Didn't you say you were not into the girls' solo careers anymore? :cool:

 

I would make exceptions to the *two solo albums* I still listen to every now and then: Free Me and Life in Mono

I suppose it’s nice that she acknowledges the anniversaries at least? I’m sure there’s many artists who don’t bother with that.

 

Personally I don’t think Emma has much sway in making things happen for Free Me. It’s technical and it needs the label to be motivated. There’ll be copyright and old licence agreements when it comes to making it available worldwide, and it seems they just cba. It’s probably considered to be extremely low priority when there’s numerous other more current artists/music/business ideas to focus on.

 

Yeah this is what happened. Emma's team tried to sort a vinyl but Universal weren't interested (they can hardly be bothered for Spiceworld the 2nd biggest selling girl group album ever) and 19 aren't in the music business anymore.

 

Emma's team aren't a music team. I guess if Emma really really wanted to she could hire someone to sort out the rights and then buy them but she would have to hope a label would then want to pay for those rights to release something or Emma do it independently, which aint happening.

 

The absolute best case would be a small label look at buying the rights and sorting, producing and distributing a Free Me release all themself and Emma gets on board to promote it. As I just cant see how else it would be resolved now.

Never too late to point out that Crickets Sing for Anamaria was released 20 years ago! Released as a single on 31st May 2004!

 

 

Also missed the 21st anniversary of the lead single Free Me! 26th May 2003:

 

 

 

An exciting era to be an Emma fan - feels a bit unsettling that it was 20+ years ago!

I never understand why they released just one single off the album and then call it a day for the album promo. I guess, the song not cracking top 10 was the deciding factor? Stll, they could have released No Sign Of Life or Double A-side with Breathing. I feel that could have prolonged the album campaign a little longer and sold a few more copies.

Yeah this is what happened. Emma's team tried to sort a vinyl but Universal weren't interested (they can hardly be bothered for Spiceworld the 2nd biggest selling girl group album ever) and 19 aren't in the music business anymore.

 

Emma's team aren't a music team. I guess if Emma really really wanted to she could hire someone to sort out the rights and then buy them but she would have to hope a label would then want to pay for those rights to release something or Emma do it independently, which aint happening.

 

The absolute best case would be a small label look at buying the rights and sorting, producing and distributing a Free Me release all themself and Emma gets on board to promote it. As I just cant see how else it would be resolved now.

 

Do u think we will see this on vinyl now? Since they released A girl like me on vinyl.

Do u think we will see this on vinyl now? Since they released A girl like me on vinyl.

 

Highly doubt it, A girl like me was nothing to do with Emma, just Virgin (Universal now) making a quick buck on record store day. Emma didn't block it of course and was happy to promote it because why not it will make her a few quid too.

I never understand why they released just one single off the album and then call it a day for the album promo. I guess, the song not cracking top 10 was the deciding factor? Stll, they could have released No Sign Of Life or Double A-side with Breathing. I feel that could have prolonged the album campaign a little longer and sold a few more copies.

 

By the time the album was released, they had technically released 3 singles... Crickets was the only post-album single. It was a bit of a wild strategy to be honest at the time (even though artists later started to do this tactic in the streaming era).

 

When the album was released, Emma went on holiday for 3 weeks (LOL) and then set her sights on a shoddy European promo campaign rather than further establishing the album at home. I think there were reports back then that the record lable would have funded a new single if Crickets had sold more but that didnt happen in the end, sadly.

 

There were rumours of a No Sign of LIfe/Breathing release, but had that happened, she would have had technically half of the album released as singles. Not bad, but certainly would have felt slightly too much, specially as two of the album tracks had also been included as bsides in the Free Me single CD anyway. I would have loved it though. I thin kthe NSOL and Breathing double single would have happened and probably done better than Crickets with the general public.

Do u think we will see this on vinyl now? Since they released A girl like me on vinyl.

 

The UK rights are with Universal, which is why the album is on streaming for UK streaming services. The international rights seem to be with 19 Records which no longer exist.

 

For any release to be worth doing for Universal, they need to sort out the international rights of the album.

 

Emma needs to f***ing buy those Free Me masters and make a deal with Universal directly rather than waiting for Simon Fuller to do anything about it cos that man is a wasteman when it comes to their solo careers' or musical legacy. He really messed up Emma's solo career post-Free Me release.

 

As soon as that album was released, 19 Records just messed up everything, damn...

 

He really closed the record lable and burned it all, apparently... What I don't get is why does Will Young have access to his music released under 19 Records, and even Victoria seemingly owning her masters from her 19 Records time (which is enough for her to prevent their release on streaming), and Emma doesn't.

 

A f***ing mess.

Edited June 16, 20241 yr by Mr.X

He really closed the record lable and burned it all, apparently... What I don't get is why does Will Young have access to his music released under 19 Records, and even Victoria seemingly owning her masters from her 19 Records time (which is enough for her to prevent their release on streaming), and Emma doesn't.

 

A f***ing mess.

 

 

I guess the answer is simple both Victoria and Will must have bought the rights to their material from 19 Records while Emma isn't bothered to do so. Will has been able to reuse them for further compilation releases and Victoria obviously has been able to block them being on streaming, Emma clearly doesn't have the same energy to buy them.

 

This is where it comes back down to the girls not really being proper artists that invested in their craft but rather wanting to be 'performers' or 'celebrities.' It's very telling that Melanie is the only one who continues to tour and record. Even Emma's Christmas side project doesn't really count.

Edited June 16, 20241 yr by spiceboy

I guess the answer is simple both Victoria and Will must have bought the rights to their material from 19 Records while Emma isn't bothered to do so. Will has been able to reuse them for further compilation releases and Victoria obviously has been able to block them being on streaming, Emma clearly doesn't have the same energy to buy them.

 

This is where it comes back down to the girls not really being proper artists that invested in their craft but rather wanting to be 'performers' or 'celebrities.' It's very telling that Melanie is the only one who continues to tour and record. Even Emma's Christmas side project doesn't really count.

 

I agree that Emma didn't (and probably still doesnt) have the best business-mind when it comes to releasing her music which is why clear mistakes such as letting 19 rot with her masters/rights is such a big dent in her music career or ability to have much of a streaming/release presence. She has never been the 'independent' spirit like Mel C.

 

I would say tho that after Mel C she is clealy the most music-minded though, releasing 4 albums and has performed live when given the option. I think it is more of a case of her feeling unsure about going out on her own and needing a team to support her, whereas Mel C has always been driven. Yes, the Christmas tour came perhaps 20 years too late and it should have been a solo-music focused tour, but at least she has been trying, which is more than you can say about any of the others. She went ahead with that tour dispite low ticket sales too.

 

I also have the feeling that Emma would have been perfectly content to just be a Spice Girl full time rather than a solo star, and there is nothing wrong with that. I always felt she was kind of 'ok maybe I should do that too' when the others wanted to branch out into solo careers, whereas she would be just happy in a group setting.

 

But I do wish she was more focused on protecting her legacy too, for sure.

Was Emma's deal somewhat different to theirs?

 

Will Young - RCA, Sony BMG & 19

Victoria - Telstar & 19

Emma - 19, with distribution from Universal? I feel like 19 that had the most control in this particular deal?

 

That is to say, Victoria & Will Young were priorities with those labels, and the deals may have favoured them getting the rights when circumstances changed... and it wasn't so much to do with 19 in these situations?

 

Whereas for Emma, it seems 19 took the helm? To the best of my knowledge, they've not being very music focused for years now... so perhaps 19 (which could have a very different set of people working there, than ~20 years ago) just aren't thinking about an artist who used to be on their roster. Maybe they don't realise, or there's no specific part of 19 that deals with this side of things anymore? I have absolutely no idea by the way, just speculating about why things don't appear to be very straightforward.

 

Yeah, perhaps that means that it does fall on Emma's shoulders, for her to get the ball rolling... because no one else will be motivated or even thinking about it, unless she does. I guess she strikes me as someone who would rather that ideas/plans were brought to her, for her to give approval over, rather than her be the one to make that first effort.

 

Who knows... perhaps she did reach out (at the point in time when it became evident that Emma *does* know that her music has issues on streaming) but it somehow all fell through?

I mean she did seem intent to get the ball rolling right after SW19 that she posted online that she was trying to sort it out. But then it just fizzled with no explanation. I mean, she could have just said she tried but it's not happening so we can all just let it go.

By the time the album was released, they had technically released 3 singles... Crickets was the only post-album single. It was a bit of a wild strategy to be honest at the time (even though artists later started to do this tactic in the streaming era).

 

When the album was released, Emma went on holiday for 3 weeks (LOL) and then set her sights on a shoddy European promo campaign rather than further establishing the album at home. I think there were reports back then that the record lable would have funded a new single if Crickets had sold more but that didnt happen in the end, sadly.

 

There were rumours of a No Sign of LIfe/Breathing release, but had that happened, she would have had technically half of the album released as singles. Not bad, but certainly would have felt slightly too much, specially as two of the album tracks had also been included as bsides in the Free Me single CD anyway. I would have loved it though. I thin kthe NSOL and Breathing double single would have happened and probably done better than Crickets with the general public.

 

Spice also has half of the album as singles to be fair, lol.

 

I don't know it just seems crazy to spend all this time and dropped one more single and not promote it anymore espeacially she and 19 resurrected the album promo the next year in the US.

I think they really should have gone for one more post-album single too. :cry: The album responded pretty well to Crickets, climbing back into the Top 50. There was life left in it but they abandoned it quickly!

Was Emma's deal somewhat different to theirs?

 

Will Young - RCA, Sony BMG & 19

Victoria - Telstar & 19

Emma - 19, with distribution from Universal? I feel like 19 that had the most control in this particular deal?

 

That is to say, Victoria & Will Young were priorities with those labels, and the deals may have favoured them getting the rights when circumstances changed... and it wasn't so much to do with 19 in these situations?

 

Whereas for Emma, it seems 19 took the helm? To the best of my knowledge, they've not being very music focused for years now... so perhaps 19 (which could have a very different set of people working there, than ~20 years ago) just aren't thinking about an artist who used to be on their roster. Maybe they don't realise, or there's no specific part of 19 that deals with this side of things anymore? I have absolutely no idea by the way, just speculating about why things don't appear to be very straightforward.

 

Yeah, perhaps that means that it does fall on Emma's shoulders, for her to get the ball rolling... because no one else will be motivated or even thinking about it, unless she does. I guess she strikes me as someone who would rather that ideas/plans were brought to her, for her to give approval over, rather than her be the one to make that first effort.

 

Who knows... perhaps she did reach out (at the point in time when it became evident that Emma *does* know that her music has issues on streaming) but it somehow all fell through?

 

Wasn't Emma also with Polydor at some point or did I get that wrong? I seem to remember it was a 3-way deal with 19, Universal and Polydor...

 

Even if 19 dropped the ball, Emma was still pretty close to Simon Fuller even post her Life in Mono era and change of management team, so I dont get why she cant just get them to do something. Even if 19 doesnt do anything music related...

 

Another question would be about the Spice Girls themselves and Simon Fuller/19... Are they still connected somehow? I seem to remember Biff and others alluding at them having new management during 2021 campaigns for Spice25, so I wonder if they left Simon again? IN which case, maybe Simon is pissed off and doesnt want anything to do with any of them and thus, wont move a needle to help Emma with his old company's rights papers over her songs?

 

This is just speculation of course. It does seem rather odd the whole thing... Emma really should kick up a fuss on this. I do agree on your point about Emma but I do think she is very creative, just that she needs the team to sort things out for her, and when things fall through, she isn't necessarily someone to go after that herself.

 

It really seems like we are on the verge of another Christmas era, which could get her on the touring/performing/releasing circuit again. A shame that her best albums wont benefit from that at all...

I think they really should have gone for one more post-album single too. :cry: The album responded pretty well to Crickets, climbing back into the Top 50. There was life left in it but they abandoned it quickly!

 

 

Breathing not getting a single release is a crime from that album. Really should have been the Crickets single tbh would surely have been much better received!?

Breathing not getting a single release is a crime from that album. Really should have been the Crickets single tbh would surely have been much better received!?

 

I think Breathing needed to be released for sure, but after Free Me (the single) and I'll Be There both being mid-tempo, it would have been quite hard to justify another mid-tempo/ballad. She definitely needed an uptempo post-album release, and Crickets was the left-field choice to give the public another sense of more pace to the album.

 

Maybe she should have released Breathing/No Sign of Life instead of I'll Be There as the album launch instead?

She should have released the album along with Maybe. I guess them releasing Maybe on one CD to test how the album would have fared?

 

And then release third single in early January so that she could spend December promoting the single as well as helping shifting more album sales during Christmas period too.

Cant stand crickets !!!

Cant stand crickets !!!

 

 

Said AnaMaria after her mother came, and her daddy came, and then her brother came, and everyone else came to ruin her shag :P