ThePensmith

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.

Really hope Sophie re-peaks at least. What would be the deal with "Murder..." getting say, a limited 7" reprint? Cause she's got her own label now (EBGBs) but presumably it'd be Universal if they did reissue it?

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.

Hopefully we do get the album on vinyl for its 20th anniversary - that'd just be magnificent! It's still joint with Northern Star as my favourite Solo Spice album.

Given Natalie was on The Masked Singer, Nicole is now presenting on Magic Radio and Mel's been doing different TV bits (I thought she was fabulous with her mum on Celebrities Race Across The World last year) that they are indeed on some form of all but unconfirmed hiatus. It wouldn't be the first time though as others have said, and we have had three more albums from them since they split in 2001 which is more than I ever imagined we'd have! I do remember though that Shaznay responded to someone on Instagram about a year or 18 months ago who asked if she was still speaking to Nat and Nic and she said she was. I do think people in this day and age of social media read too much into whether everyone's interacting with each other all of the time, and more so with All Saints who had such a fractured history the first time round. I'm just enjoying all their different projects in the meantime, the Appleton 20th anniversary vinyls last year and now this new album from Shaz. The preview is giving "Testament" era and I'm still obsessed with that album so yeah. Bring it on!

Officially confirmed by the lady herself! @1741781518622527944

It would appear that we are getting the first single two weeks today. It's called Miracle and there's a short 30 second clip of it on YouTube which has the release date down as 12th January! F_z5htV4hy8

Won't link to The S*n, but this was up yesterday: Quite exciting this, I loved "Open" when it came out. Where did 20 years go? She's also supporting Sugababes alongside Melanie C at Blenheim Palace a couple of weekends after Mighty Hoopla on 15th June.

I have to say I love the show - I appreciate it's not for everyone but I'm a bit of a voice nerd and so I'm almost always s*** hot at guessing who people are. I guessed straight away that it was Ainsley Harriott as Partridge in a Pear Tree and Carol Vorderman as Reindeer on the Christmas episode this year! Likewise I got Natalie Appleton as Fawn straight away before any of the panel did last year. That said... Rita Ora and Jonathan Ross on the panel are borderline useless / irritating. But I thought Leona was a perfect addition to the panel on the Christmas episode and I'd be here for her full time. Rita had to miss three episodes this series so Jennifer Saunders, Olly Murs and Charlie Simpson (last year's winner) will take her place on each of those. I could see Olly fitting in well to the panel full time now he's not doing The Voice anymore!

Series 2 trailer is here. Already cackling at "I will not be calling her Cheryl Fernandez-Versini" :lol: 18Esw7iQtuU

One other thing I will say on this... last weekend ITV showed a highlights package from the Capital Jingle Bell Ball that was at the O2 a couple of weeks ago, hosted by Roman Kemp, Sian Welby and Chris Stark off the Capital breakfast show. I have to say, I'd be here for ITV airing this annually. It was a good mix of both current artists who have had hits this year (Jax Jones, Tate McRae, Tom Grennan, Leigh-Anne) along with a mixture of retro favourites (Busted, S Club, Take That) and it felt to the touch like the Christmas Day TOTP used to. It got the right mix and the right presentation and I've not felt that way watching a current pop music show on telly in a long time.

Confirmed today that Series 2 starts in January. Dylan and Jon are on the cover of the new issue of Attitude talking about the new series with Jack:

Digital EP is out tomorrow including first time to digital for the two remixes and the What Will The Neighbours Say album medley:

I do get the sense that this is probably going to be the last Christmas with such a huge takeover of the oldies. The general fatigue for the usual suspects - Wham, Mariah etc - is stronger and louder this year that OCC can't possibly ignore it for 2024. I foresee it where there's a seperate Christmas catalogue chart for any festive song that's older than the last 10 maybe 15 years.

What is actually going on with the CD and 7" vinyl for this? The pre-order went live for this the night of The O2 gig. I was literally stood in the foyer pre-ordering as it went live. How difficult is it to get a couple of hundred CDs and vinyls pressed? It's getting bloody ridiculous.

I quite agree. I loved Nerina Pallot's version she released on her website on Christmas Day a couple of years ago too. Very gorgeous and stripped back with just a piano.

Sounds Like Friday Night was a bloody awful box ticking exercise, up there with the ill fated Tim Kash relaunch of TOTP that ultimately killed off the weekly show 20 years ago. I've come to accept now that the BBC with the way it's heading aren't gonna prioritise a mainstream chart music show in their schedules. I suppose at least we have the 90s TOTP reruns starting now which is some comfort.

Current favourites: Kylie Minogue - Every Day's Like Christmas Little Mix - One I've Been Missing Olly Murs - Coming Off The Snow Emma Bunton - Coming Home For Christmas Girls Aloud - I Wanna Kiss You So Spice Girls - Christmas Wrapping Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton - You Make It Feel Like Christmas Whyte Horses - Next Year Will Be Mine The Feeling - Feels Like Christmas David Bowie and Bing Crosby - Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy Sick of the following: Mariah Almost any songs that are higher up the chart by reasoning of Spotify placing them higher up being in America and all of that e.g. "Jingle Bell Rock" (the Girls Aloud version is better. I said what I said)

The girls' second number one hit and official Children In Need single for 2004 is now available in 4K on YouTube.

They were on Lorraine this morning and confirmed a live album of the tour is going to be released on 5th January 2024: CKvduqaXuUQ

Oh that is absolutely glorious! Chris Fox has worked his magic again. It really brings out the colour and fun of that video!

Calling all gift wrapped kitty cats - "Love Machine" is the next single to get the digital reissue treatment tomorrow:

Fantastic gig for the guys! I'll tune in with it online over the weekend because my last gig of the year is firmly Sophie Ellis-Bextor on 29th and I need a bit of a break from gig going after this year!