ThePensmith

Teaser trailer for Boyzone's forthcoming Sky One documentary entitled "No Matter What" (after their biggest hit of course) has been released today:

Just thinking today about this because I realised that Björk's "It's Oh So Quiet" isn't on her Greatest Hits album. Similarly, there is no sign of "Shiny Happy People" on REM's best of album. These are a couple of other examples I thought of where the artist either disliked their own song at first and grew to love it (grudgingly or otherwise), or subsequently disowned it and dropped it from their live sets etc in later years... - Girls Aloud "Love Machine". Quite well documented that they didn't like this at first, thinking they were going to be a laughing stock and calling a meeting with their label bosses at Polydor to tell them it was the wrong choice and that people would say they sounded like Busted or McFly(?). Of course it went onto be one of their biggest hits and they grew to love it. - Daniel Bedingfield "If You're Not The One". By some distance, other than "Gotta Get Thru This", his biggest hit, but he said at the time that he didn't want to release it or even have it on the album: "Commercialism, sappy lyrics and meek tunes are the things I hate most in the universe, but I’m not sure even Bob Dylan could get record company interest without hooks these days."

Never say never! I would like to hope it's mainly original material this time.

Dreams of number one last forever: Rachel's third single and the official single for Sport Relief 2004 is reissued in a new digital EP today, including the first time to digital platforms for the brilliant Richard X Extended Mix and the B-side "Spin That Bottle":

I was gonna say, Chris Herbert (Five) and Daniel Glatman (Blue) came off the best I think. Relative to some of the other managers, they were both roughly the same age as their bands, and they had a greater degree of self reflection. I'll be honest, when I'd seen Chris on a few videos of both Hear'Say and Girl Thing - both of whom he managed afterwards - my opinion wasn't so great, and I got why the Spice Girls left him for Simon Fuller. But actually, his self reflection, him saying "I worked with the knowledge I had at the time which maybe wasn't the best" and being able to take ownership for some of what happened with Five actually did turn me back around to him more. I find that more admirable than Simon Cowell, who just came out with his stock "You have no private life, if you don't want it be an accountant" comment, I especially felt that was an illustration of his true colours. And also, proves to a degree how hollow his tribute to Liam Payne was when he passed away. Because those boys really didn't have the welfare they needed around them. I just hope sincerely that any new boybands or girl groups coming through are better protected and looked after mentally as well as physically. And yeah I imagine that's probably who they'll go for with the girl groups.

I loved this letter. So eloquently written and articulated, it shows firstly how much Robbie has grown and become his own man and how he wishes love even to those who he didn't have the best experience with. More than can be said for Nigel Martin-Smith, whose line of defence in that first episode was basically "I made him famous, so I refuse to acknowledge that I could have handled it a bit better with the gift of hindsight because I'm too het up about what people think of me". It certainly shows who the - pardon the pun - better man is here.

The idea of Waiting Game on top of Shoulda Thought Of That not being on streaming is too terrible to comprehend! And that's before the idea of no single mix of Funky Dory either...

At The O2 tomorrow night so been playing my Corrs playlist on Spotify all day. Borrowed Heaven really was a slept on album I feel, so many missed single opportunities, specifically "Hideaway" and "Humdrum".

Apparently "Some Girls" is next but according to Pop Music Activism, nothing has been said about either "Funky Dory" or "I Said Never Again" from Universal so I'm a little worried TBH...

There is apparently talk - although mere speculation at this point - that the production company who did this documentary will be doing one for the girls. Can see that working, particularly if they followed this sort of structure suggested.

Watched the first two episodes last night. Was unsure what to expect, particularly as regards to Five and 911 as they had both done The Big Reunion which kind of covered a lot of the same ground subject wise, and - to a lesser extent - Take That, whose own story, particularly Robbie's with his Netflix documentary last year, is quite well documented. Framing their contributions against those of their managers, but also others - Jayne Middlemiss, Andi Peters etc - was really a stroke of genius. What I actually came away feeling from watching it was empathy and anger. It speaks volumes that some certain people (unsurprisingly) hold little or no accountability for their behaviour and actions - Nigel Martin-Smith for one, Simon Cowell for another, Tom Watkins and that absolute bellend from News of the World they had on whose name I didn't catch but who were merciless as regards to East 17. Seeing Scott and Sean from Five get visibly upset recounting about their experiences makes you realise just how traumatised they still are by what they went through at such young ages. Even sadder that in the time since these interviews were filmed, what's happened inside the last month has happened with Liam Payne. Feel for Damage in a lot of ways as well, and the systemic racism they faced being told they couldn't be put on the cover of Smash Hits unless it was done in a very "safe" and "approved" way.

Downloaded my copy today. Such a beautiful new version, looking forward to seeing the new edit of the video this evening as well.

Small question... I'm just listening to an old Radio 1 interview with Keisha and Heidi from around August 2004. They mentioned in it how they'd recorded a song for the soundtrack of the second Bridget Jones film The Edge of Reason. Obviously it looks like it never got used, but do we know what the song was or why it didn't go ahead? (I'm assuming because Mutya was pregnant?)

Incidentally, I went back and dug out James Masterton's commentary from when Band Aid 20 hit number one. Unsurprisingly, much of the criticism he levied then will almost certainly apply to this new one: https://chart-watch.uk//archives/2004/week-...h-2004-band-aid As he mentions here, the 1984 version was a real lightning in a bottle moment, it was when a record like this had the power to corral for a greater cause and when buying singles still mattered. Nevermind 40 years on, not just the world, but the music industry is in a totally different space now to what it was in 2004 or even 2014. And audiences are - I would like to hope - that bit smarter. I'm quite frankly surprised this has even been greenlit given the 2014 version went down like a cup of cold sick critically and beyond its week one performance. The fact it is for charity does not preclude it from carrying an air of being generally unnecessary.

Time to get the cameras rolling and get the action going, as Rachel's cover of the Andrea True Connection hit from 1976 is next on her singles reissues at midnight. Sadly appears to be no sign of the CD1 B-Side "Shoulda Thought Of That" (unless they're saving it for one of the other reissues?)

I mean definitely more so if it was released either late November or December. But I genuinely miss those days when you had pop bands going for a slightly wintry theme with a ballad near to Christmas! Of course people will berate that they get annual replay on what music channels are left now but it's no worse than passive streams of Mariah and Wham for nigh on six / seven weeks.

The trailer has landed. Out Valentine's Day next year: fc5zbSCgudA So looking forward to this! I loved the last film.

Saw Duncan James and Antony Costa from Blue talking to Lorraine about this on her show yesterday. Will be watching of course. Will be interesting viewing, dare I say poignant as well in light of the last month.

I think Sia probably fits into this category for me. I loved her first single "Taken for Granted" and also the stuff she did with Zero 7, and "Breathe Me". So when she took off about 10 years ago with all the David Guetta stuff I was a bit non-plussed!

So the EP has apparently gone to #1 in the Soundtrack Chart! Surprised it didn't count for the main chart but great achievement anyway. I've had it on inside the last week and it's a really fun, catchy set of songs.

Out today. Have to say the Unplugged versions of Everybody In Love and Crazy For You are beautiful, I'm surprised they've not done an acoustic album yet. New edit of the Beat Again video is also out today, intercut with behind the scenes and never before seen B-roll footage from the original film reels: wAjonB0Z6zs

The debut album turned 25 this week: I have to say I'm surprised their back catalogue hasn't had the 4k restoration / vinyl pressing / singles on Spotify treatment yet? Unless they're saving it for the 30th I suppose whilst Mark still rests up and recovers.

Lift Me Up was released 01/11/1999 - other than that looks good!

Jo has just appeared as a guest with Nicky Byrne (from Westlife, obviously) on his new podcast:

I'd be swapping out "Thunder" for "If You Ever" with Gabrielle personally...