Piers

Thanks for reviewing it, Nina! Actually, my assessment of the album would be very similar to yours. And I'm glad to see you like Oxygen. After If You Wanna Have Some Fun, it's my next favorite non-single album track on Forever. I get that people get irked by the dripping noise. But. I dunno. It doesn't bother me, and I see it as a cute quirk? I hate to see Oxygen ever get lumped in with Time Goes By. To my ears, Oxygen sounds like the girls are being genuine...and Time Goes By does not. The only area my opinion would differ at all would just be in the album's two raps. I actually really don't like Mel B's rap in the album version of Right Back At Ya. I think it's clunky. Bizarrely, I really enjoy the same rap (which sounds like the exact same vocal take) on the leaked pop version of the song. Go figure. The production just makes that much difference to me. The tone of the rap's fun and spunky on the pop one...and a bit...spiteful?...on Darkchild's take. And...there's this. Brace yourself. I'm going to defend the Weekend Love rap. Yes. The shock. The horror. Shower me with your rage. But. What can I say? I like it. I remember thinking the song was a little humdrum on first listen...until that rap came along and blindsided me. I loved it. It's a burst of energy...a jolt of a surprise...in an album that doesn't have a lot of surprises after the novelty of Darkchild producing the Spice Girls wears off after the first two tracks. It's like three of the girls are trying to get rid of this guy politely...but he's not getting it...so...they have to deploy Mel B to finish the job. I think it's in character. It's weird. It's funny. I could do without the two Darkchild references in a song that doesn't really need them. But. Darkchild's gonna Darkchild. Not much we can do about that.

In terms of Holler being cut from the broadcast, I think the official reason given was trouble with the mics. But in all honesty, three of the girls sound fine to me...but Victoria's struggling. You can hardly blame her. There was that stalker who'd told her he'd be at the show. Holler was already the most challenging song for Victoria that the Spice Girls had recorded to that point. With the added stress of the situation, she was having a tough time. My guess is the Brits team agreed to leave the performance out...as acknowledgement that she'd already been put through hell with the threats. I'm pretty sure Victoria said something in her book about how this was the one night where she truly couldn't sing. As a side note, the broadcast I've seen also leaves out Victoria's part of Goodbye. I don't know if those lines actually were performed that night...and were also cut...or if they were genuinely just performing a shorter arrangement.

I've always thought a lot of the solo material *could* have been group songs. Whether that solo material is good enough for the group's standards is a whole other conversation. But could they have pulled off a lot of the solo songs? To me...they could. I think the major exceptions would be the edgier Mel B songs...and the more serious Mel C songs (which do honestly make up a lot of her discography). The group couldn't pull off, say, Why or Goin Down...though it would be hilarious to see how Victoria would handle herself on stage for the latter. I guess it depends on what you view as making a Spice Girls song. I don't think genre has to be too specific. I think the song has to have a certain air of positivity...with a strong chorus. That encompasses a lot of the solo material. I just think the songs would have to be grouped into different album eras. A 1999 pop album could contain some of the Schizophonic songs. A Forever r'n'b album could follow to include, say, Never Be The Same Again, Feels So Good, and I Wish. A guitary pop album could follow that...and lead with What Took You So Long. Quite a few of these songs are already structured like group tracks. Feels So Good, in particular, has little call and response moments (lovin you, lovin you...is the easy part) that different girls could easily slot into. Never Be The Same Again kinda does too. Mel C does the opening verses. Emma does "c'mon c'mon". Mel B does "nothin ventured, nothing gained". I'm sure Mel C would have rather croaked than give that song to the group. But would a Spice Girls track that good featuring Left Eye be a guaranteed number 1? Well, yeah. Anyway. That's a lot of "what ifs". The reality is that the pop landscape was about to get a lot more crowded in 1999...and their dominance was going to get challenged no matter what their output was. But! It is a little interesting to wonder how many more hits they could have racked up if they had the best of the solo tracks in their arsenal.

^ I really love the US poster for the film with the sequin union jack background. Was this one used for a lot of other territories too? I remember spotting it in theaters back at the time. It was so bold and eye-catching. Such an iconic design. I remember being a bit disappointed when that design wasn't carried over into the VHS release...and they went for the considerably more muted globe background. As for taglines...I don't love "You Say You Want A Revolution". I get that the film owes more than a little DNA to the Beatles' films...but still...I don't think that tagline sums up the film well. I like "They Don't Just Sing" and "Five Girls. Five Days. One Rockin' World" far better. In terms of other marketing, I remember thinking the full length trailer was super odd. It sets itself up to be a Charlie's Angels-type mission film...that somehow lands the girls in all these bizarre scenarios. From the trailer, I was expecting something along the lines of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker film. Moonwalker is more a string of musical scenes starring MJ. There's not a singular storyline that connects the whole thing. So. I was actually really surprised to catch Spice World and find...there was a far more streamlined plot than what had been advertised (and the spy mission plot just...wasn't a thing at all...?...)

Ha! Well. I tend to agree with you about mediums. It's really an old carnival trick...the way this works. But people (and very high profile ones at that) seem to believe it wholeheartedly. Besides the Spice Girls prediction, let's take the other thing he told Mel. Someone close to her died from a form of cancer...perhaps a kidney, liver, or pancreatic cancer. Here's the deal with that. Let's say for the sake argument, he really didn't know who Mel was (I don't buy that...but...just for the sake of argument...) He can tell two things immediately. She's a Black woman...and she's European. What mediums often do is a matter of regional/racial/age-related statistics. Cancer rates are disproportionately higher in Black people...so...there was a fairly good chance Mel lost someone in the family to cancer. So, why was he specific to it being a kidney, liver, or pancreatic cancer? One possibility is that smoking tends to remain more common in Europe over the US. What's a risk of smoking? Pancreatic cancer. I won't deny there's a certain skill in being able to keep up with so many statistics related to age/race/region to make this work. I just wish people viewed medium readings a bit more like magicians. There's just something ghoulish to me about someone making a fortune out of pretending to talk to people's dead relatives.

Oh my gosh. This guy. Lol. Tyler Henry. The episode with Mel B is from 2017. I remember watching when it was new. A friend of mine is a huge fan of Tyler, and she *haaates* my take on him. Ha! But. Yeah. I don't get why people believe him at all. He's a celebrity medium...who sits in front of very, very famous people and claims to not know them...while making 'readings' of things the public very widely knows. In Mel's case, he's telling her she may work with people from her past but not all of them. Well, obviously he's referring to the Spice Girls. And the fact that all members of the group weren't on board reunion hopes around that time isn't exactly...events happening behind closed doors. But we're supposed to believe him because he claims to not know Mel B? Important to note that both Mel and Tyler were in the Kardashians' orbit then. Just sayin... I think the height of it for me was when Tyler did a reading for LaToya Jackson and said a bunch of stuff about Michael's death that the world knows. This isn't an obscure event. But. Anyway. That's a whole tangent for ya there. If anyone's a Tyler fan and thinks I'm waaay off on my perception of him, just know a very good friend of mine has already raked me over the coals for knocking his ability. lol.

Lol. These tabloid headlines really are something, aren't they? Are the girls honestly horrified, mortified, and red faced by this song? The tabloids aren't even reporting the correct title... Ultimately, I'm a little lost on why there's so much pearl-clutching with this track. Yes, I'm fully aware that they're referencing a naughty word. But. I don't know. Not only are they not actually saying it, they're not even totally spelling it out? Is this really that upsetting? Yes, there were kids who bought their records, but the Spice Girls always had a bit of edge. To me, this song's not out of step with the group we see in the Say You'll Be There and Who Do You Think Are videos. But what do I know? I'm late to the party on this, but I'm finally getting a listen...and by and large, I do like the song. Personally, I prefer Feed Your Love...and I don't think Likely Stories is deserving of album placement or anything. It does get off on the wrong foot with Victoria's vocals being a bad fit for those opening lines. It needs someone bolder like Mel B. BUT. All that said, it's catchy. I like Geri's little additions here and there. Quirky. Fun. Would have made for a good b-side at some point. For me, this certainly beats Spice Invaders or just skipping a fresh b-side like Stop and Viva Forever did. Was the naughty line the only thing preventing it from inclusion somewhere? If so, was it just impossible for them to figure out another line to put there? The world of music's filled with songs that started with far edgier lyrics than the ones we know now...just ask Chic's Le Freak and Little Richard's Tutti Fruitti....

I never got to see the musical, so I can't weigh in on the Jennifer Saunders writing. But I did hear recordings of the songs...and even on that level, you could tell they were missing the point. Say what you will about Mamma Mia!...but that show does nail it in an essential way; it understands the songs are the real star. Mamma Mia! is a terrific showcase of ABBA's music. My mom saw that show. She immediately wanted ABBA Gold for Christmas. Viva Forever! didn't get that. Who Do You Think You Are is criminally brief. In the recordings I heard, the song kinda just fizzles to a close...and the audience seems unsure of whether to applaud. What should have been an obvious show stopper is fumbled. I agree with Mr. X that playing 2 Become 1 strictly for laughs is a mistake. I do think the Mama/Goodbye mashup works...but I still think it's a mistake. It's a group with basically 10 or so universally known singles. When the number's that small, I just wouldn't mash two of them into a version that the general public can't sing along to. My memory is that when the show first reached the stage, Say You'll Be There was a stripped down, piano-led version. I believe later in the show's run, it was amped up into a better version. But they should have known better than the earlier rendition. The show's version of Viva Forever is kinda pretty...but it treats the song as a non-event. I think a lot of the songs are sung by very talented people...but I don't think their hammy diva/theatrical singing style honestly suits some of the songs (Do It, for example). Meanwhile, it's Right Back At Ya that gets a genuine decent performance....but that's a song that only die-hard fans will know...and it's pretty debatable as to whether the released version is even a fan favorite. A lot of it was kinda...backwards.

I don't know for sure when the pop tracks got dumped...but I tend to think it was in the summer of 2000 because of the last minute recording session...and also because Emma was still talking about WOMAN in July of 2000. I know she famously has a bad memory...but my guess is she would know if something was or wasn't on her current album project. Other group members also said in July of 2000 that they hadn't picked the first single yet...so...I tend to think there were still some moving parts. Rodney Jerkins had already been made the album EP long before all of this...but I don't think that automatically meant nearly everything that wasn't his would be removed.

I feel it says something about the public perception of James Corden that the article/headline targets him the most. Typically, I think the article would focus on Mel listing Geri as a dickhead celeb. But Corden's not in the best space PR-wise...and so he ends up with the focus. As to the comment about Geri...I mean, look. I'm not new here. I know Mel's saying that in jest about a friend. I also know how things will often get intentionally misrepresented in articles. But. There is part of me that thinks Mel's been doing this long enough that...maybe she should realize listing Geri as a dickhead could be low hanging fruit for the press? I guess Mel's gonna Mel... Also. I'm late to the party on this, but I just watched that Special Forces TV show trailer. Fox really is just throwing every idea at the wall to see what sticks. I don't figure this has any hit potential. It's not a reality competition with people getting voted off week-to-week. Participants can quit...and the special forces team can ask them to leave. But it's not a competition in the traditional TV sense. So. What's the point of watching? Just to see Jamie Lynn Spears be miserable in training? The trailer's not even playing to the comedy of celebs doing this stuff. What a dud. I don't think this is a very good match for Mel. She's got a natural athleticism...but I can't imagine her reacting well to aggressive people giving her demands. She's barely featured in the TV trailer...and considering what good TV/a soundbite machine she is...I'm guessing she doesn't last long. At first glance, she doesn't appear to be pushing to this show on social media.

Oh, cool! I've always seen little bits and pieces of this interview, but this is the first time I've watched it all the way through. I think they claimed on several occasions they struggled to pick the first single...and it came down to Emma choosing Holler. I've always thought this was odd as with the Forever material that actually made the album...Holler is the obvious first single choice. I'd say If You Wanna Have Some Fun is also very strong. Personally, I like it almost as much. But IYWHSF isn't as indicative of the album as Holler...and Holler is also a bolder statement. What other song could they possibly be talking about? So. Here's where my theory comes in...which isn't based on much. But...could the other song they were considering to launch the era be one of the Stannard/Rowe songs?...probably one we haven't heard? I've always carried the belief that the pop tracks were dumped from the lineup much later than people generally think...namely in the summer of 2000. Why? There was an interview where one of the girls said they needed that last recording session (the one that yielded Wasting My Time) because they suddenly realized they didn't have enough to complete the album. I think that's when the pop tracks got dumped. That unheard material is Stannard/Rowe in 1999 working with their top priority group. I find it hard to believe that nothing they came up with at that time was any good. That makes me wonder if the group's big decision was actually to launch the album with a Stannard/Rowe track and include all their collaborators...or lead with Holler and only use the work of the American producers. Might be a crackpot theory. But. Anyway. Maybe? Last thought. I am the last person to criticize someone for their clothes...but...urgh. Mel C is sitting there next to Victoria Beckham of all people...while wearing a 'Trailer Trash' shirt that looks like its sold at some gas station from hell.

I feel like after 1998, the group could have gone one of two routes. They could have been like Janet Jackson; mostly working with the same collaborators over many years...and letting the artist and producers grow and change together. OR...they could have been like Madonna; entering each album era with new collaborators who help shape the image and sound of the latest reinvention. Judging by Forever...I think the group was more likely to go the Madonna route. In an ideal world where the girls maintained interest in the group, I feel the interesting thing to do...would be to let Forever be their lone Darkchild album. Then...perhaps follow that up with a Rick Nowells produced album that's a bit rock (leaning toward the strengths of the Mels)...and a bit guitary pop (for Emma). Then...maybe the next album could be a tribute to 60s girl groups...something adjacent to Emma's Free Me. Then maybe the next album could have been an outright mature dance album. Something like that. Part of the appeal of the group for me as a kid was the fact they could convincingly handle so many genres. Maybe after Spice and Spiceworld, they weren't going to cram so many flavors into one album anymore...but they could have shown their versatility through contrasting album eras. Could have made for a super cool Greatest Hits package eventually, I think.

In relation to Goodbye, the way I've interpreted Geri's comments is that she didn't actually work on/contribute to the song...but she did hear an early version of it that Biff/Matt Rowe had worked up while she was still in the group. I've always thought the group was involved in different capacities on different songs. For example, some of the girls have been open about making more contributions to Too Much than 2 Become 1. I definitely don't know this, but I'm guessing Matt and Biff had an early version of the chorus, maybe? Like...maybe the melody was coming together...but the final lyrics would come later? Actually, I always wondered if Geri's claim that she'd heard a version of the song before she left was meant as a dig at the other girls. Like she was uncovering that they weren't always involved in the creation of the songs from the ground up. There have always been rumors that the five-piece started some album #3 work in early 1998, but I'm not sure I'm convinced of that. I can believe they spent some time in studio for something...but do we *really* know that was material for a SpiceWorld follow-up? Frankly, if they did some time in studio, it should have been to come up with b-sides for Stop and Viva Forever. I wouldn't trust the story from Canadian radio. There were a ton of rumors flying around at that time.

I can't remember all the details, but I do remember that, yes, they had to pay up to Aprilia. I'm sure the remaining four girls just loved that Geri included her plans to leave in her book. Lol. If Geri left in September as planned, I guess that would have given Aprilia a few more months to run the ad. But really...the company could have still sued the group for knowingly taking their payday with a member openly planning to leave. Ultimately, they just shouldn't have taken the deal...but to hear Mel C tell it, Geri had left before. And, well. Maybe they weren't taking her 100% seriously and knew how rapidly she could change her mind? That said, there's part of me that wonders why Aprilia didn't just run the ad anyway. Geri's image remained on the merchandise they were selling, in the Viva Forever video, and the Playstation game well into 1998. Was the ad really useless? Last thought. I love that they thew Emma up on the stand. It does make me wonder if they used her because she'd be most sympathetic to the court? Lol. I do remember pictures of Victoria heading to court as well, actually. Don't remember if the Mels went at all. In all seriousness, I imagine Emma was just told to say "I don't remember"...cause...frankly...what other defense could they use?

Interesting behind-the-scenes vid. It actually does clear up the storyline of the commercial for me a bit...as I've always thought the finished 30-second product was just an explosion of weird. So. About the actual Aprilia ad. It actually did make it onto TV, right? The only version of it I've ever seen looks like it was recorded onto VHS...and has an MTV watermark on it. Was it shown on TV quite a bit? When I saw the four-piece group on the tour in 1998, they actually did run an Aprilia commercial several times before the show. It's been more than 24 years...so...my memory's not perfect on this...but I think it was a revised version with close-up shots of a few of the girls (not Geri)...a quick pan across them on the scooters...and then the Aprilia logo. The plot line with the pepper bar (?) and scooter riding vampire dudes (??) wasn't part of it. I also remember Aprilia scooters being the center piece of their first press appearances on the US leg of the tour.

I just relistened to the song/rewatched the video for the first time in ages. Yeah, I've never loved it...and it's never grown on me. It's...fine? I hate to say this, but I actually think the song would be better without the girls on it. I don't know the genesis of the song, but I'm guessing their vocals were a late addition. To me, their voices sound tacked on. I'll give it this, though. It towers over the version of It's Only Rock N Roll they're featured on...a recording that defines the notion of "this is meant to be bought, not listened to." It's striking to me that the group's vocals probably sound the most awkward on these two songs than on anything else they did. I don't know if that's a matter of people outside of their normal team of producers not totally knowing how to create the group sound...or if they're just *that* mismatched to the songs they're recording...

I'd actually go out on a limb and say I think Darkchild was as good to the girls as any other artist. Maybe better. Yes, around that same time, he gave brilliant singles to Destiny's Child with Say My Name...to Jennifer Lopez with If You Had My Love...and to Toni Braxton with He Wasn't Man Enough (probably my favorite of his tracks). But. To me, what's key is that the other hit singles off of those albums weren't by Darkchild. Those artists got their hit from him and moved on to other collaborators. It was pretty regular for him to give one song to an artist per album. He thrived as a singles creator, not an album executive producer. To me, his work with the Spices actually towers over what he gave Whitney Houston, Britney, and (perhaps surprisingly) Michael Jackson. I definitely think Holler's a stronger comeback single than MJ's You Rock My World (a song I basically like...but it didn't have the oomph needed for a return of that magnitude). And if you think Forever sounds too same-y...listen to the other Darkchild material off MJ's Invincible album. The fact he gave the girls one brilliant single in Holler...another potential single in Tell Me Why...and a few more pretty good songs on one album...seems to actually be more than what he was giving others. And he always seemed to be genuinely proud of the work...talking about his hopes for a Grammy nomination even after the album tanked.

Actually, I don't disagree with anything said in the article, per se. But I do think it leaves out the main reasons for the album's failure...as have most retrospectives. Everyone talks about Geri's departure and switching the sound/producers as the reasons the whole project bombed...but articles rarely (never?) address the group barely promoting Forever and Virgin mishandling everything on top of that. I'm from the US so I can really only speak from the perspective here. People flat-out didn't know this album happened. The general public still doesn't know it happened. There were fans from 97/98 who didn't know this album happened (most of them that I know are like this...). How much can you blame the shift to r'n'b when the project was barely acknowledged by its creators and then promptly abandoned? So. With the article...I don't disagree with the perspectives it brings...but I do disagree with the headline. "Spice Girls Looked to 'Forever' to Extend Pop Dominance" Yeah, no. They didn't. At all. If I were writing something like this, I'd go with a headline like..."They Were A Pop Phenom Working With the World's Biggest Hitmakers: How Did the Spice Girls' Forever Fail?" And then I'd go into the behind-the-scenes stuff that actually sank the whole thing. And maybe that angle's too in-the-weeds for public consumption? It's easier to blame the simpler stuff.

There's part of me that thinks they just fuel these reunion tour rumors...cause various shows/outlets will be more likely to book them when it's time to push a solo project. Interviewers will entertain you coming on with your book or whatever...so long as you get the audience riled up with reunion talk (...whether there's much intention to actually do it or not). Wasn't that kind of the strategy in 2001? Make it sound like there are Spice things on the horizon...to help sell the solo projects? I'll never forget Mel B claiming they might continue releasing Forever singles in 2002. (?!) I don't know. It might not be that bleak. I also find it rather likely that three of them would legitimately get back on stage...but Geri's the holdout. She clearly wasn't completely comfortable up there at times in 2019. Who knows what the situation is now. Her confidence for performing seems to have taken a lot of hits.

In 2007, I honestly did think Stop was an unusual choice for US TV. The song managed to chart in the top 20 in the US...but I assume that's from single sales. I never heard it on the radio. Not once. The only time I saw the video ever on US TV was in the MTV Wannabe A Spice Girl karaoke contest...and even then, they only played about half the video. The fans would know the song, of course, but the general public wouldn't. I love that the song has become so popular streaming over the years. I'd kinda wonder how much US listeners contribute to that. If it does well with them, it certainly happened organically...cause that song certainly got no help from the traditional channels. Anyway. As for the performance itself, I actually do really love the USO show theme. All five of them look beautiful. The routine looks sharp. Obviously, the lip syncing was a big mistake...especially since the performance was pushing forward to a live tour. All five of them were quite capable of handling that song. A lot of fans made excuses for them at the time...saying they didn't have proper time to rehearse. Well. Uh. You get a chance to go on national television...you better rehearse? Anyone else remember this rumor? There were claims at the time that an act had to drop out of the VS Fashion Show, and they nearly replaced them with Geri doing It's Raining Men. Beats me how true that is. The claim was that IRM was the only other number from the show that was rehearsed enough to be performed already...which actually does sound plausible enough...as Geri's rehearsals happened before the other girls.

While I like Forever, I figure the Stannard/Rowe tracks would very likely be stronger than a lot of the Darkchild material...just because the girls would have been a higher priority for Stannard/Rowe. The Darkchild team's 1999/2000 work schedule was insane. The call must have been like..."Hey, Rodney, I know you just got done producing for Destiny's Child and Jennifer Lopez...and you're in the middle of working with Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, George Michael, the Backstreet Boys, and Toni Braxton...and Michael Jackson is wanting to record 300 new tracks with you or whatever...buuut...can you also executive produce a new album by a group that's showing signs they're about to split up?" I don't know all the behind-the-scenes details of this...but the girls lost their US radio support with the Spiceworld singles. I kinda wondered if Virgin Records was pushing for the Darkchild team to play to what was (at one time) their biggest sales market. I always thought the girls were a bit over enamored with working with US producers. All that said...I do think Holler and If You Wanna Have Some Fun are as strong as the group's best material...and the rest of the album (bar the unconvincing Time Goes By) is a perfectly good pop album. Last thought. If the thought was that the Elliot Kennedy Right Back At Ya sounded too young for the project...I wish it was Jam n' Lewis who'd been asked to rework the track, rather than Darkchild. I think Jam n' Lewis could have kept the song's spark...while also giving a bit of maturity. Likewise, I think they would have been ideal to do a new mix on Give You What You Want...and knowing how good they were with rock (Janet Jackson's Black Cat), they also would have done awesome with Pain Proof.

I'm glad to see Step To Me is getting this little mini-renaissance...as I've long felt I liked it a lot more than the fanbase overall. While it's becoming synonymous with the Spiceworld era now, I haven't forgotten it was actually among the original Spice album demos. Knowing the material they had to choose from for Spice...I think they were right not to pick Feed Your Love (at least not on a ten-track version of the album). However. I, personally, would have put Step To Me on the album. It's punchy and immediately catchy. I actually think it's pretty surprising they sat on the song as long as they did. Not only did it not make the album cut...but it wasn't a B-side either. Granted, I don't know the full story with Step To Me. The girls were apparently already in negotiations with Pepsi in the fall of 1996. I guess it's possible they decided even back then they'd set that one song aside for a Pepsi campaign.

As far as the UK charts go...I usually found the doom and gloom around their placings to be odd. I live in the US. I guess I just don't get it. In 2001, Britney Spears released the Britney album. The singles off that got to #27 (I'm a Slave 4 U) and #86 (Overprotected) in the US charts. The further singles off the album didn't make the top 100 at all. I flat-out don't remember if there were many articles written about this at the time...but I can tell you from being a teen during that era, there wasn't a feeling that her career was over. (I'll add...it's important to note the album itself hit #1...and perhaps that's all that mattered) Anyway. I say all of that because I remember when the Scream If You Wanna Go Faster single landed at #8 in the UK. My immediate thought was just...oh, cool. Geri got another top ten single. But the fans in the forums were acting like this was a total disaster. I didn't understand at all. Why was that so bad? Wouldn't there have been, like, nine Spice-related singles (and a whopping four albums and a re-issue of Northern Star) released in the year before the Scream single? Were people just expecting the Spices to be at #1 for half the year?

Yeah, it honestly should have. We can all debate another few decades on whether the change in music direction and level of Darkchild involvement was a good idea. But looking past all of that...they did have a strong single and video with Holler. There was obvious commercial potential. Furthermore, that change in sound/image...along with it being their first album as a four piece...should have been obvious stuff to drum up interest and be the pegs of interviews. The girls shoulder the most blame, but (and sorry to harp on this again) shouldn't the record company share some fault for allowing the album to come out weeks before the video premiere on MTV? Did Virgin Records not have any agency in how anything went down? The girls should have still been a priority act for them. What I remember is the Holler video came out during a new music week campaign on MTV...so I'm guessing there was some contractual agreement that Holler be included. But that also meant Forever showed up in stores without any sort of push. After it'd already bombed so badly, why would MTV put any extra effort into supporting the album? The months leading up to the album had been rough. The girls had already been a subject of some Where Are They Now program (think that was on VH1?) Far worse was their mention in the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards where they were included in an In Memoriam segment...where the hosts cried over a montage of 'acts that we've lost' that included MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice...and the Spice Girls.

As a fan in the US, it's unquestionably...Forever landing at #39. I realize all the signs were there...but it was still shocking. Geri and Melanie C's albums had already bombed, but I chalked that up to the fact that (at that time) the girls were famous as a unit far more than as individuals. "Geri Halliwell" and "Melanie C" may not have carried that much commercial weight, but certainly "Spice Girls" did. I'd noticed how weird the promotion strategy was. Only Emma and Victoria were here doing interviews...but their appearances seemed so random (the disastrous Daily Show interview). And they were going to debut the Holler video a few weeks AFTER the album release? ...uh. The hope I had for the whole thing was basically carried by all the rumors about an upcoming rigorous promotional schedule featuring the whole group. Spice sites had (made-up) dates for when they were going on shows like Saturday Night Live. When it became clear none of that was happening, it seemed inexplicable that they'd go to the effort of recruiting American producers and then completely neglect the market. Plus, having lived through the continued Spice mania of the tour in 1998...how could that fandom already be gone two years later? Last thought. The three year gap between Spiceworld and Forever here may have been disastrous for them...but honestly, it's not that long. Lizzo just released an album after three years...and it's like she never left. She's still killing it. I kinda see 1999 as a uniquely important year for the direction of music in the US (and perhaps everywhere). A lot of names with true longevity suddenly rose to prominence that year...and it seemed like if you weren't active as an artist in pop that year, you were out.