Corrected that spelling error for you :P

 

Didn't take you long to abuse your mod powers 🤔

 

It is just a terrible song, it is a bunch of sayings that 50 year old women have written on fridge magnets thrown together.

We’re not in the Tori Amos thread :o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:angel:

We’re not in the Tori Amos thread :o

:angel:

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 20205 yr by Spiceboy

Just finished watching Mel's latest chat. I've really been enjoying these. It's interesting to hear her discuss her music and career.

 

I notice how she seemingly continues to view On The Horizon as her greatest career mistake. It's the one she mentions most consistently, anyway. I guess that song gets an unfair share of blame just becomes it marks the moment her career truly took a downturn. In reality, though...Reason flat-out didn't have anything on the level of Northern Star, Never Be the Same Again, or I Turn To You. Out of what she had...I've always felt On the Horizon was an obvious single choice. I think her label was right. Personally...I had all of zero interest in Here It Comes Again when it was released. I found it dull at the time (though my opinion's changed over the years). Back then...it was On the Horizon that kinda won me back over and made me listen to the album.

 

But. Anyway. I do like Reason (the song) as well. It's lovely. If anything, she should have made that the other half of the double single with Yeh Yeh Yeh. Being injured at the time, Mel could have taken the opportunity to show off her vocals with Reason. Maybe that way we wouldn't have ended up with that Melt video that looks like a wedding DVD menu.

I’ve never really understood her aversion to On the Horizon although she is of course entitled to dislike it. Like you say though, it was by far the most commercially obvious choice from an album that was lacking in obvious singles. Interestingly radio airplay for On the Horizon was strong - in 1 week it was the 8th most “exposed” song on radio. So it would certainly have been heard. Yet for some reason it didn’t attract very many sales, so I suppose that suggests it didn’t connect with many people.

 

I was never a fan of the video though, and I don’t really remember how strong her promo was for it, so maybe these were factors that let down its potential?

 

Not sure how significant this would be, but On the Horizon was her first release without a cassette format. Cassettes continues to be a released format for most artist until the very end of 2003, but seemingly Virgin scrapped them earlier. Maybe this could have cost her a number of potential sales? Plus it only had one CD, and a DVD format. DVD singles struck me as being a rather niche item. It was a strange decision for a B Side to be a DVD exclusive.

 

While I don’t believe that the art direction for the Reason era would have been a significant factor in how they sold, as an aside I don’t think they were great. They pictures used are a bit bland looking, so white and grey and washed out looking.

 

I remember the fan base was very into On the Horizon when Reason was released, so many fans saying it had to be a single. After it reached #14 the mood seemed to shift towards the negative, and then Melanie C eventually saying that she dislikes it was like the death knell for this single in regards to fan base perception. Personally I think it’s one of her better singles! It’s so catchy and uplifting.

I like On the horizon, cute song. Her attitude at the time however wasn't, despite me liking the song it was the first spice related release I didn't buy.

I love On the horizon it gets a really unfair rap. It's very catchy has that lit guitar vibe to it. I don't remember seeing her perform it anywhere at the time though, if it wasn't for the music video being on music channels I wouldn't have had a clue it was out. Ironic that she hates it so much and thinks it ruined her career, yet it actually outsold every single she released after bar Loving you... I mean only one other was released on a major tbf. On the horizon was easily the most commercial song on the album Virgin were totally right to go with it, I don't really get why it didn't connect well with the public? I think possibly she just left it too long releasing the follow up album so people moved on.

Ironic that she hates it so much.

She has stated in the two recent Q&As that she thinks it's a great song, so she hardly "hates" it. -_-

She has stated in the two recent Q&As that she thinks it's a great song, so she hardly "hates" it. -_-

 

 

She stated she think's it a great song?? Really?

On The Horizon is not a bad song. But like she says herself, it just wasnt 'her' at all. And I think that has always been my perception of it, as it never quite sounded like a Mel C song at all... It was very similar to that other song You Get What You Give which was a smash it the year before or so...

Edited May 16, 20205 yr by Mr.X

She talks such shit sometimes, it wasn't her but with her own label and in control she has released IWC, all of Stages, Rock me, We love to entertain you, Numb. Non are really her but she has released and recorded them. She does still have a weird chip on her shoulder about certain things.

She talks such shit sometimes, it wasn't her but with her own label and in control she has released IWC, all of Stages, Rock me, We love to entertain you, Numb. Non are really her but she has released and recorded them. She does still have a weird chip on her shoulder about certain things.

 

 

Tbf I'm sure she would say worse things about IWC, that was clearly released because she was offered some kind of deal to do it for the movie...

 

And I'd Rock Me, Numb, We love to entertain you are all very Melanie C. She's always been quite eclectic I mean on her first album literally all the singles were different styles.

On The Horizon is not a bad song. But like she says herself, it just wasnt 'her' at all. And I think that has always been my perception of it, as it never quite sounded like a Mel C song at all... It was very similar to that other song You Get What You Give which was a smash it the year before or so...

 

To me, On The Horizon always sounded a lot like Game Of Love by Santana and Michelle Branch. Same timeframe. Same collaborators. I even wondered if they knew how much the songs sounded alike...and had hopes for one with the US audience, the other for the UK audience. Game of Love actually was a pretty big hit in America.

 

Anyway. For me, On The Horizon does sound like a Melanie C song. It fits perfectly on Reason. Northern Star had already established she was willing to release an album of moody and angry songs...alongside big bursts of positivity. I don't totally follow why she doesn't think it was her. Because it sounds commercial? I genuinely think Reason would be a lesser album without it.

 

I think it boils down to...the song Reason was her top choice for a single...and when On The Horizon underperformed, she can blame the label. sammy01 mentioned her attitude wasn't the best during this time...and I actually do think that has something to do with it. She wasn't always positive about the Spice Girls' music during this time...and she was even more harsh about her former bandmates' solo stuff. She was also quick to criticize other pop groups. And everyone she was criticizing...would have likely had the same fans as Mel. I think it was an alienating time.

 

Anyway. Could Reason have done better as a single? I don't especially think so, though I do think it's an excellent song that deserved to be a single. Had it taken off, I could see it being something other musicians would cover. I can definitely imagine it being used to audition for various Idol/X Factor-type shows.

Side note. I realize Mel C is just the most likely to do these videos. But I've really liked them...and...kinda wish one of the other girls would do one too.

 

I mean. I realize Victoria would rather stub a toe than acknowledge she once had a solo music career.

 

It could be fun seeing stately lady of the manor Geri have to describe the writing process of Shake Your Bootie Cutie.

 

I wonder if Mel B even remembers the album she made by the fridge or whatever...though maybe she can blurt out some insight into why her relationships with producers Sisqo and Teddy Riley went south.

 

But no doubt, the best would be Emma...with her famously terrible memory. Would be a fun listen...where she'd likely tell us her favorite song from her first album is Maybe...and if she could go back and release an album track as a single, it'd be Free Me.

Edited May 16, 20205 yr by Piers

I think part of the reason why she might have an aversion to On The Horizon was because it was what her record label insisted on and she went along with them and they still ended up dropping her. With that said, she really needs to get over it at this point - yeah, it's crushing for sure but it's a business and she's not the first artist to be dropped from a record label. I guess after having a decade long relationship with them she expected more.

 

I also think that's why she's also a bit down on the Northern Star vinyl release - it's not just down to her, but also her former label to release it on vinyl. I don't think she particularly likes the thought of working with them again no matter what, despite that there's surely completely new people on the label that would deal with such a release.

When promoting OTH wasn’t that when she was on CDUK with Louis Walsh ? Hit Miss or Maybe ? Now that is iconic !

 

Radio play was strong but at this point I think the public were over the her. The video is terrible.

 

I do not think Reason would have saved her career. Amazing song but I wouldn’t say single material. The album wasn’t ready to be released it doesn’t compare with the debut !!

When promoting OTH wasn’t that when she was on CDUK with Louis Walsh ? Hit Miss or Maybe ? Now that is iconic !

 

Radio play was strong but at this point I think the public were over the her. The video is terrible.

 

I do not think Reason would have saved her career. Amazing song but I wouldn’t say single material. The album wasn’t ready to be released it doesn’t compare with the debut !!

 

Yeah that interview comes from that time, I believe.

 

You make a good point though. Northern Star was released at the hight of Spice fame and glory (or very soon after, depending on how you look at it) and whilst there was already a lot of vitriol against solo spice, the market wasnt saturated with solo spice music yet and Spice fatigue wasnt really in its later stages.

 

Reason, not only was a difficult second album that even the record label didnt really back up as well as it could, it was also released AFTER a period of intense anti-Spice Girls from the press, the industry itself and a large portion of the public.

 

By 2003, three of the solo spices (Victoria, Mel B and Emma) had already all been fired, Geri had already flopped with her second album (despite a big hit with it) and it seemed the public had had enough with solo spices on a big scale.

 

Had Reason been a better album, maybe things would have been different for sure. But it wasnt and it was also against a very unfavourable climate to be a Spice-related project.

But no doubt, the best would be Emma...with her famously terrible memory. Would be a fun listen...where she'd likely tell us her favorite song from her first album is Maybe...and if she could go back and release an album track as a single, it'd be Free Me.

:lol: I can absolutely hear her saying these things!

 

When promoting OTH wasn’t that when she was on CDUK with Louis Walsh ? Hit Miss or Maybe ? Now that is iconic !

Lol that really was a memorable TV moment :wub:

 

Even though I was definitely "Team Melanie" in that discussion, I suppose a lot of the viewers would have unfortunately been annoyed by her... maybe it lost her some potential fans, who knows.

Side note. I realize Mel C is just the most likely to do these videos. But I've really liked them...and...kinda wish one of the other girls would do one too.

 

I mean. I realize Victoria would rather stub a toe than acknowledge she once had a solo music career.

 

It could be fun seeing stately lady of the manor Geri have to describe the writing process of Shake Your Bootie Cutie.

 

I wonder if Mel B even remembers the album she made by the fridge or whatever...though maybe she can blurt out some insight into why her relationships with producers Sisqo and Teddy Riley went south.

 

But no doubt, the best would be Emma...with her famously terrible memory. Would be a fun listen...where she'd likely tell us her favorite song from her first album is Maybe...and if she could go back and release an album track as a single, it'd be Free Me.

 

A Q&A with Emma would be AMAZING yes please :wub: But you just know she wouldnt share that much gossip at all, she would just say 'I LOVE IT, oh my goodness, it was crazy' etc

Even though I was definitely "Team Melanie" in that discussion, I suppose a lot of the viewers would have unfortunately been annoyed by her... maybe it lost her some potential fans, who knows.

 

 

I mean I was completely on her side with the GA/SG discussion Louis was talking some right tripe at that point, and I think most of the general public would have been. However when she started slating Westlife I thought what are you doing they are the biggest band in the country!? She didn't need to piss their fans off :huh: