September 19, 200915 yr Bananarama hit onto the gay scene in the mid-80s... when it was equally as big a thing as it is now (the scene I mean). They were possibly the first ever band to use male backing dancers.... and certainly the first to exploit them as male bands had always done woith female backing dancers, by parading them round on stage in tiny cycling shorts or underwear :D Here's a completely classic clip - the original 3 members, the final time Siobhan appeared as an official member before leaving to form Shakespears Sister, at the BPI Awards (the then-Brit Awards), 1988.... one of the funniest performances of all time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-u4k3opzRE...feature=related They were tuned into their gay audiences because everyone they surrounded themselves with was gay - from stylists to record label supporters - and they were to be seen almost nightly on the gay scene in London from about 85 - 2003.... when Keren moved to Cornwall. And Rob.... as a straight male... surely Bananarama 2009 are a pretty great, attractive thing - 2 stunning ladies with a deliciously mischievous side who are game for anything, and who are all the more admirable for completely refusing to get caught up in the notoriously male-dominated world of the music business.... and who just poke their tongues out at it, 2 women who will look amazing on any guy's arm - and who would drink any man under the table (I can vouch for this - they drank me under the table - twice - when I met them). I received my copy of 'Viva' yesterday and.... it's a cracking pop album - great production and a handful of superb pop tracks, alongwith a brilliant cover version of the Three Degrees 'The Runner' - easily their finest album since 'Pop Life'.
September 21, 200915 yr Bananarama hit onto the gay scene in the mid-80s... when it was equally as big a thing as it is now (the scene I mean). They were possibly the first ever band to use male backing dancers.... and certainly the first to exploit them as male bands had always done woith female backing dancers, by parading them round on stage in tiny cycling shorts or underwear :D Here's a completely classic clip - the original 3 members, the final time Siobhan appeared as an official member before leaving to form Shakespears Sister, at the BPI Awards (the then-Brit Awards), 1988.... one of the funniest performances of all time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-u4k3opzRE...feature=related They were tuned into their gay audiences because everyone they surrounded themselves with was gay - from stylists to record label supporters - and they were to be seen almost nightly on the gay scene in London from about 85 - 2003.... when Keren moved to Cornwall. And Rob.... as a straight male... surely Bananarama 2009 are a pretty great, attractive thing - 2 stunning ladies with a deliciously mischievous side who are game for anything, and who are all the more admirable for completely refusing to get caught up in the notoriously male-dominated world of the music business.... and who just poke their tongues out at it, 2 women who will look amazing on any guy's arm - and who would drink any man under the table (I can vouch for this - they drank me under the table - twice - when I met them). I received my copy of 'Viva' yesterday and.... it's a cracking pop album - great production and a handful of superb pop tracks, alongwith a brilliant cover version of the Three Degrees 'The Runner' - easily their finest album since 'Pop Life'. oh ive never doubted their looks m8, but then again i dont like music because the artist is 'fit' or a looker..
September 21, 200915 yr Are you saying now then that maybe, because Morrissey's in his 50s, he should quit singing protest songs about the Royal family and American politics and Hispanic gangs? In effect, stop singing half his back catalogue? Is his music and viewpoint now irrelevant because of his age? Same with Bob Dylan.... perhaps Kate Bush should quit singing about birds and trees and haunted washing machines and instead concentrate on the ever-rising price of gas bills and Steradent? Siouxsie should maybe take up the cause for the Women's Institute and back off from deep, dark, perhaps youthful subjects that ladies of her advanced years should have forgotten about in their youths? That is an absolutely brilliant retort.... And one with which I agree wholeheartedly..... As if artists in their 40s or 50s cant be animated, passionate or peed off about something..... I would put it to Rob that he should listen to the last two Killing Joke albums.... GOD, Jaz Coleman is so UTTERLY P!SSED off and raging about everything, it's really quite something to behold.... If only about 95% of "youthful" bands had half of Coleman's passion, bile and vitriol, we may have actually seen Downing St or the Whitehouse being stormed "Bastille-style" by now..... :rolleyes:
September 22, 200915 yr Heard a few positive reviews of this so actually took a listen on Spotify...I have to say I was STUNNED. I didn't expect an album anywhere near as good as this, nor one that fitted (generally) into today's music scene so well! Why they chose to lead with Love Comes ahead of the divine Seventeen or Twisting (or if they wanted to gay it up, Love Don't Live Here) is simply BEYOND me. Shocking contender for album of the year for me! :o
September 22, 200915 yr I was really surprised by this album too, even though I quite liked Drama, I never expected Viva to be as good as this. Shame the album limped in at #87 in the end. :cry:
September 24, 200915 yr 'Twisting' sounds like Black Cherry-era Goldfrapp..... brilliant.... I heard (a rumour :naughty: ) 'Dum Dum Boy' is a contender for the next single.... I reckon it should be 'Love Don't Live Here' (as perfect a pop song as you're ever likely to hear)....or maybe even 'Twisting' if they're feeling brave. 'Love Comes' is one of the weakest tracks on the album - very odd choice for a lead single.... I was surprised what a great album it is, too - far, far better than Drama or anything they've ever done since the stunning 'Pop Life' album.
September 24, 200915 yr Love Don't Live Here is an epic masterpiece - they're performing it on the Alan Titchmarsh show on ITV next Tuesday, I'm not sure if that's any indication of that being the next single.
September 24, 200915 yr It HAS to be the new single - and should've been the first single - it stands out a mile from the rest of the album, I think.... and the drama-filled live performances on YouTube, whilst crappy quality filming..... yep, fantastic. The problem with this album and the single is the audience they're aiming at simply never download music - and with Asda and Tesco failing to stock 'Viva'.... well... it was doomed from the start, really. Can you honestly see anyone who watched This Morning or the Alan Titchmarsh show rushing to download anything?
September 24, 200915 yr Is that the audience they're really aiming at though? Musically despite the disco covers, they sound like they're going for a 20-ish to 30-ish gay audience. Ordered the album on Wednesday btw. It'll arrive tomorrow fingers x'ed :cheer:
September 26, 200915 yr Well I am in that 20-30ish gay audience :lol: Already heard two or three amazing tracks, and my american friend who's a huge Rams fan just sent me all the bonus tracks :cheer:
September 26, 200915 yr Author The Runner is pretty good ^_^ reminds me of something else though in the verses.
September 27, 200915 yr A good strong 2 nd single may help their cause and get them a top 40 hit which would be nice, i was disappointed after a midweek top 40 placing the album ended up peaking at #87 but on a brighter note that is nearly 100 plaves higher than their last album, i suppose the album will sell in low numbers but i would like it to pass 5,000 sales mark and outsell the last album. W ith acts like bananaram im sure the record company knows they wont sell huge amounts of albums and i just wondered how many copies of the album do u think were issued?
September 28, 200915 yr They could sing absolutely anything and it would still be heaven to my ears :D :yahoo:
September 29, 200915 yr A good strong 2 nd single may help their cause and get them a top 40 hit which would be nice, i was disappointed after a midweek top 40 placing the album ended up peaking at #87 but on a brighter note that is nearly 100 plaves higher than their last album, i suppose the album will sell in low numbers but i would like it to pass 5,000 sales mark and outsell the last album. W ith acts like bananaram im sure the record company knows they wont sell huge amounts of albums and i just wondered how many copies of the album do u think were issued? They did a great performance of Love Don't Live Here today on Alan Titchmarsh show. Their version of The Sound Of Silence is one of those songs that could do well around Christmas time as a single, as it's not something you'd expect from the Nanas
October 2, 200915 yr That's true actually :o Double A side of LDLH and TSOS then? :) Yes, now that I've learnt the LDLH routine :dance:
October 2, 200915 yr Amazing :kink: I've just got the album (god, I'm never ordering from CDWow again, so slow) and it sounds fantastic to me. LDLH and Twisting are still my favs :)
October 15, 200915 yr Went to their concert at the Relentless Garage on Monday night, they were great - also good stand up comics too, particularly at the end of their performance of Extraordinary - have put up some of their stuff on You Tube. Extraordinary - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4P6Ui_K_vk Twisting - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofP4xmSaox4 Dum Dum Boy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntgDig5F9Oc Move In My Direction - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx6OEnLURqw Cruel Summer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezly94-Viys Love Don’t Live Here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sGLKBR1MXM
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