nirvanamusic

I like Cry, though I couldn't hear it on repeat. It is great live and adds a different energy and style. I think for that reason it is a good single choice and like you say returned them to the Top 40. The song was also certified Silver (200,000) despite its low peak, three years after release, so proved a hit for both parties. Aided by the live exposure given to the track over time. Not many, if any, boybands have a Drum 'n' Bass track in their catalogue.

I Found Heaven as you say remains the only Take That single to remain on the black list. It once had company there until Do What U Like was removed upon the band finally embracing it years later. For me I don't like I Found Heaven, a few of the lyrics make me cringe. A great pub quiz question with many wrong answers. People for the most part incorrectly state Could It Be Magic or Everything Changes as Robbie's first ever lead vocal on a single due to its higher recognition and the fact is wasn't shared. Personally, I would have preferred Give Good Feeling released as a single over this. I can't believe THE classic original song of theirs from the debut still hadn't been released at this point, five singles in, considering their fluctuating chart success. It could have changed their whole singles trajectory and future choices. Take That were going to do things the hard way.

Wow, just read those reviews... the question is: do they listen to the audience prior to release day or stand wholeheartedly with their creative decisions?

I agree with the above post. Those were my thoughts exactly. All the other biopics have been softened versions of reality as they are essentially hoping for a sales revival and don't want their protagonist too far removed from likeability. I had high hopes for Greatest Days -Take That feature musical- in Britain at least, but that left after two weeks in the cinemas. It is a hard one to call until the movie is out. I will admit I was excited but now I'm apprehensive. There is a long period still before it is released.

I wasn't aware but that is a long gap for a pop act between records. They definitely lost momentum with the general public somewhere within that time. I think Windows is fine as a single, but agree not as a lead. The album is good, not great, and I like the fact they once again have expanded sounds and genres. The group are in a catch 22 situation, they don't want to just produce the same song and sound for their core audience, like Westlife for example. They continue to develop and expand as a group, not just rely on a safe formula. Whether it works or not at least they have tried new avenues.

Once You've Tasted Love feels like a Pointless answer on the hit gameshow. It doesn't have the notoriety of Do What U Like, the Top 40 chart breakthrough status of Promises or the mania which followed future releases. The song is ok but feels like a song their manager may have liked in his youth as opposed to that of the young group who came more into their own identity after this point.

Completely agree with the review about New Day. The album, aside from Giants, was slim pickings. The only other songs I remember are River for its energy and title track Wonderland's instrumentation. However, I don't feel either could have pushed the album back up the charts. Wonderland has the unfortunate status as their first studio album to miss out on number one (entry at 2) since their debut in 1992 and also first to not go Platinum. The video for New Day is different and fun at least.

I think the remixed version released as a single was great for their sound and also being contemporary. I know it used to be Robbie and Howards favourite song by the group, as mentioned during the Progress era. It was a key single in broadening their audience and appeal, very East 17 with the break beats. Had they released the original version from the music video above they would have risked being type cast, plus they had released a better ballad in A Million Love Songs. I have to say the singles from Everything Changes were spot on and although I enjoy Another Crack In My Heart from the album, it wouldn't have been in favour of the diverse singles they put out for this album campaign.

I remember Take That's split and the crazy aftermath --not seen before or since-- but not How Deep Is Your Love. I always assumed Never Forget was their swansong. What also struck me to learn was how succesful this final single was worldwide. It has definitely grown on me over time and they make enough slight changes to give their version an identity. I just wish they had stuck to their original plan and released The Day After Tomorrow as the fourth single in December 1995, followed by this single the following April. It would have meant sales for Nobody Else wouldn't have been dead in the water following the split and Greatest Hits news. The Day After Tomorrow often ranks high on Take That under-rated gems lists and has a brooding vibe with fantastic vocal arrangements. It could have been a hit in the US/worldwide following Back For Good's huge success across 1995. They could have capitalised with a music video set in New York city. How Deep Is Your Love is acceptable though it would have been nice to have gone out on an original song. Unlike other boybands they weren't defined by their cover versions.

I forgot this was the last song to feature all five, which is a shame. When We Were Young has always been a non starter for me because it had already been bettered. More on that later. The song kind of plods along and never gets out of first gear. Forgotten. Having looked back over the Progressed track listing aside from Love Love, the stand out of the eight new tracks, When We Were Young makes sense to follow that up as the best option due to its thematical content to close out the Progress/Progressed chapter. A far more striking close for this reunion though was a song both fans and critics alike were crying out to become a single: Eight Letters. The sample, emotion, sentiment - written by Robbie, sang by Gary - and a perfect closer not only for this reunion chapter but their history up to that point. With a full proper release for Eight Letters and a striking music video, I believe it would rank high in Take That's overall canon. When you stand these two next to each other (both essentially occupy the same theme) it only shows When We Were Young's weaknesses in comparision.

Like the band I am confused with Do What U Like. Is it a good or bad thing? When they first came back in 2005 it was the only track omitted from both the album and video collection of Never Forget: The Ultimate Collection. The music video was also restricted from Youtube at Gary/the band/possibly Robbie's request for years. However it would appear some years later when the group finally just decided to embrace it. Though having watched the link above I didn't realise their was a non nude/mop and jelly version of the infamous music video, till now. A compromise and agreed edit clearly having been reached. It was after all designed to garner attention and thus served its purpose well. The video is still being talked about after all when other singles have faded from public attention. It is also used positively as a tool to show how far they came from Do What U Like to Back For Good - nowhere to the biggest pop single worldwide of 1995. It also inspired a great joke from the band about how they sold more records once they put their clothes back on. The song itself isn't the greatest and is ignored by myself, I always think Promises was their debut but no that was their chart breakthrough. Regarding the singles from their debut Could It Be Magic, A Million Love Songs, It Only Takes A Minute and Promises get play from myself, alongside Take That and Party and Give Good Feeling from the album. A debut album which is very patchy and dated when compared even with Everything Changes, released only a year later. Give Good Feeling I feel would have been a better single choice due to its dance house vibe. I agree with the observation about later boybands and how they would all go in at number one or at least top 10. A luxury of the tried and tested path and radio/television backing laid out by Take That for future likewise iterations. I suppose ultimately that was part of their legacy, for better or for worse. Bros and New Kids on the Block before them would also have false starts before finding huge chart success so maybe it was a harder era to consolodate/build an initial huge audience?

You are correct, first time around he had one line in Never Forget: "We've come so far and we've reached so high"

I totally agree that Reach Out would have been a better single in the UK. Coupled with a great music video it could have been a hit. I would have placed I'd Wait For Life above maybe a handful of other singles yet to come. As a single from the Beautiful World period I would have loved Wooden Boat for Jason with a proper music video. That way they would have been the only boyband to have had all members lead on a hit song (potentially speaking in this case) What a great way to show the bands talent, no driftwood in Take That. The song was a critics and fan favourite when the album was released. It would also have reaffirmed the new shared Take That principles to the wider public and given Jason his moment. I agree that I'd Wait For Life is taken under by the juggernauts that are Patience, Shine, and Rule The World in a way that Reach Out's drive and enthusiasm or Jason's first lead Wooden Boat wouldn't.

An interesting story about Love Ain't Here Anymore is that Lou Pearlman, the manager of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, heard Take That's song rewrote the lyrics and presented it to NSYNC saying he wrote it and was an early recording for them. They performed the song in Germany but the audience laughed throughout and the local record executives told them after it was a Take That song that had been released. Lance told both Gary and Robbie this story on his podcast with them. Hope the link above to I'll Be Back For More, NSYNC, works. Pearlman would also rip off British r'n'b boyband MN8's I've Got A Little Something For You and gave it to Backstreet Boys as their debut single We've Got It Goin' On the following year. Backstreet Boys other manager Johnny Wright told a member of MN8 this later after the BSB song was released.

Love Ain't Here Anymore would be in my Top 7. It is easy listening, gorgeous strings and orchestration, brilliant vocal arrangements. It has always had more plays from me over the years than Everything Changes, Babe, Why Can't I Wake Up With You and Relight My Fire from that album. Though Pray remains my favourite from 'Everything Changes' and a high favourite overall. The group seem to have disowned this and I don't understand why. Yes it halted their number 1's streak, briefly, but it was the sixth single off an album that had already sold extensively. I think they would be surprised the reaction this would get on tour with a full orchestra. Any other time it might have gone to #1, however, it was beaten by the largest selling single of 1994 in the UK (Love Is All Around, Wet Wet Wet) and the largest selling single of 1994 in the US (I Swear, All-4-One) Therefore I feel the band should put that into context. The song really showcases them as a vocal group. The US version of this they put out is awful, a slow dull dirge. I much prefer this pop version.

I agree as this is my least favourite as well. However, I do like the fact they expanded their genres and scope. As you say unique but its just not for me and forgotten. Everlasting would have been a better choice from the new songs off Odyssey.

This will be great, look forward to it.

Moving forward, for the future I would like the band to: Play shows in Africa, South America, and Canada for the first time. Las Vegas residency. (Achieving these would mean all their fans worldwide would have had a chance to see them, and it means they did everything they could to connect with their audience) A joint tour with New Kids on the Block. This has been mentioned over the years by NKOTB. A joint tour with Backstreet Boys and/or a music collaboration. This has been mentioned over the years by BSB. Have an Oscar nominated song. Rule The World was truly robbed that year of a nom and should have gone higher through the shortlist rounds and been nominated. Reintroduce their back catalogue back into the mainstream, most notably through major films. A new Christmas song to play yearly and become a staple. Continue to release new albums and promote songs. I would have said a Netflix documentary but that has been confirmed. It would be nice for them to get the footage of them on David Letterman and the Today show to remind the US audience of their hit. Plus the fact they were offered a spot on Baywatch, the biggest show in the world at the time. Thoughts?

I think they have done as well as they could at this stage. The thing I liked most was them playing places in the UK and also around the world they haven't before. I believe that is the right way to go for their future. It's just a shame they cancelled the South Africa and New Zealand shows.

When the press releases say with insights from Robbie and Jason that means archive not new. Right?

Kidz has been certified Silver status for over 200,000 sales/streams in the UK today.

I think now they have located their online audiences, work should go into upping their streaming presence. They have had multiple hits, they just need to remind people. I mean look at Backstreet Boys, they have actively forced some of their songs into continued public spheres such as use in multiple adverts, movies, tiktok challenges etc. Basically they have a huge team operating like a machine pushing them as a brand to a younger, streaming audience. A forced choice. I mean I'm conflicted because to me too much cheapens the music by becoming over exploitative in areas outside the actual song itself. It does make me cringe and reflects badly on the artist. Remember the 90s Spice Girls backlash? However, the reality is pop culture references keep songs in the public eye and to new audiences. I am amazed some of Take That's songs haven't been used more.

https://www.iq-mag.net/2024/07/this-life-on...with-take-that/ I think this is great and they should look at more territories, as their peak was pre-social media. They seem to be committed to going outside of the UK more which is fantastic and will hold them better for the future. When you look at their fellow boybands, Backstreet Boys and Westlife did some real graft touring across the world. Number of countries performed followed by continents. Backstreet Boys: 64 nations. 6/6. Robbie Williams: 54 nations. 6/6. Westlife: 47 nations. 6/6. One Direction: 34 nations. 6/6. Boyzone/Take That: 31 *By the end of the This Life tour* nations. 4/6 - 3/6. Boyz II Men: 28 nations. 6/6. New Kids On The Block: 26 nations. 5/6. Blue: 24 nations. 3/6. Five: 22 nations. 4/6. NSYNC: 13 nations. 4/6. Take That have yet to perform shows in Africa, and North & South America.

What would you like to see on a Greatest Hits Vol 2 (2006-now) from the band? Unfortunately Odyssey isn't being picked up by fans who are still choosing to purchase either Greatest Hits ('96) or Never Forget: The Ultimate Collection ('05) after their tour performances. I'm not sure about track listing placement but for me: 1.Greatest Day. 2.Patience. 3.Shine. 4.The Flood. 5.Windows. 6.Up All Night. 7.This Life. 8.Out Of Our Heads. 9.Giants. 10.Kidz. 11.Love Love. 12.Said It All. 13.You and Me. 14.Get Ready For It. 15.Cry. 16.These Days. 17.Greatest Day (Remix). 18.Hold Up A Light. 19.Rule The World. I made sure every release was represented. A standard Greatest Hits would sell more than a remix album that has been proven just by looking at the album charts. I would have loved Wooden Boat to have been released as a single and that would have featured for me. Thoughts?

Everything Changes (single) has finally gone Gold (400,000 sales) today so hopefully more of their back catalogue will reach higher certs in time. This means the song is more popular now than Relight My Fire, A Million Love Songs, Could It Be Magic, and Sure. Thoughts on reasons?