ThePensmith

Also just noticed something - all the videos from this album now have special thumbnails like the ones they did for the SOTU reissue! (Although this does mean Jump now has a new thumbnail too. Canonically, I feel like it belongs with the last album era as well but them's the rules I guess)

Teaser of "Wicked Game" has just dropped! Have to say, even on 17 seconds alone, not at all what I was imagining - in the best possible way! It almost sounds a bit dubsteppy - before that was even a thing.

TBH whilst I don't use or have any desire to use TikTok in future, this is not the first time UMG have been in a situation like this. About 15 years ago they had their whole "removing artists and songs" from YouTube because of a similar dispute. I seem to remember specifically around the time I went to uni (September 2009) you suddenly couldn't watch any of The Saturdays TV performances on YouTube for example (annoying for me as I didn't have a telly at that point), as they were signed to Polydor (part of UMG). My feeling is that for both sides, they'll want to resolve it as swiftly as possible, but in UMG's case they've taken the approach that needs to be taken.

It's officially 20 years today since their debut album was released! If there is one of many albums I would love to see get the full reissue treatment on vinyl etc this year, this album would be one of them. Jo Whiley has incidentally been playing songs from it on her Radio 2 show all this week and it's made me get my copy out again. Immaculate record!

Jesus Horatio Christ. Once again the Now compilers playing hard and fast with what was actually a big hit in 2004 / 2005. Under what possible circumstances were those Duran Duran / Eurythmics singles massive hits? It's bad enough that on '02 - '03 we get an Annie Lennox single off an album that had no singles (at least not in the UK) and a John Meyer track that didn't even make the top 40. What next, Lou Bega "I Got A Girl" instead of "Mambo No. 5" when they eventually get round to doing 1999 editions? (And don't even get me started on how they'll use the wrong versions of "9PM (Till I Come)" and "That Don't Impress Me Much" when the time comes as well. Luddites)

Second single "Kiss Of Life" is out tomorrow!

I think done well, this could actually be more of a hit than people are giving it a chance at present, based solely on the previous form of Viva Forever and Never Forget. If any pop band of the 90s epitomised high camp, drama and fabulousness - all things that cross over into musical theatre - then Steps are it. As it happens, Shaun, who's written the book, is someone I know well cause he used to be my editor when I wrote for a short loved pop magazine he ran about 10 years ago. He also wrote the unofficial musical, 5678 that was on at the Edinburgh Festival a few years ago!

The new album is called "Pages" and will be released on 17th May!

He's back... tickets on sale this Friday. @1749743765449761122 He's also on Scott Mills' Radio 2 show this afternoon for his first interview in over 20 years.

Well it didn't stop Steps I suppose, nothing to say they couldn't do the same!

Jimmy Ray - Are You Jimmy Ray? (#13, 1997) JqnO40AGRSc

I would hazard a guess it'll probably do a bit better; it was the album after all that really cemented their popularity, more so than the first album. Plus there's more incentive this time I feel with the new unreleased songs. I'll settle on top 30 I think (just to be on the safe side, and quietly hope I'm pleasantly surprised).

Pre-ordered the blue vinyl and 3CD set. FormUK have excelled themselves once again - thank goodness they contacted Universal to get involved! I can't lie and say I'm a bit disappointed there's no T-Shirts or even hoodies like last time, but I am imagining that they are channelling efforts for those into the tour, which is understandable. Guess I'll be making my own to make up for it using what assets are available!

I've lived with the Mania version for 18 years (I acquired their album sampler on eBay around 2006 in lieu of the fact that a handful of their songs on it, namely "I'm Not Shy" and "Money In My Pocket", ended up re-recorded by Frank, the band who supported GA on the Chemistry Tour who had their own T4 show Totally Frank! Small old world really when it comes to Xenomania).

Baby When You Go I am almost 99.9% certain will be the same song that Mania (the short lived Xenomania duo of Niara Scarlett and Giselle Somerville) recorded for their cancelled debut album, "Do You Know Your Daughter's On The Roof?", which was due out the same year but cancelled after their single "Looking For A Place" flopped. Their version is here at about 15:15 on this video of their album sampler: RDcFjg3L6Ko

The reissue is coming on 8th March! The Tony Lamezma's Club Mix Radio Edit of "Love Machine" is out at midnight:

Overall it was a good night - still living for the performances of "Viva Forever" and "2 Become 1" she did with Emma and Nat and Nic Appleton, and to hear some solo deep cuts like "Reason", "Home" and "Ga Ga" in particular. I did used to go to KOKO quite a bit back in the day because they used to film The Album Chart Show for T4 there and it was enjoyable back then. Maybe it's because I'm not in my early twenties anymore but I'm not sure it's the same venue for me now. I get that it was Mel's choice of venue but that doesn't necessarily mean it was the right choice. Especially when you're somewhere near the back like I was (I'm 6 ft 3 so could still get a decentish view when I wasn't being shoved) and trying to hear what she's saying over pissed up Ellas dressed as Sporty Spice who are heckling David Arnold for not being Emma Bunton (I came close to telling them to not be so bloody rude, but thought better of it).

Oh yeah I did hear that it was on their adverts over Christmas (bizarrely enough whilst listening to Magic FM, where Nicole Appleton has her own show on weekend afternoons!)

Just seen on an All Saints fan group I follow on Facebook that Black Coffee is at #60 (just two places behind Shaznay Lewis' new single, incidentally). Anyone know why? Is it about to be the subject of a Sophie / Natasha style renaissance?

Oh it's glorious. Definitely got a bit of the same vibe as the "Testament" album had but that's not a bad thing at all. Feels anthemic almost!

Can't believe it's tomorrow. Quite excited actually! Just trying to remember where I put my T-Shirt from the live show she did in lockdown...

I went for the presentation pack, the postcards (I love a postcard) and the First Day Cover prestige stamp book in the end. The former two arrived today so I'm guessing the other will appear either tomorrow or at the weekend. Didn't have the Spice Girls getting me into a bit of light philately so soon into 2024 but here we are! I have to say they are done really beautifully.

If I'm honest, Justin hasn't made a decent record on his own since "Mirrors" which was 10 years ago. I don't anticipate therefore that this is going to do much, let alone with how he has basically (and rightly) been called to task for his part in what's come out in Britney's book.

I think if memory serves me correctly it was going to be the fourth single - she performed it on TV a couple of times and it was also on the soundtrack of the first St Trinian's movie (along with Girls Aloud, who were her label mates at the time), but then they decided to move on first to a Greatest Hits, which then instead became Make A Scene, so it never did become a single. There were so many missed opportunities with Trip The Light Fantastic, it was an amazing album. Love Is Here, which Dan Gillespie-Sells from The Feeling co-wrote with her would have been a lovely single as well.

Well if they weren't cultural icons before this - now they are! Brilliant partnership. I've never collected stamps before but might make an exception for some of these.