit :cry:

 

I love the song and video, it's such a good package and I think it deserved more success than it got tbh. My only criticism about the radio edit is the sudden cut, it sounds sloppy... "that is how it's got to be-" *instrumental*... I think they should have kept the ad-lib from the album version.

 

YES! That edit is shit. And it's the version that plays in my car through my mp3 player. Thanks for reminding me to change that!

 

Yep.

But what He did or said about her?

 

As far as I know, Teddy Riley never spoke publicly about Mel. Mel was who said they didn't get along...and that he apparently had preconceived ideas of her. Jam n' Lewis did an interview saying they had to build Mel's confidence back up because another producer told her she couldn't sing. They didn't say the producer by name...but I think it had to be Teddy Riley.

 

Anyway. I definitely understand Mel/Virgin's logic in getting Teddy Riley on board the Hot project. He'd produced absolute classics for Michael Jackson like Remember the Time, and (at least here in the US) his No Diggity may arguably be THE r'n'b song of the 90s. There was a lot of reason to believe his material for Mel would be stronger than, say, ABC123.

 

What I don't totally follow is...if Riley so desperately didn't want to work with Mel...why'd he do it? The guy had some of the biggest hits of the 90s under his belt and was still working with music's biggest names. I have a hard time believing he worked with Mel cause he needed the money. He was still a very prominent producer in 2000.

Teddy was massive and a big name to work with her as a solo artist. To be honest, I always thought that Teddy should have worked on Forever instead but since they had such a bad experience (and the results werent amazing), maybe it was for the best.

 

Love Mel. She really deserved better as a solo artist. Like, so much of the album isn't actually her, and she barely writes on it either. But when she shines, she really goes for it!

Teddy was massive and a big name to work with her as a solo artist. To be honest, I always thought that Teddy should have worked on Forever instead but since they had such a bad experience (and the results werent amazing), maybe it was for the best.

 

I guess Riley did nearly work on some material that could have wound up on Forever...if that rumor's true that Boyfriend/Girlfriend was meant for the Spices (and I think it is true). I think I'm ultimately glad it didn't work out. People thought Holler was an abrupt change. Beats me what the world would think if the Spices unleashed Boyfriend/Girlfriend...with its references to coke and hoes. The song does have an energy I kinda like...but I don't think much of anyone would class it as better than "okay". It's probably telling that even Janet Jackson, who still very much had her midas touch at the time, couldn't propel it to being a big hit.

 

But in a best case scenario, I could see where a Spice Girls/Teddy Riley collab could have been great. Riley did some work on Michael Jackson's Invincible...an album that I tend to associate a bit with Forever because of the time frame, the heavy Darkchild influence, and the less-than-stellar reception to both. Riley has a song called Whatever Happens on Invincible, which is easily my favorite song on that album. It's beautiful, and it also shows how Riley could pull off a lot of genres. He was a far more varied producer than Darkchild was at that time. I think Riley pretty willfully gave Mel his scraps.

Teddy Riley definitely gave Mel B bottom of the barrel songs. Maybe he initially wanted to work with Mel, but they just didn't get along in the studio. Piers is right about Riley's material on Michael Jackson 's Invincible album. Whatever Happens, Don't Walk Away, 2000 Watts all are quite different from one another. Darkchild's material can sometimes sound the same.

 

It's too bad Riley didn't give Mel a nice rnb ballad. That's one thing that is missing from Hot. Lullaby ain't it

I guess Riley did nearly work on some material that could have wound up on Forever...if that rumor's true that Boyfriend/Girlfriend was meant for the Spices (and I think it is true). I think I'm ultimately glad it didn't work out. People thought Holler was an abrupt change. Beats me what the world would think if the Spices unleashed Boyfriend/Girlfriend...with its references to coke and hoes. The song does have an energy I kinda like...but I don't think much of anyone would class it as better than "okay". It's probably telling that even Janet Jackson, who still very much had her midas touch at the time, couldn't propel it to being a big hit.

 

But in a best case scenario, I could see where a Spice Girls/Teddy Riley collab could have been great. Riley did some work on Michael Jackson's Invincible...an album that I tend to associate a bit with Forever because of the time frame, the heavy Darkchild influence, and the less-than-stellar reception to both. Riley has a song called Whatever Happens on Invincible, which is easily my favorite song on that album. It's beautiful, and it also shows how Riley could pull off a lot of genres. He was a far more varied producer than Darkchild was at that time. I think Riley pretty willfully gave Mel his scraps.

 

Since they would only be featuring on Boyfriend/Girlfriend it might've made a good transition single where not as much was invested in its individual success.

 

Riley probably wanted to work with the Spice Girls and didn't care about working for one of them as a solo artist. I'm thinking it was a Sweet 7 situation where he just handed her whatever he had in the bottom of the drawer and didn't put any effort in writing songs specifically for her.

Since they would only be featuring on Boyfriend/Girlfriend it might've made a good transition single where not as much was invested in its individual success.

 

Riley probably wanted to work with the Spice Girls and didn't care about working for one of them as a solo artist. I'm thinking it was a Sweet 7 situation where he just handed her whatever he had in the bottom of the drawer and didn't put any effort in writing songs specifically for her.

 

Agree on Boyfriend/Girlfriend. In a way, it could have been a good transition onto a more r'n'b influenced era. And it was part of the South Park Soundtrack so it could have been huge! I always thought the Janet version was good but could imagine the girls really making it more fun and upbeat.

 

(I love that we now have confirmation that they were at least in discussions about it, when Melanie C's garrage was found on ebay and it had a cassette with the track :P )

 

I do wonder if they ever really recorded it :w00t:

Edited July 27, 20213 yr by Mr.X

Agree on Boyfriend/Girlfriend. In a way, it could have been a good transition onto a more r'n'b influenced era. And it was part of the South Park Soundtrack so it could have been huge! I always thought the Janet version was good but could imagine the girls really making it more fun and upbeat.

 

(I love that we now have confirmation that they were at least in discussions about it, when Melanie C's garrage was found on ebay and it had a cassette with the track :P )

 

I do wonder if they ever really recorded it :w00t:

 

I've always assumed they didn't actually record it...just because Mel B talks about Teddy Riley having preconceived notions about her when she went in to record her Hot material. If they had a previous recording relationship, I don't think it'd be a matter of "preconceived notions", and they'd already know each other's dynamics in the studio. I do think they were scheduled to record it at one time, though. The Boyfriend/Girlfriend story was being reported by MTV and actual reputable sources that probably got it from a legitimate press release. I definitely don't know this for sure...but my guess is the pregnancies probably got in the way of recording the song/promoting it/shooting a video/etc.

 

I do wonder if the Spices would have changed the song from how we know it now. I don't think Mel B has inhibitions about song content, so she'd probably be down to sing whatever. But I flat-out can't imagine the other three singing a chorus with the phrase "ready to bone". Sure, the group sang about sex...but they tended to be a *little* more discreet than THAT (hey, Feed Your Love...)

Mel B had great potential. She can (could) sing, she (still) can dance, she’s incredibly beautiful, and she’s got a bold personality. The Missy featuring is IMHO one of the Top3 solo songs in terms of quality and credibility. It’s nothing what a Spice fan was expecting from here, just like Goin’ Down by Melanie C. What a pity they destroyed her confidence. And she’s lazy AF.

Mel B had great potential. She can (could) sing, she (still) can dance, she’s incredibly beautiful, and she’s got a bold personality. The Missy featuring is IMHO one of the Top3 solo songs in terms of quality and credibility. It’s nothing what a Spice fan was expecting from here, just like Goin’ Down by Melanie C. What a pity they destroyed her confidence. And she’s lazy AF.

 

 

I think Mel is anything but lazy! She works hard on various other projects and she got an album out before Emma despite having had a baby... Emma is Lazy Spice :lol:

Agree on Boyfriend/Girlfriend. In a way, it could have been a good transition onto a more r'n'b influenced era. And it was part of the South Park Soundtrack so it could have been huge! I always thought the Janet version was good but could imagine the girls really making it more fun and upbeat.

 

(I love that we now have confirmation that they were at least in discussions about it, when Melanie C's garrage was found on ebay and it had a cassette with the track :P )

 

I do wonder if they ever really recorded it :w00t:

 

I just took a moment to be mindful of the fact that WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE SOMEONE'S GARAGE CAN BE ON AN ONLINE AUCTION SITE.

 

:w00t:

 

I do wonder if the Spices would have changed the song from how we know it now. I don't think Mel B has inhibitions about song content, so she'd probably be down to sing whatever. But I flat-out can't imagine the other three singing a chorus with the phrase "ready to bone". Sure, the group sang about sex...but they tended to be a *little* more discreet than THAT (hey, Feed Your Love...)

 

To be honest, the radio edit for BF/GF has so many sound effects thrown in every time a profane lyric comes up, the SGs probably would have just made that edited version the ONLY version. They were on school lunchboxes at the time so there's no way that "bone" would have been a lyric they ever sang (not as a verb anyway) :teresa:

 

 

Boyfriend Girlfriend isnt that good.

 

#11 UK

#47 USA

 

With Janet and Ja Rule - FLOP

Edited July 28, 20213 yr by vibe

I think Mel is anything but lazy! She works hard on various other projects and she got an album out before Emma despite having had a baby... Emma is Lazy Spice :lol:

 

Mel B is not lazy when she’s already part of a project (see her commitment to the last tour vocally and as a dancer, what a performer). She’s lazy when she’s got many projects to choose. Where Mel C would probably forget to sleep to respect the deadlines, Mel B is not a great example of great organization skills. I love her, she’s become my fave again, but I have to be honest.

 

As for Emma, that’s why we love her. She’s the lazy baby of the group, even vocally, no improvement detected (not that she really needs it, she sings on key and has a pleasant voice).

21 years ago this week... Hot was released!

21 years ago this week... Hot was released!

 

I remember seeing it on a display rack at the FutureShop store that used to be around in Canada, and I remember thinking: OMG -- it's *in* Canada. I was quite surprised to see it here as I thought I would have to import it! It sits happily in my CD shelf in my home office. If any other Canadians are interested, there are two copies left for sale on amazon.ca for $5.99. :D

Love Mel B, hated the record. She had (and still got) so much potential. Word Up (version 1) and IWUB are great to me. Cool, not necessarily radio friendly, but at least of quality compared to the snoozefest this album is. I save Feels So Good (verses aside).

Track by track from Mel (worldpop.com)

 

Feel So Good

That's probably one of the most poppy songs on the album. I worked in Minneapolis for two weeks and got to spend Jimmy Jam's 40th birthday with him and sing with the cake alongside Janet Jackson!

 

Tell Me

This was produced by Rodney Jerkins who's done 70 per cent of the Spice Girls album. It's a very truthful, very honest account of what I've been through the last two years. On this album and particularly on this single I've expressed how I feel and how I think, and I think it's very disrespectful if I say, 'This song's about that person and that song's about that person.' I don't want to lower myself and be like that.

 

Hell No

This was written with Sisqo in LA. It was fantastic fun working with him, he's a ball of talent, energy and genius! We had a right laugh and Phoenix was there with me, singing and bopping along, which was brilliant. The song's from a girl's point of view, about sadness, being left and ditched!

 

Lullaby

I co-wrote this with Biff who co-wrote Wannabe with us. We were in Ireland for a week and I had a fantastic time, it was brilliant to have a chance to work with the people I'd worked with on the first Spice album. The song's about my daughter, saying that she's the best thing that's ever happened to me.

 

Hotter

I co-wrote this with Sisqo, it's a very upbeat, powerful song about a girl saying she doesn't care if you've got money or style or class, cos it's more about the person inside. So you could drive a Bentley and be the worst kind of guy to me, it's what they give off as a person that counts.

 

Step Inside

That was done with my boyfriend Max here in London. He sent me a track about a year ago and finally I got back to him and said I'd love to do it. He produced it, wrote it, played all the instruments on it and got a full orchestra in which I was very amazed by.

 

ABC 123

Written by Teddy Riley. We worked with him in Virginia for two weeks in the middle of nowhere, with him and his fantastic team. That was the first time I stepped out to do the solo project and I did three songs with him. That was 14 months ago.

 

I Believe

Written by me and Teddy Riley. He did all the beats and production himself, and it's a bit indie and funk/poppy! I love it!

 

I Want You Back

Written by Missy Elliot, this was the first time I'd even considered doing anything by myself. I was on tour with the Spice Girls when she called me up and said 'Melanie, I've got a song for you, will you come and record it with me?'. I checked it with the girls and within a month I was out there, I recorded it in a day, did the video, then came back. She's a genius.

 

Pack Your Shit

It's about a love affair - I get cheated on, cos he's fancying my friends that come round the flat. It's a heavy song and it's very hard to sing cos there's a lot of high notes and I don't do high notes very well, but somehow I did them!

 

Feel Me Now

That is supposed to be me being sexy! When I recorded it I lay down on the floor, lit candles and had a little bit of wine cos the verses are just flowing and gushing with whatever I'm thinking. It still makes me cringe a little when I listen back to it!

 

Oh Mel you actually said a song you included on your album made you cringe. Sigh that is the sort of thing why her solo career went nowhere, it was all just a bit of a joke and fun to her.

 

Can you imagine Mel C saying listening back to an album she is about to release one of the tracks makes her cringe!