Posted March 17, 200817 yr The famously volatile Sugababes talk to Chris Salmon about hits, arrests, Girls Aloud - and why the bad times are now behind them. From The Guardian. http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Music/Pix/pictures/2008/03/17/Sugababes.jpg The Sugababes are discussing a bad habit. "We're not the only ones who do it, though," says Keisha Buchanan, the last of the original band members. "I had to stop Leona [Lewis] from doing it, too. It can ruin your day." "It seriously did ruin my day yesterday," sighs Amelle Berrabah, the trio's newest addition. "It was absolutely horrible. I felt really down afterwards." Perched on a leather sofa in a London rehearsal studio, the threesome are talking about reading comments posted about them on the internet. Naturally, it's the unkind ones that stick in their minds. "I get things like, 'I hate that Keisha, she should just die'," says Buchanan. "Mine yesterday were more like, 'She's an ugly whore' and 'Look at her funny eyes'," adds Berrabah. "Someone said they hated my dog," says Heidi Range, the blonde, Scouse Sugababe. "How horrible is that? They haven't even met him." All three look genuinely outraged. Happily, though, this modern-day equivalent of school toilet graffiti doesn't seem to have got them down today. The atmosphere in the rehearsal studio, where they are preparing for their mammoth 30-date UK tour, is bright, with all three visibly enjoying the run-throughs of their vocals (very impressive) and dance steps (slightly less so). "It's going well," says Range, "but the tour starts in a few days and we're definitely not ready. But it only ever feels really comfortable once you've been touring for a week." The Sugababes' well-oiled machine will, later this week, roll into London for a sold-out show at the Royal Albert Hall. In these days of the firework music career (rocket up, rocket down), any band would be proud to be playing such a venue seven years after their first hit, let alone an act from the throwaway world of pop. By rights, Sugababes should have taken their place on the holiday camp circuit some time ago. Instead, after five albums and 22 hit singles, they are still riding high - as proved late last year, when their most recent album, Change, and its lead single, About You Now, both reached No 1. The secret of the Sugababes' success, if there is one, involves a formula based on such variables as luck, talent, timing, personality, management, image, production and, in particular, some irresistible hit singles (Freak Like Me, Round Round). From the moment the trio appeared in September 2000, with the skewed, R&B-flavoured pop of their debut single Overload, it was clear they were strikingly different from the UK pop norm. In contrast to the shiny happy entertainers Steps and S Club 7, here were three sullen teenagers barely able to raise a smile between them. More importantly, here was a pop act that actually produced music worthy of attention. NME named Overload its single of the week, and the band have continued to make fresh, credible, memorable pop ever since. Although the ultra-positive Range is more likely to grow a handlebar moustache than say otherwise, she insists the notoriously volatile group are now content. "This is the most fun I've had in the band," she says. "We're all happy and we all want the same thing." That last point is Range's way of conceding that it hasn't always been thus. In its time, the good ship Sugababes has sailed some choppy waters. Original member Siobhán Donaghy walked out on the band in Japan in 2001, citing bullying from her bandmates Buchanan and Mutya Buena. Then, after Sugababes were dropped by one record label and picked up by another, Range joined, and more rumours of bullying - this time of Range - surfaced. When I interviewed the trio around the time of the release of their 2002 chart-topper Freak Like Me, Buena and Buchanan lived up to their moody reputations, while Range seemed to be grinning and bearing it. She did eventually gain acceptance, but by then Buena had become increasingly disillusioned with her heavy workload, first leaving all promotional duties to Buchanan and Range, and then, in December 2005, quitting altogether. The band's management had spotted Berrabah at a gig two years earlier; the day after Buena quit, they asked Berrabah to step in, plucking her from her home above the family kebab shop in Aldershot and catapulting her to instant fame. At today's rehearsals, Berrabah's vocal talents are abundantly clear: she effortlessly leads on several tracks. But while her assimilation into the band has been smooth, being thrust into the limelight has taken some getting used to. "It scared the $h!t out of me," says the 23-year-old, in a voice that carries more of a barrow-girl bark than you'd expect from someone with such Bambi-like features. It didn't help that, in 2007, Berrabah found herself at the centre of a string of negative tabloid stories. Early last year, her boyfriend was arrested after he was accused of being involved in a rape, though he was eventually cleared of any involvement. Then, that April, Berrabah was herself arrested for allegedly attacking a woman in a bar; no charges were brought. Finally, in December, her boyfriend was the victim of a machete attack that virtually severed his arm. He spent several weeks in hospital. Unsurprisingly, Berrabah doesn't have much to add about her annus horribilis. "A lot of stuff was written that wasn't true," she says. "But it's all good now. I'm bloody pleased that this is a new year." (We'll gloss over the fact that she was arrested again in January, accused of attacking a car; charges were quickly dropped when it became apparent she wasn't even in the same town at the time.) Despite her well-publicised troubles, the Sugababes insist there was never any question of her leaving - largely because, unlike her predecessor, she never stopped wanting to be in the group. "And I'm not gonna mention any names, but she's not the only member of Sugababes that's been arrested," says Buchanan mysteriously. "It hasn't been me or Heidi either. It's just that the [other arrests] have been hidden and [they were] probably on worse charges." Range shoots her bandmate a look that's somewhere between surprise, bafflement and horror. She's not the only one who's surprised. If true, it seems odd for it not to have come to light before. No other information is forthcoming. Although Buchanan is a much more likable interviewee these days, she remains a refreshing change from the anodyne pop-star norm. Still only 23, she's always happy to say what's on her mind. When the subject of Girls Aloud comes up, the ever on-message Range gushes that the UK's two most successful female groups are friends, not rivals, and praises their looks. (Curiously, all three Sugababes seem convinced that nobody finds them similarly attractive.) But Buchanan can't resist pointing out: "We are the biggest girl band, in terms of sales. Sometimes that does get confused." Buchanan also believes that the women themselves don't get enough credit for their band's success. "We don't get any," she spits, "and it pisses me off!" In 2006, Q magazine's editor, Paul Rees, was quoted as saying: "Certainly, Sugababes are a step above the norm in terms of quality for British girl acts, but I don't think the members themselves have much to do with that." Such observations might sound sniffy, but they're not entirely unjustified, given that the band's management have twice changed the lineup without affecting sales. On the other hand, Sugababes have always insisted they have a significant hand in writing their own material. "Our careers honestly wouldn't be where they are now if we didn't go in and do the [writing] work," says Buchanan. She offers three No 1 singles - Push the Button, Round Round and Hole in the Head - as examples of tracks they had a key role in creating. The problem is that people tend not to believe them. Sure, their names usually appear on the credits, but only alongside established producers/writers such as Dallas Austin, Brian Higgins and Cathy Dennis; it's assumed they do the real work. "It doesn't actually bother me if people think we're lying," shrugs Range. "Cos I know we do write our own stuff. It would be pretty hard to make money in this business if you didn't." That much is true. Whereas plenty of successful former girl and boyband members have found themselves without any sort of financial security, Sugababes are apparently very comfortably off. "I'm 24 and I've got three houses," Range points out by way of illustration. What, though, of the notion that the band are just puppets, manipulated by their management? "We're not kids now, we're women," says Range. "We're old enough to feel secure - in ourselves and in our opinions. I wouldn't live my life with someone dictating to me what I sing, what I say and what I do." Sugababes are, Buchanan says, happy to listen to advice from their record company and their management, but it's up to them whether they take it. Right now, the band are making plans for their sixth album. "There's nothing holding us back any more," says Buchanan. "All three of us have the same hunger." Hunger for fame? "No, if anything that's the annoying side," says Range. "I find it really disturbing that little girls want to grow up to be 'famous' or a 'wag'. That's not a profession. You can't base your career on meeting a footballer and then letting him control your life. That whole culture is quite sad. There's something nice about earning your own money. No, our hunger is for singing and performing." "I couldn't imagine stopping this," she continues. "When we have breaks, we're all itching to get back. We're a steady ship now and that's made a huge difference. If we end up doing reunion tours with Girls Aloud when we're 50, celebrating the good old noughties, then I really wouldn't mind". Their new single, Denial, is out today. I know it's a loooonnnnnggg read so I bolded the good bits. :lol:
March 17, 200817 yr It annoys me when people say they probably just write a line each of out their songs, what dicks.
March 17, 200817 yr Nice to see them do an interview have'nt read an up to date one on them for a while.
March 17, 200817 yr She didn't mean the biggest girlband ever, she meant out of them and GA ;) really good interview, enjoyed reading it ^_^
March 17, 200817 yr She didn't mean the biggest girlband ever, she meant out of them and GA ;) really good interview, enjoyed reading it ^_^ I know what she said.
March 17, 200817 yr ..Lets try not to start a debate lol I'm glad it sounds like they're getting on, i dont know why but I always feel like they dont get along.
March 17, 200817 yr Author Bertie dear, this is a forum for Sugababes fans. If you can't handle the stats, kindly p*** off. Edited March 17, 200817 yr by Jark
March 17, 200817 yr I know what she said. You really are pathetic, at least if you're gonna insult them have a little bit more depth and have something to back up your point. We all know you only came in here for attention and it's growing old, we all know you aren't too fond of the Sugababes so don't come in their forum and post bad comments about them. I mean seriously, it's beyond immature and it does yourself no favours whatsoever. Grow up.
March 17, 200817 yr "We're the biggest".... they wish :lol: You know you put me off Girls Aloud... a lot
March 17, 200817 yr When did I insult them? They just are not bigger than GA in any way, it was silly of Heidi to say that. If you look at their album sales, the GH was already underperforming, and the new album is underperforming even more compared to the sales of the previous version of the band. GA albums sales are quite consistant, plus they do a massive arena tour, performing 2 or 3 nights in every arena, what the Babes could never do. And talking about popularity, the Girls are a lot more in the eye and heart of British people, every average person could hardly give the name of two of the babes. That's all, it was a bit silly of Heidi to state it like that, while it's obvious GA is the biggest girlband of the moment (and have been for the last 20 months). And I bought tickets to see the Babes live, so I guess I don't hate them with passion as you all try to pretend.
March 17, 200817 yr You know you put me off Girls Aloud... a lot I could hardly give a thing. If you're not able to focus on the music, that's your problem, not mine.
March 17, 200817 yr When did I insult them? They just are not bigger than GA in any way, it was silly of Heidi to say that. If you look at their album sales, the GH was already underperforming, and the new album is underperforming even more compared to the sales of the previous version of the band. GA albums sales are quite consistant, plus they do a massive arena tour, performing 2 or 3 nights in every arena, what the Babes could never do. And talking about popularity, the Girls are a lot more in the eye and heart of British people, every average person could hardly give the name of two of the babes. That's all, it was a bit silly of Heidi to state it like that, while it's obvious GA is the biggest girlband of the moment (and have been for the last 20 months). And I bought tickets to see the Babes live, so I guess I don't hate them with passion as you all try to pretend. Why do you care so much, urgh I give up with you why do I even bother, absolute deluded f***er.
March 17, 200817 yr Please just stop arguing, retaliating to the comment is'nt making any of you look any better so can we just get back on topic, this argument is beyond old. Edited March 17, 200817 yr by J-o-e
March 17, 200817 yr When did I insult them? They just are not bigger than GA in any way, it was silly of Heidi to say that. If you look at their album sales, the GH was already underperforming, and the new album is underperforming even more compared to the sales of the previous version of the band. GA albums sales are quite consistant, plus they do a massive arena tour, performing 2 or 3 nights in every arena, what the Babes could never do. And talking about popularity, the Girls are a lot more in the eye and heart of British people, every average person could hardly give the name of two of the babes. That's all, it was a bit silly of Heidi to state it like that, while it's obvious GA is the biggest girlband of the moment (and have been for the last 20 months). And I bought tickets to see the Babes live, so I guess I don't hate them with passion as you all try to pretend. Oh give it a rest always consistently comparing them to the girls, it really really is becoming boring. :( I think I speak for alot of people when I say that too. At the end of the day, you didn't NEED to say that comment, yes Girls Aloud may be bigger but you were just trying to obviously get some attention, it's obvious. But yes you are right Girls Aloud are bigger. You must feel so proud bebz. :heart:
March 17, 200817 yr Bertie sugababes are classy unlike your scabby herpies ridden girls aloud girls! Coming from someone who got Booty Luv in his banner, the "classy" comment can only make me laugh :lol:
March 17, 200817 yr Author It was Keisha who said that, not Heidi. And let's examine the evidence here: Change (Album) - 425k Tangled Up - 300k Sexy! No No No - 83k Change - 83k Call The Shots - 200k About You Now - 400k Denial - 25k CSF - 25k So sales are close but atm when anyone has an advantage it's the sugababes. Also collectively the Sugas last 4 albums (GH included) sold 3.3 million copies in the UK, compared to just 2.2 million for GA.
