ThePensmith

Just on my way home from seeing KT Tunstall at Royal Albert Hall tonight. Mel came on as a surprise guest and did "When You're Gone" and "I've Had The Time Of My Life" (off Dirty Dancing) with her! Natalie Imbruglia also came on and did "Torn" 😍

Been having a bit of a moment with "Holler" the last few days. Maybe it's a sign of my maturity but in recent years I've actually found myself returning to it more than I did back when it came out. It still slaps!

Nat and Nic have just posted this 😍😍😍 InstagramNatalie Appleton on Instagram: "#Appleton"551 likes, 105 comments - natappleton on June 19, 2025: "#Appleton". 14 year old me is fanboying so hard!

It's been mentioned on the thread for it but they were the surprise "Out of the Blue" guests at Capital Summertime Ball today! They did "She Makes Me Wanna" as seen here but also "The Club Is Alive", "Beat Again" and "Everybody In Love".

Saints & Sinners is coming out on red and black marble vinyl on 19th September for its 25th anniversary! https://hmv.com/store/music/vinyl/saints-and-sinners-(25th-anniversary-edition)

Incredible... they came on stage as surprise guests at Robbie Williams' Emirates Stadium show tonight! InstagramHeart on Instagram: "What a moment of 90s boyband heaven!...1,285 likes, 64 comments - thisisheart on June 6, 2025: "What a moment of 90s boyband heaven! #robbiewilliams #five #90s".

HMV Vinyl Week releases are confirmed - and again, my wallet is safe 🤣 https://hmv.com/Store/Music/Vinyl-Weekend Not even one token pop release!

Just watching back the Big Weekend set on iPlayer as I was away in London last weekend. Incredible! The Lorde cover was 🔥

Whilst I understand the frustrations above... on the other hand, this is really a situation that's been of the media's own making. If they hadn't spent the best part of the last 25 years so cruelly harpooning Victoria at every given opportunity for so much as breathing - and to some extent Geri - then there's a much higher chance that we'd be getting a full five piece tour again. I believe the expression we're after here is that they made their beds and are now kicking off because they shat in it and have to lie down in it. That said, it is the most realistic proposition for them to do if they get it right. It's something they'd not have to make any massive commitments to beyond promoting its launch. And also, if it's in one dedicated place like the ABBA Arena is then it negates the need for them to go around the world with it, as international fans can make a point of including it on a visit to London. It'd be no different to Beatles fans going on the wealth of walking tours in and around Abbey Road. My feeling is it it would work if it was more than just the straightahead concert like Voyage, more something along the lines of The Friends Experience that's over at the ExCel Centre, where they can see costumes or recreate iconic setups up close. I know there was that Spice exhibition at Islington Design Centre a few years ago that I went to which did something similar and was totally fan run? I appreciate it's hard where Simon Fuller is involved to have the highest expectations (watch where my eyes rest S Club), but equally writing it off whilst it's all just rumours is a little hasty.

It looks as if Nadine is publishing her autobiography later this year! Instagram💫 Ємма 💫 on Instagram: "Nadine Coyle | LOUD: The Diary...emmchezfan on May 28, 2025: "Nadine Coyle | LOUD: The Diary Of A Derry Girl 📚🥹✨ Tuesday 23rd December 2025, is the supposed release date of Nadine’s first Autobiography titled ‘LOUD: The Diary O...

Just seen clips of Una performing at Birmingham Pride today. My God the way the whole audience was singing back every word! They need to get back together already 😩

There aren't enough eyerolls at the erasure of Natural's 25th anniversary I can make. But to be expected, sadly 🙄

Confirmed that they're performing with the cast from Here & Now on this Saturday's show: InstagramBritain's Got Talent on Instagram: "It’ll be a ‘Tragedy’...1,040 likes, 18 comments - bgt on May 22, 2025: "It’ll be a ‘Tragedy’ to miss this one! 😉🎶 The cast of the brand new musical ‘Here & Now’ will be opening the show this weekend alongside pop roy...

Can't even believe a year has passed since the tour, it's crazy! Two of the best shows I saw last year. Can't wait for the box set next month!

Just seen on Instagram that Nicola has been on stage as a surprise guest at Scissor Sisters' Manchester show of their tour tonight! InstagramAlouders on Reddit on Instagram: "BREAKING: Nicola made a...18 likes, 0 comments - aloudersreddit on May 21, 2025: "BREAKING: Nicola made an appearance in Scissor Sisters tour in Coop Live Manchester video : _itsbex /X, girlsaloudnews tiktok".

I'd really love to see her and I'm buzzing for the album... but I can't do The Roundhouse as a venue these days. It's too much hassle for me. If it'd been Kentish Town Forum I'd have been there in a heartbeat.

National Album Day back on October 18th... and the theme this year? Well let's just say my wallet will be safe around that time 🙄 InstagramNational Album Day on Instagram: "National Album Day is b...111 likes, 7 comments - albumdayuk on May 19, 2025: "National Album Day is back 🎉 This year we’ll be celebrating ‘Rock’ on October 18th 🤘 From rising stars like @wetlegband, @novatwinsmusic, @th...HMV yet to announce Vinyl Week, although they are teasing something being announced at 9am two weeks today on 2nd June. Not holding my breath given last year was truly "Dad faves only".

It is also currently being used in trailers for Alison Hammond's new series on BBC One at the moment. Cause my ears pricked up the second I heard it the other day!

Andy just updated with this on socials: InstagramAndy Brown on Instagram: "Morning! I just wanted to jump...2,881 likes, 209 comments - andybrownofficial on May 12, 2025: "Morning! I just wanted to jump on here and give you a little update on what’s been going on with me lately. I’ve always found it hard... Sending so much love for his recovery and good health ❤️

I can pinpoint the time I started listening to the chart - the spring of 1996 for me. Which I credit entirely to Gina G "Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit". Top of the Pops had always been on weekly in our house and I remember songs whilst not really paying attention to where they were chart wise. That was the record that changed it all which meant my Sundays were occupied between 4pm - 7pm. Although it took me about another year to clock that actually buying singles directly influenced what happened in the chart 🤣 I did have a period of ebb and flow from around 2003 onwards, having gaps of months at a time where I was only really tuning in when my favourite artists were charting (largely dictated by whoever was hosting at the time. Let's just say I checked out a fair bit during the God awful JK and Joel years). By 2013 I'd finally stopped listening semi regularly altogether and had made the switch to Radio 2 full time.

Wrote a little something on my blog this week about the single that never was from Seeing Double era: https://wp.me/p4UO9N-33K

They're on a special edition of Fearne Cotton's Sounds of the 90s show on Radio 2 tonight at 10pm. I love that show anyway - would recommend if you're a 90s lover - but will definitely be tuning in! InstagramBBC Radio 2 on Instagram: "Some incredible poses 😂😂 Tom...1,602 likes, 29 comments - bbcradio2 on April 25, 2025: "Some incredible poses 😂😂 Tomorrow night on Sounds of the 90s Fearne is joined by FIVE! Listen from 10pm on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds 🧡".

Just seen on his Insta Stories he's had to postpone the next two shows in Brighton and Hull this weekend owing to a sickness bug he and half his band have come down with. What an absolute mare, hope he and everyone feels better soon!

New interview Rach did with OK this week ahead of the paperback being published:

There's a rather incisive new interview with them from Michael Cragg (author of Reach for the Stars) in The Guardian today: ‘If Jesus and Buddha had our work schedule, they’d have fallen out too’: boyband Five on bullying, Britney and their blockbuster return https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/apr/25/if-jesus-and-buddha-had-our-work-schedule-theyd-have-fallen-out-too-boyband-five-on-bullying-britney-and-their-blockbuster-return/ Also these images which were taken on the very same tower block / skate park that they filmed the "Slam Dunk (Da Funk)" video at! InstagramFive on Instagram: "The five of us went back to the skate...8,825 likes, 200 comments - itsfiveofficial on April 25, 2025: "The five of us went back to the skate park where we shot the Slam Dunk video for @guardian and to be there 28 years later was definit...