Rebel

Obviously, they weren’t planning to split up when they got back on August 1999 to start working on the third album. They didn’t realize that Mel C’s priorities have shifted until spring 2000 when she started to record on her own time instead joining the girls. They just didn’t have a concrete plan of what to do next and how bad Forever was going to be received by the end of the year. That’s when Mel C and Victoria decided to pull the plug on the group activities. Honestly, one of reasons that they flopped was that they spent too much time on it and in pop world that’s a mistake. Fans have moved on to Britney, Xtina, BSB and *NSYNC by then. Had they released it by November 1999, the outcome may have been very different. And we might not be blaming on Forever’s change of direction now.

And Spiceworld probably could have sold more (like maybe a million more) had they released Viva Forever as the final single like the rest of the world. But they didn’t. I think the US Virgin team f***ed their reputation up a lot in America. They could have been known as this incredible band with a classic like Viva Forever (that even the people who hate them have to admit that it’s an amazing song).

I remember it was actually referred as a disappointment since Spice was doing so well at the point. But Spice up your life was doing poorly on the radios (they were started to be snubbed because of over-saturation thing by then) since it debuted so low at 32 before climbing to top 20 solely on single sale. The album started doing better when they started to go to the US to promote it. I don’t know why they felt to release the album at the same time around the world since they could have added Mama or WDYTA as the final single for Spice and kept Spiceworld to be released around the movie was dropping in the US (late January 1998 I think?). I feel that was a mistake on them and the US Virgin team.

Oh yeah tax since they spent a year outside the UK to avoid it too

I think by Dec 1999, they decided to scrape all their pop tracks and handed over the producer tasks to Rodney Jerkins. At that point, they weren’t sure which direction they wanted to pursue and was convinced by someone at the label to go with the American sound. So they only had five tracks (3 with Rodney and 2 Jam/ Lewis) by then. They already had done 5 tracks with Matt/ Rowe and 4 tracks with Eiliot Kennedy by that point. They could have released an album by them but Mel C was focused on promoting her solo album by then. Suck cuz they could have at least gone for a forth Xmas number one in 1999 and probably still could have achieved it then.

Yeah I’m sensing Emm is not saying much because she wants to sell her shows (because otherwise people will just save money and see the spice girls instead) so that’s why she’s been so coy about it

Emma said when she was interviewed on her opinion on Look At Me video and she said that she couldn’t watch it because Geri was trying to break the band when she left. I think that’s probably how the girls felt at the time.

Geri wrote in her book that she told the girls way early (March or April) that she was gonna leave after Wembley but I think it just took the turn for the worst for her. The other four girls were planning to continue as a band and also do solo so they grew closer and Geri was kinda left out on her own by then. In which, I think it just led to her leaving earlier than she planned because it became too awkward for her to continue. Of course, she left without telling the girls and I think they decided to continue because otherwise to prove that they can continue without her and also that they could fulfill all the obligations they signed up for (to avoid potential lawsuits - they still got sued by Aprilla in the end when Geri admitted that she told the girls her intention beforehand).

I’m glad I went to SW19 stadium shows because I knew one could never expect them to do it ever again.

Just give us “WOMAN” and call it a day. I’m bored of these girls.

Yeah I think at the end of the day, the team who handles the girls at Universal did not care for our girls. When SW19 was happening, they just dropped a picture disc vinyl and that’s it. They didn’t even capitalize on it. With Spice25, The logo and the scanned pictures were not up to standard, but at least it seemed the tracklist itself was agreed by the girls themselves (even we don’t like it we can respect it). This time around, they dropped the ball on everything, the tracklist, the art from fans’ scanned work (not getting or paying directly the original photographers’ work) and the ripped live tracks from YouTube quality. They would have definitely sold more if they released the vinyl in five individual covers again because at the end of the day that’s what collectors collect.

Anyway so happy to seem at least four of them together again. Makes me happy like a little boy all over again.

Do we think they made a pact to never appear as five until they actually do (for an announcement)? So weird, we keep missing one or two in these big events. I mean obviously not everyone can attend but they really never sync up all five, do they?

I thought they were listening to some fans suggestion this time but clearly they just used them and did the bare minimum. Really they ought to fire the team who oversaw Spiceworld25. It didn’t even get same care or treatment like Spice25. How could they drop the ball like this?

Just incredibly stupid and a missed opportunity per usual with them. It pissed me off that they didn’t continue the tradition of individual vinyl covers. Guess the Spice25 has plenty left in store so they decided not to do it.

She won’t ban the questions because they bring interest to her brand

They could have dropped the album by November 1999 and I think they would have still achieved some success. Forever - Nov 1999 Right Back At Ya (Pop version) Give You What You Want A Day In Your Life Pain Proof W.O.M.A.N. Holler Weekend Love If You Wanna Have Some Fun Oxygen Goodbye 1st Single - Oct 1999 Right Back At Ya 2nd Single - Xmas 1999 A Day In Your Life/ W.O.M.A.N. 3rd Single - March 2000 (Around Brits 2000) Holler 4th Single - June 2000 If You Wanna Have Some Fun (New Remix)/ Let Love Lead The Way Forever (re-release with new bonus tracks) - July 2000 Right Back At Ya (Pop version) Give You What You Want A Day In Your Life Pain Proof W.O.M.A.N. Holler Weekend Love If You Wanna Have Some Fun Oxygen Goodbye *New Tracks* Disc 2 If You Wanna Have Some Fun (New Remix) Tell Me Why Let Love Lead The Way Get Down With Me Wasting My Time Time Goes By Right Back At Ya (New Darkchild Remix) Holler (Xmas Live) Woman (Xmas Live) Right Back At Ya (Xmas Live) Goodbye (Xmas Live)

Interesting. Goodbye was released as an EP in Southeast Asia (they combined both CD track lists into one CD).

I mean is she even joining Glastonbury at this point? At this point, I prefer her not to participate since she’s not even gonna tour anyway.

Victoria should have gotten one (especially during Let your head go era - that’s a classic gay campy song!)

Well, it’s not really a waste of money when they have the merch ready to be sold once the video drops (see SUYL and Step to me)

I’m guessing the lyric video for Move Over is next? Since that’s they plan to drop the live version one as well.

Maybe they gave the production issue but actually reworking the 2CD set? One can hope! Actually, since they are being delayed, why not drop the individual vinyl covers around the new release date too? Surely, that will help with the chart lol.

That video makes me so happy! Now rework the tracklist and we’ll be good!

Basically by that time I remember they kept harboring the line that they got nothing else to prove anymore so they were gonna do it their way. Showed that they still had to prove that they could do it three years later but they just couldn’t be arsed about it and too solo focused by then. It flopped spectacularly, which was a damn shame. Forever deserved better.