Piers

I can't really compare W.O.M.A.N. and Spice Up Your Life...having only heard a snippet of a demo and a live version of the former. Would it have made a better lead single than Spice Up Your Life? Probably not. As album lead singles go, Wannabe and Spice Up Your Life demand your attention. Holler was the arrival of a whole new sound. Love em or hate em, all three were designed to get people talking. I don't think W.O.M.A.N. competes with all of that. It might be a great studio recording. It may have even been single worthy. But ultimately, it was another fun disco track. Nothing wrong with that. They were great at that. But it wouldn't have been striking into new territory for them in the way their actual lead singles did.

The version they're rehearsing in that video is the Stannard/Rowe demo of the song. The rehearsals are for their 1999 Christmas tour. They were still planning to use both the pop and r'n'b tracks at that point...which is why they performed the pop version of Right Back at Ya at the concerts. I can't verify this...but there were people who claimed to be in the know on the old DenDen forum who said the Darkchild team (specifically Fred Jerkins) tried to redo W.O.M.A.N. in mid-2000. The belief was that the song just couldn't be adapted to the Darkchild style...so they scrapped it and had to record Wasting My Time to complete the album at the last minute.

I know her spontaneity's a big part of why we love her. But...I can't help but think Mel's tendency to just blurt things out could end up being damaging to the group. We have about a decade's worth of false headlines about the group...not because a tabloid made them up...but because an actual Spice Girl flat-out lied. (...not to say the tabloids haven't lied too...but...you get what I'm saying...) These are plans that require contracts, major payments, management involvement, etc. Does Mel's mouth not put a strain on the group and their team? It's not just limited to group stuff. I really wish she hadn't blurted out that Jessie J is overrated on Heart this week. Putting down another woman in music is majorly off-brand for a Spice Girl...and it's especially unfortunate when it's against someone who's always talked so positively about the Spices.

I acknowledge The Sun probably made that Vegas story up. But. Cause we're just chattin' here...I'll play along like there's a kernel of truth to it. They absolutely need to do something in the US...but not a six-week residency. Their relationship to the US audience is a fairly odd thing. They definitely own a piece of 90s nostalgia here...and Wannabe remains a staple of bachelorette party karaoke. But. They're just not known for as much in the US as many other places. They had four top ten hits in the US. Radio support (unfairly) dropped off after 2 Become 1. Songs like Stop and Goodbye...huge, iconic hits in the UK...would only be known to people who bought the physical singles, albums in the US. They didn't rule the pop music scene here nearly as long as BSB, NSYNC and Britney. All that is to say...there's a fanbase here who will absolutely go see them. I really want a few shows. But I don't think six weeks in one spot is the best course of action. Side note. I really hate how articles like this one lay out how much the girls are worth. In today's more woke times...can't we all agree that shaming people for their finances is gross?

Despite the disaster, the girls haven't really turned on the album. In addition to what Mr. X said with Emma, Mel B recently called Tell Me Why her favorite Spice song. Victoria still liked it as of the 2007/08 reunion era. I don't know if Geri's talked about Forever recently...but I do remember back in 2000/2001, she said it was a good album but that it just wasn't promoted enough. She's remained complimentary of Goodbye and Holler over the years. Anyway. For me, the sourness of the era doesn't have much to do with the album itself. As a fan, it was just hard not to be frustrated with them. They'd been talking up their big plans for album 3 for two and a half years by this point. Then...they just dump it out there with little fanfare...make some bonkers comments about how it'll eventually sell itself...and cap it off with a "we're focusing on our solo careers!" like we hadn't been waiting on this album for ages. Tag to that, Mel C was claiming the fans would like her solo album better...and generally acting like a gun was to her head for what few appearances she did make. The r'n'b sound gets blamed a lot for the album's failure...but honestly...the album could have been the second coming of Spiceworld, and it would have crashed and burned if they'd treated the release the same way. Anyway. I like the album. Always have. I get the new direction was a bit polarizing. But I'm not sure stuff like the pop version of Right Back At Ya and Pain Proof could co-exist on an album with Tell Me Why. I like all three songs...but it's a muddled direction. Had the group embraced Forever...and the album become another step in the group's continuing musical evolution, I think the world would be a lot more kind to it.

Lol. Mel performing with those drag queens reminds me of when Geri did that in 2001 or so. Don't think video of her G.A.Y. shows before the 2004 one have surfaced...but I remember pics of her performing with the queens. I seem to remember people reporting back at the time it was Who Do You Think You Are. Anyway. Back to Mel. Maybe you can chalk this up to me having lousy taste...but I love High Heels. Instantly clicked for me on first listen. I think it towers over the dancey stuff she did with Jodie Harsh. I guess this is going to stand as a controversial statement considering the fan reaction so far....but it sounds like a single to me. Regardless. Hope we get to hear the actual track soon. I love how much of a musical chameleon she is.

The thought of that has seemed so impossible for so long. But obviously, I'd love for it to happen. I just wish they'd managed to work together from 2001-2010 or so...when they still had something of a shot at producing some hits. Madonna's not wrong when she claims the business is very ageist. The girls are unfortunately past that age ceiling...where artists are allowed to nab the top of the charts. But against all odds, I think the girls' original solo work is actually fairly good even now. I'd actually love a new group album with songs on par with Baby, Please Don't Stop, Anymore and Love and Light. I don't think the three group songs from the past 12 years are an indication of what they can do together. Headlines and Voodoo are a clear attempt to recreate the sound of the 1996 Spice Girls...even though the girls and their producers had long evolved from that sound. Song For Her is only an unreleased demo...only meant for a TV show theme apparently? We really have no idea what they could do if they spent some genuine studio time together.

I'm all for the girls doing anything together...but...I really have no idea what to make of this animated film thing. I guess because...there's nothing comparable? The Beatles did animated work...but that was during their heyday. Has there ever been a group that did a big budget animated film more than 20 years past their heyday? People clearly still love the girls as a live act...but with the way most everything else has gone for 20 years, how is this not considered a serious gamble for a studio? And Paramount Animation may be a big name...but consider this. Their last three films crashed and burned with critics and didn't do especially well at the box office (with Monster Trucks being a fairly big bomb). Sonic the Hedgehog is on their schedule next...and had to be pushed back months when people freaked over the character design. As for Simon, he's a genius in certain respects...but I'm not sure why anyone would be confident in his movie producing history (...hey, From Justin to Kelly...) And does 'new music' really mean the girls teaming up to write together again? I mean. I'd love that...but...is that really what that means or are we assuming? They could have a pet manta ray who sings for all we know. Anyway. Hope the movie comes and proves me wrong. Sound issues aside, this tour looks like it's top notch. Don't want anything dragging down this new goodwill, y'know?

I mean. Of course, I'd love to have a professional recording of the show. But. I do have to ask...is it extremely common for groups that aren't current forces on the charts with new music to do concert recordings? They're a pretty strictly nostalgia act at this point. They're not even attempting to be more than that. I just figure record execs are looking to push recordings of the acts still trying to chart with new material. There's also this. It's well-known that three of the remaining four have a history of being self-conscious about their voice or their live performing ability. Granted, that varies among the members...but it's been a consistent thing with Geri throughout her career. It wouldn't surprise me if one (or more) may have reservations about a recording. It's one thing to perform for a huge stadium...and a whole other thing to have your voice isolated and be under the microscope of close-up shots. I figure there could also be less interest in recordings among many in the biz today...just because so many fans are recording the show on their phones. So many people are doing it that artists and venues have basically HAD to accept it. Why go to the effort of a professional recording when the crowd will just do it, share it and promote it for free? I'm definitely not saying it's better. But it's stunning the number of hits that terrible, shaky phone videos can get.

This. So. Look. I get that reviewing a show doesn't mean it has to be a glowing write-up. But. I really...really...hate that Guardian review. First of all, it's the third publication I've seen inaccurately claim the "boys and girls go good together" 2 Become 1 line was changed for this tour. Are they copying wrong information from each other? As for the rest...it's a pretty major stretch to imply cultural appropriation just because each girl has their own dance troupe. And to question if there was enough LGBT representation at the show?...and if their feelings toward the community were genuine? Get. Real. They were allies long before that was common for a mainstream pop group. And three albums can't sustain a show? Since when? How many acts are touring right now with just three albums under their belt?...or less? They had nine number ones. They can have a show. And though you may not like Let Love Lead the Way, if being #1 doesn't make it a hit, I'm not sure what does? Also. I caught a few typos. Just sayin'.

Out of all the Spice and Spiceworld songs, I just figure it'd be the hardest to perform live. I'm not sure Geri could replicate the sexy voice thing on stage (...seems like that's very much a studio sort of thing). And that song really depends on the sexy Geri voice. If she went out and just sort of shouted the vocals live...I'm not sure it'd go so well. Though I would've loved to hear it live at some point. Moreso than any other song of theirs, my opinion's changed the most on that one over 20+ years. It was my clear least favorite in 1997. Now? I'd probably rank it fifth or sixth on the album. It's a good one to play people who just think of Wannabe when they think Spice Girls.

^ Yeah. The vocals have been completely re-edited. The difference is night and day. So. Yeah. Have mixed feelings about her/her team doing that. I get that the big money maker for her brand is the live shows these days...and they don't want anything to harm the ticket sales. But I mostly think this will only bring her more unwanted attention. It's not exactly a secret that she didn't sound great on Like a Prayer. Does she think people will find the video on Youtube and just say "Huh. On second listen, it doesn't sound so bad at all!" ? Honestly, considering how often her real voice was hidden on the Rebel Heart Tour release, I'm surprised she went out there with such raw vocals for Like a Prayer. Did it actually go well in rehearsal? Are there people around her who would be honest if it didn't?

I thought the Future performance was pretty good. Definitely worked for me visually. Like a Prayer? There's no denying it was rough. Buuut... I'm pretty tired of jumping onto Twitter and seeing a Madonna or a Mariah Carey (both with careers that put them at living legend status) being raked over the coals for a rough performance. Oh man, do I hate that cringe-face Chrissy Teigen gif that everyone uses. Yes, I've watched Madonna and Mariah struggle to sing their old songs...a lot. But it's like there's no acknowledgement of what they've accomplished in music for decades. I think we need an understanding. Voices naturally change as artists get older. Madonna and Mariah are still performers. They shouldn't have to hang it up and stop. But songs they wrote/performed in their 20s and 30s are just going to be hard to sing now. It's unfortunate Madonna didn't get a lot of credit for being a fairly disciplined singer years ago when she was actually killing it vocally. I think Madonna needs to adjust the old songs to be in the vocal range of where she is now...and if she does that, I think the audience will need to accept that she's in her 60s and voices just change.

Real talk. If they actually performed Tell Me Why...how long until some blogger/tabloid/Youtube star makes the claim that it's a brand new diss track about Victoria...?

I get that a singer of limited vocal range going toe to toe with the Weather Girls is a bit...eyebrow raising...but Geri's cover of It's Raining Men really does do something interesting with the song. It gives it a whole different energy...and that's more than what a whole lot of hit covers do. It's Raining Men isn't my favorite single by Geri...it wouldn't even be in my top 5. But it's my favorite of her eras because of her willingness to just totally go for broke with the performances. There's an infectious enthusiasm to what she was doing then. She seemed to love every second of being out on stage. It was epic pretty much every time she performed it. But it did cast a shadow on the rest of the album. I actually think Scream and Calling were great singles. But after IRM, their performances just came off as...sleepy. The marketing wasn't as thought out and clever as IRM either. Nothing was on the same level.

Welp. Mel B's in her Scary Spice PJs...Mel C's headed off to Catholic School...Emma's going to a county fair in 1970s Alabama...and Geri's late for tea with Kate Middleton. I snark because I love. Look, as far as I'm concerned, the "we look like we showed up with no utter clue of how the others were going to dress" thing is classic Spice Girls. This is nostalgia right here...and I kinda love it.

The key problem with that new (old? discarded?) Viva Forever ending is it feels like such an afterthought. If that's the route they were going, why not create a tin fairy of the kid?...instead of...y'know...just awkwardly throwing up a still of him? This would have looked sloppy enough in 1998. Now? It's a bit surprising the girls' team would let this out there. Anyway. Unpopular opinion alert. I've never liked this video. Not when it came out. Not now. I've read the director's interpretation. Okay. Fine. But what they did has nothing...nada...zip...to do with what the song's about. The director can say it's about growing up...but it feels like it's about death and grief. At worst, this could be viewed to be about evil Spice Girl fairies luring some kid into their Rubix Cube of doom. But all that said...the thing...as wonky an idea as it may be...was at least competently made...until now...

Lol. That kinda reminds me of the If You Wanna Have Some Fun promo video...where all the old footage was recut to make it look like Geri was never there (...or at least make it look like she was never more than the back of a head). I swear Jennifer Saunders' Sugar Lump Geri gets more screen time in that than the real Geri. Anyway. Does Mel C even know it was photoshopped? I'm guessing not. But to whoever did make the pic...not in love with revising history. I'm perfectly good with the current lineup. Just give me new photos of the current four piece. Pretending Victoria wasn't there for iconic moments? No thanks.

Oh wow! What a find! I remember Mel mentioning this song in an interview in 1999. This was the only unreleased song (that we're aware of) from the Hot recording era, right? Anyway. I think it's okay. It's not a lost "single-that-should-have-been" situation. It very much sounds like a demo. But it's unique enough that I actually prefer it over something with less personality like, say, ABC 123 that did make the album. This might have slotted in after Step Inside or something. Wonder who she was working with on this one. My guess is Stannard/Biffco?

I mean. It's Geri's personal life experience...so...she's ultimately entitled to react in whatever way she sees fit. Buuut. If I were an advisor and confidant...I would have told her to just laugh it off with a "eh, we were young, and it was the 90s!" I really do believe making light of the story would take away the tabloids' power. I get that the article isn't accurate with the one-year relationship thing. But. Releasing a fairly serious statement? It lets the tabloids know this is getting to her. I think it opens the door to a whole lot more shady articles...wildly speculating that there's bitterness within the group...or that the tour's in jeopardy...etc.

I remember a bit of conversation about this in the fan forums back in 2000. Supposedly, Never Be the Same Again was sent to US radio in 2000. Fans at the time were claiming Z100 in New York was playing it...and there were a few other claims of hearing the odd play of it across the country. The problem was, the album had already been released months earlier without any attention being drummed up by a single...and failed to enter the top 200. Her US promo appearances were especially odd. She showed up here looking like a completely different person to who we saw the previous year. She sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow a time or two for some reason. I remember her doing Northern Star on Letterman...but she didn't release that song. So. Yeah. Her US prospects apparently looked too grim for Virgin to even try with NBTSA. I Turn To You actually was released as a single here...but it was in 2001...months after the song landed on the dance charts. So. That too was strangely incompetent in its handling.

I'm glad people dig Wasting My Time and Get Down With Me these days...but I'd frankly be stunned if they actually performed them on the tour. I'd venture to guess they'll only do Holler, LLLTW and Goodbye (if that counts?) from Forever. Mel B has professed her love for Tell Me Why a few times. But I figure it'd be a smidge awkward performing such a negative song...*with*...the person it's about. Singing Goodbye with Geri present is one thing. Singing Tell Me Why with her is a whole other thing...unless the song ends with a record scratch and Geri blurting out "Wait. This is about me, isn't it?"...followed by a wah wahhh. In which case...I say go for it. My guess is we're getting the #1s (and #2) alongside the best known album tracks from Spice and Spiceworld...and a few covers. I know we don't want that. But they've done covers on their three other tours. Not sure they'd stop now.

Not doing Headlines is probably the right choice. I personally like the song. But its chart placing isn't exactly the group's finest hour. I wish they'd reconsider the no solo songs idea, though. I don't think they should do anything that barely charted from the past ten years (it'd seem too self-indulgent). But there are songs from their solo history that actually made quite an impact in their time...and would play really well with the stadium treatment. Basically, anything that was a #1, I think should be up for consideration. Maybe the whole group could perform them? The four of them could certainly pull off a live It's Raining Men better than Geri alone. Anyway. I don't want the solo stuff to take over. But. Personally, I think the big solo hits would get a bigger fan reaction than, say, trotting out Something Kinda Funny again. Outside of the #1s, even When You're Gone and Look at Me would probably get the crowd going. Look At Me certainly needs redemption...after Geri's last performance of it at GAY looked like an office powerpoint presentation.

I always figured this story would officially come out someday. Jimmy Gulzar already basically said this happened ages ago. Geri also talked about the experience on Howard Stern without actually confirming who it was with. Of course, I've read some tabloid headlines claiming this is sending the reunion into a tailspin. But. Realistically. Is Geri going to care that much, really? In 2019, this seems like such a non-issue. Maybe they could have a winking nod to it in the reunion show. Have Mel and Geri dedicate 2 Become 1 to each other or something... Maybe Geri can wander over next to her and sing "girls and girls go good together". Never claimed to be subtle...

I'd love for that to be the case...but they generally seem unaware (apathetic?) to the fan obsessions. Case in point...the fans ramble in circles about a studio version of W.O.M.A.N. for what feels like a generation...and it barely seems to register with the group that they once recorded a song called W.O.M.A.N. But. Y'know. At least one of them hasn't tried to claim it's on their first album or something?