Piers

I'd be really curious to know the behind-the-scenes discussions about the future of Forever. Obviously, Emma was really vocal about liking IYWHSF. Mel B even claimed at the time that Weekend Love was her favorite off the album. I remember the old Worldpop site had an article in 2001 claiming Victoria was pushing for a release of Oxygen (though...there was so much fake stuff floating around at that time, I'm not sure of the validity of this one). But ultimately, I think the only time any of them explicitly suggested a further Forever single was Mel C with Time Goes By. To her credit, she didn't back off of it. She continued to compliment the song years later during her Reason promo. Anyway. I guess someone within Virgin had to have had the conversation about Tell Me Why being next...since remixes were created (and fairly strong remixes, at that). What's kinda interesting in retrospect is that what should have been an obvious tabloid talker in 2000 was just about completely missed; Is Tell Me Why about Geri? Instead, all the focus was on the Westlife chart battle and Mel C throwing daggers at half the names in pop. I remember the really popular rumor that Tell Me Why was getting an animated video because the group didn't want to be overexposed. Which. Being overexposed was the least of the group's worries at that moment. Of course, I'm not sure the animated video thing was ever really true, but I consider it plausible. It could have possibly been leaked out by Virgin PR as they tried to sell an album by a group who couldn't be bribed to be in the same room together at that point.

Yeah. I remember Mel C being really supportive of Time Goes By. Her opinions during the Forever era were a really odd thing, though. She was throwing her support behind a Time Goes By release...when she otherwise didn't want to have anything to do with the group. Meanwhile, it wasn't long before she was publicly stating that she didn't like If You Wanna Have Some Fun. After Goodbye and Holler, IYWHSF is easily my next favorite of the album. Meanwhile, Time Goes By is the only album track they did that I don't like (didn't like it on release...and it's never grown on me after 20 years). Furthermore, I actually think it's the least flattering Mel C's ever sounded on one of the group's album tracks. Her verses are fine. But her ad-libs over the chorus (a-uh-aaand I knoooow!)...just strike me as trying too hard. Not my taste. But. Keeping in mind, in that era, Mel was also sacrificing time that could have been spent promoting Holler/Forever...promoting If That Were Me instead. And that, IMO, was easily the weakest track of Northern Star. So. Yeah. She had some interesting opinions.

I love how this video starts with Geri being stunned that a butterfly is real...inside a butterfly farm. Dear... Anyway. I'm glad Without Love has finally shown up. It's probably in my top three of her recent unreleased songs. It's a gorgeous song and, I think...maybe even my favorite of her solo ballads? This version in the video definitely has some different lyrics to the version we know from the leak. I like this second song too...and I'm glad to hear a newer song be upbeat and fun. She has a tendency to lean toward the introspective songs now. I'm glad to see the occasional little flash of the old Geri now and then. I still have no idea what to make of this YouTube page, but I honestly do think she has a strong set of songs she's teasing (...which will likely remain as teases...)

Any of their lyrics ever left you a little confused? Thought I'd start a topic for us to discuss a few songs. I figure a lot of their songs are just straight-up fun, so I'm not looking for much depth in, say, Spice Up Your Life. But other songs...I do think they're out to say something...I just don't totally follow it. Probably my #1 case is Northern Star. I know the song is overall about navigating fame, but the meaning of the verses lose me a bit. Wanted to see what you all think. "They tried to catch a falling star..." I've always taken the opening lines to be about a celeb who cracked to the pressures of fame. "If all the history is true, she's gonna end up just like you. You made it to the other side..." So. Is the implication here that the celeb who cracked will eventually stabilize...just like the unknown celeb (?) that Mel is apparently singing to? (as a side note, Mel C recently shot down the rumor this song is about a conversation with Mel B) "But tell me who will be my guide?" At this point to me, Mel sounds like she's seeking the mentorship of the unknown celeb. However, the following lines seem to reverse the roles. Mel is suddenly the mentor starting with "they build you up" and in the chorus...giving advice about surviving fame, rather than being the person seeking mentorship. Is she singing from the perspective of the unknown celeb? Is the song a conversation between two people? Two different narrators? Also. The second verse after the first chorus confuses things for me a bit more...as it's suddenly about love between two people rather than strictly about navigating fame. Anyway. Thoughts on it? Like I said, I get the overall message about fame. I'm just lost on the meaning of verses. Any other interpretations? Any songs you've always wanted to clear up?

I thought that was odd too. Also odd she'd choose to reuse one of the only of her new songs that we have through a legitimate means...and not a leak. Maybe she'll reuse a few songs and just cut out/talk over different parts of it this time? I do wish it were a new song every week just because she hasn't done a showcase of a few of her stronger unreleased tracks...namely Without Love, Deep Down, Back in Business (if she didn't throw that in the trash heap), and Phenomenal Woman. I feel Phenomenal Woman may be too lively for the rather subdued Geri of this YouTube page. But it'd be wonderfully bonkers if she'd do that song over video of an elephant. Anyway. This week's video. It's fine. Some of the these remind me a lot of little lifestyle shows I see on local TV stations. The host goes on a series of adventures and might cook something or visit an animal or whatever. Those shows are typically just showcases for their sponsors, though...and I'm not sure who watches them...outside of...y'know...nursing homes. Her numbers have really dropped. Starting out with 120K views...and now at around 2K. I feel she might liven things up if she were to do the same kinds of live fan Q and As that Melanie C does.

I guess part of the fun for these celebs is seeing if they can disguise themselves from the judges. But. Honestly, I wish she'd just come strutting out...sang in her comfort zone...and maybe slayed some 80s rock song or something. I don't think she sounded bad or anything, per se. Probably starting with her being miscast in Rent, I've felt like every time she's sung on her own, it's been uncomfortably out of her range. I feel this way about Rent, LA State of Mind, the times she sang on It's a Scary Life, For Once in My Life (though I like the song), some of the Chicago recordings I've heard, and now this. In the past 20 years, I think she's only truly shined as the amazing performer on stage she is...when she was with the Spice Girls...ROTSG tour, Olympics, 2019 tour. Anyway. Like I said, I don't think she was bad here or anything. I didn't watch this full episode, but I do think she would've gone home first week doing this on the US version. It's less about having an amazing voice on this show than it is coming to entertain. This was too subdued, and I don't think her showing some moves would have given away who she is. But. Credit where it's due. She DID sing live...and I'm convinced most of the acts on the US version are performing to a recording.

And now Geri's bonding with an elephant. Naturally.

If I'm being honest, I think Today's lucky to have charted as well as it did. The song's fine, and the horns toward the end are cute...but it's just not a commercial song by design. Did anybody play the music video in the UK? Cause...the video, I really can't defend. I get that it's a low-budget affair. But. My world is surrounded by videographers...and...the Today video is really, really bad. She wouldn't have to spend a ton to get something far better. The awkward editing...the weird plant in front of her face at one point...it's just...not good. Anyway. Looking at the album as a whole, In Too Deep is really pretty and is my clear favorite of the album. I wish she'd sprung some money to get some decent producers. I get she'd have to go lower profile than her team on Hot. With the right producer, I actually think Bad, Bad Girl could be quite a bop...giving it the proper 80s-throwback treatment. "He said he'd leeeeeave" has the makings of a solid pop chorus...but it's sunk under the album's really tacky production and unflattering vocals. Likewise, I cringe at the opening of Music of the Night...sounding like music being sold in a tourist trap gift shop. It's a weird thought looking back...this album came not even nine years after Wannabe. Just over four years after Feels So Good sold rather well. I wish some legit label had still been willing to take a chance on her. The production on this doesn't sound like someone who was still on board big hits just a few years before...

So. I know everything we're saying in here is total speculation...but...I actually would rather like it if she'd do The Masked Singer in the US. I realize she's pretty unlikely to travel over here during COVID. But. In the event life somewhat returns to normal in the next year, I'd love it if she did it. The show's a huge hit here. Massive audience. And honestly, I think Mel C easily has the smallest profile of the five girls in the US. In the Spices' big US heyday of 1997/1998, I always felt their fame was very much as a group...and a lot less so as individual members. I actually think Victoria and Mel B became better known as individuals here starting with their 2007 projects...than they were in the 90s. Emma's done a few things on US TV. I guess Geri has some residual fame from being the one who left. Mel C's done comparatively little to be known individually in the US. Granted, there are some drawbacks. I'm sure some contestants are having to swallow their pride. Living legend Patti LaBelle only came in 8th in her season...with the people beating her including a basketball player. I also cringe at the memory of the judge panel speculating that an alien definitely wasn't a singer...and then it turned out to be LaToya Jackson. But if Mel can really go in there and crush it, would be nice to see her trending here for a bit.

Honestly, I've never understood why people didn't like it so much. I think the reviews of the time were so needlessly nasty that it somewhat tainted the perception. Yahoo's review called her a bronchial sea lion. As per usual with solo Spices, the write-ups made it sound like the music was shockingly inept..without showing much evidence they actually listened to the album at all. My thoughts? I think Love Never Loved Me is the best thing she ever did solo. I like it even better than the similar Sorry by Madonna...which would land at #1 a few months after Passion was released. I think the title track is the best Geri ever sounded...and is a better, more flattering showcase for her voice than Mel B or Victoria ever got to have in their solo careers. After that, I think Feel the Fear and Let Me Love You More are very strong...and Ride It is extremely likable. I even think Superstar (which seems to be universally disliked by everyone except for...me?) has a classic pop chorus. There's a little fluff (Surrender Your Groove), but I don't think any of it's bad. I'll defend the album, but there are things about the era that I don't love. The Ride It video and performances were amateur-hour. Most of her previous singles honestly did have well-thought out campaigns...especially Look At Me and It's Raining Men. But Ride It was content to have people just doing silly choreography in bargain bin afro wigs. Her GAY performance of Ride It, in particular, was a mess...with her spending half of it fiddling with a microphone that wasn't even on anyway. Desire's video fared a little better...but it was a pretty weird decision to base it off Catwoman...which had been the previous year's biggest critical and commercial flop. So. Yeah. The music I like, but the others elements weren't clicking.

This week's video is nice. She's delivering presents to frontline healthcare workers who are treating COVID patients. Two thoughts. Firstly...a little unusual she's driving around in a Rainbow Woman van. The logo's nice enough and everything...but. Why does it need a van? I guess it'd make more sense to me if Rainbow Woman was some clothing brand (that's what the logo looks like to me). But as a logo just promoting a YouTube page? Well. Okay. Maybe her crew carries their equipment around in it? Secondly, I got kinda hung up on wanting to know what she was delivering to everybody. All we ever see are their wrapped packages she's dropping off. So. It's kinda like...what did you get everyone? Why, "presents"! Um. Oh. The video's nice enough, though. I like it better than the skiing video from last week. My initial thought about the series was that it'd be about Geri challenging herself with new things. But I've come to realize she's actually just doing a showcase of existing hobbies. And some of that (the skiing) can come off a bit mundane. But. Look. Giving the spotlight to frontline healthcare workers is always a positive. Seems like I Got A Name will be the song of the week.

And yes, I have fond memories of the girls tied to Christmases as well. They didn't explode in America until 1997, but I remember listening to their first two albums that Christmas...blaring Goodbye/Sisters/We Are Family as I unwrapped presents in 1998...and even playing Northern Star a lot in Christmas 1999 (the song's always sounded very wintry to me). I honestly don't love the Christmas songs they recorded as a group. The talking parts of Sleigh Ride sound like they were recorded in a bathroom or something. The version without them talking is a little better...but it's not an especially interesting take on the song. With Christmas Wrapping, I like the production...but I just think the song is awkward...like it's got too many words. I heard the girls' version before the original. I figured it was something they cranked out quickly...and was really surprised to learn it's a cover. I also think it'd be better with the full group ("oh DAMN, guess what I forgot?" should be a Mel B line). I realize Mel B and Victoria were pregnant...but they were still doing quite a lot of promo as a four piece after Christmas Wrapping was recorded. A studio session would have been less effort than all that. Actually, the 1999 live Christmas medley was the time I think they performed the right material for them. It's loud. Fun. Quirky. Those songs fit them perfectly. Granted, the audio's not perfect, some vocals sound like they're turned too low, and Mel B flat-out forgets the words. But had they really nailed it, I wish that live recording could have lived on as a staple of Christmas-time radio.

I've had this thought too. They did kinda sorta have a song out near Christmas 1999...with that Artists for Children's Promise cover of It's Only Rock n' Roll. It was out a week earlier than the big push for the Christmas #1...but considering the level of talent rounded up for that thing, they might have expected it to have some staying power on the charts (it didn't). Side note. Just listened to it again for the first time in ages. I'm glad it was for a good cause...but that version is unlistenable chaos. Also weird to know there's a video out there that features both the Spices and Kid Rock so prominently. I used to see Kid out eating french fries quite a lot. Anyway. Is there a song we think should have been their attempt at a Christmas number one? The ballads that were recorded in the fall of 1999 were Let Love Lead The Way, Oxygen, and A Day In Your Life. One of those? I have wondered if any of them were created with the thought of a possible Christmas release. Certainly this crossed someone's mind. A Day In Your Life, in particular, sounds a bit to me like an attempt at that. I've thought they may have skipped it...not wanting to release a track so close to the charity track where they're featured. Might not be a good look? Taking on Westlife might not have been easy for them either.

This one's actually my favorite of the videos so far. I've felt all along that Geri needed other personalities to bounce off of...and this video proves it. The interactions with Bluebell and Monte sell this video better than the ones that have come before. Bluebell should be in all of these (...and I'd add her mom too). Before this video, I never totally grasped the significance of Geri's past eating disorders...contrasted with her interest in baking today. It's an interesting personal journey. I wouldn't have expected a video about baking to be more interesting than climbing a mountain or driving a tank...but here we are. I'll complain less about the lyric video this time. Of course, Hallelujah is one we've heard before, but unlike the Man on the Mountain tracks, I've never considered it a leak. Her co-writer/producer uploaded the song to Youtube years ago with Geri's approval...so this one's always felt more legitimate. And I've always liked the song too. I wonder why they decided to move the lyric videos to Sunday rather than Tuesday....

To my ears, all of their solo albums had songs worthy of being hits up until LA State of Mind (...which just isn't a commercial album by design). There may be other artists who got attacked by UK publications about as much. I'm guessing people like Michael Jackson and Madonna probably did. But. I do quite seriously think no other artists in history were analyzed so much for their chart performances as the Spices. I was looking through the old Spicenews archives the other day...and it's bizarre reading articles from late 2000. They claim that solo success has alluded Emma and Victoria...when both of them had #2 singles by that point. Victoria's was even the 21st best selling single of the year in the UK. And yet...it was still a disaster? What other artist has been held to this standard? You look at the chart placings for major pop acts that followed; Girls Aloud, One Direction, Little Mix. They, of course, had big hits...but their chartings are kinda all over the place. One single does well. One does less well. It continues. A song charting outside the top ten doesn't spell near-certain doom for a career in the way it did for the solo Spices in the early days. Anyway. All that is to say there was a bit of an uncommon harshness in the write-ups for the Spices' music that, I think, inevitably impacted their longterm music careers.

Oh wow. I haven't heard this before either. I like the remix...and it's a reminder this was a really good song that was pretty open to interpretations. I'm not opposed to a rap on this remix, though I don't love the lyrics of this one. It kinda follows Sophisticated Lady, Pack Your Shit, and ABC123 as songs by major producers...with a no-name featured on it. As for I've Got My Eye On You...what we've heard is definitely a demo, but I do like it. It has that Scary Spice vibe of several of her early solo recordings. I wish she'd kept it as its so clearly a Mel B song...unlike more generic "this could be by anybody" stuff like Hell No and ABC123. It seems Hot went on a fairly similar trajectory to Forever. Both times, she worked with the group's original collaborators...only to dump the material in favor of American producers...though the Darkchild team still produced one song written from the British sessions (Lullaby for Hot...Right Back At Ya for Forever)

I think part of the issue with their early solo works' perception is the total beating they took at the hands of British music publication reviews. And those reviews honestly weren't rational. NME's review of Northern Star suggested someone should just shoot Melanie C to death...and that no court would try them of the crime because the album was so bad. Most of Victoria's reviews just accused her of being attention seeking and critique her as a media figure. There's hardly any mention of the music. And when there is a mention of the music (one review accuses A Mind Of Its Own of ripping off J Lo...huh?...), I'm not convinced the reviewer actually listened to anything. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I genuinely do think VB is a solid album for tracks 1-10 (and it loses me a bit with those last two songs). It's a perfectly likable album. Reviews of the time acting like it's an affront to the eardrums are absurd. And I never totally understood why Victoria was so hated by so many publications of the time. She was hardly outrageous. I remember the scandal over her wearing a lip ring in a Not Such An Innocent Girl performance...which seems so downright...quaint...by today's standards.

Oh. I just realized she posted her hangover today instead of Tuesday. It's Rainbow Woman. I like it. The lyrics are quite pretty. Of course, her talking all over it and cutting the song down is supremely annoying. But. I've talked about all that enough. I'll shut it. Anyone know when these newest songs came about and who she's worked with for them? I assume Traveling Light and Rainbow Woman are from some post-Hallelujah sessions? She seemed to be going a different direction with Hallelujah and Keep on Dreaming...but Traveling Light/Rainbow Woman sound to me like the kind of stuff that fits quite well with her Man on the Mountain material.

That'd make sense. It'd also explain that Mel C Can't Stay Tonight demo that leaked ages ago (...though for the life of me, I can't imagine the girls singing that chorus together and the song seems to mostly make sense as a Mel C solo..)

I thought this episode was cute...though her stepping on her kids' toys and burning the toast was pretty staged. lol. Two songs pop up this week. Both Deep Down and a new one I haven't heard yet (but sounds pretty good). I'm assuming the second one will be the new Tuesday Hangover. I do think there continues to be something of a missed opportunity in not having her family as characters. Geri's not reacting to much of anyone in these, and I think it'd be funnier if she were. Like...having her mom walking along like "Geri! Are you mad?! You're a terrible driver! You're going to drive a tank?!" And later...see Monty react in real time as his mom crushes cars under the tank wheels. Personally, I'd also ditch the forlorn piano music at the end for this one. It fit with the horse story. But here? It's crushing cars with tanks. A few of these should be straight up fun, I think. So. There's my worthless opinion for her crew.

^ Emma starts Weekend Love and Victoria starts Tell Me Why. The theory doesn't sound especially true to me either, though. I'm not going through all their b-sides and unreleased stuff. But if I were to go solely on whose voice is heard solo first on each song of album tracks...I'd guess it'd go... Emma - 8 Mel B - 7 Mel C - 9 Geri - 7 Victoria - 1 The above is pretty debatable. Mel C is technically heard first on a few songs like Say You'll Be There and Love thing (so I gave her the point)...but she doesn't have the first verse in those. I didn't give a point at all for Spice Up Your Life because the group carries it together for so long. Geri racked up several despite not even being on a third of the material. Victoria is only truly heard first in Tell Me Why. She has the first verse in Saturday Night Divas (a rarity for her), but I still clocked it for Geri just because of her solo "Saturday Night"s...but...I don't know...maybe Victoria should get that point. I think I had to be pretty bored to do this...lol.

The Grammys have always been kind of a head scratcher for me. I mean. I can generally watch a batch of movies and tell what the Oscars are going to like. A movie like, say, Wonder Woman may get glowing reviews, but everyone knows that's just not the kind of movie that gets nominated for Best Picture. The Oscars are largely predictable. In a way, the Grammys are less predictable and pretentious than the Oscars, I guess. Something fun and light and popular actually CAN get nominated at the Grammys (like Savage this year), but that makes it actually a little more confusing why certain other things get shut out. I get on a certain level that music industry insiders can recognize a level of excellence in releases that maybe I don't. But. To me? If I had to name the one song that truly summed up the year, it'd be Blinded by the Light. And it's a bit shocking to me that The Weeknd got shut out completely. And they've even recognized his work before. Anyway. It's not new. The Grammys famously shut out the Spice Girls after they conquered 1997. Madonna never won a Grammy for her music until the Ray of Light era...and that meant snubbing a whole lot of iconic stuff.

Ready for an unpopular opinion that I'd only make in the anonymity of a message board with a name that isn't really mine? Lol. It's not really one of my favorites of her videos. It's not because of its controversial nature. I just feel like it's got two distinct themes that are competing with each other. To me, everything in the church...the interaction with the statue, the choir, etc...fits perfectly with the song's theme of comparing a religious and sexual experience. But...because that aspect works so well, the second part of the video (the man wrongfully accused) doesn't get its due. I actually think the video should be more overt in showing the wrongful accusation as racism. It's kind of there...but had they really committed to the idea, I think there'd be more weight to the burning crosses showing up. So. Basically. I think the video's kind of a hat on top of a hat. I think the sex and religion stuff works. But the wrongful accusation storyline deserved its own separate video to fully explore the theme. Aaaaand I say all that knowing this is consistently ranked the best music video of all time, and therefore, I am likely 100% wrong. Lol. I adore the song and like about 70% of what the video does. As her controversial videos go, I actually like American Life and What It Feels Like For a Girl better as their focuses are more sharp.

So. With Mel C, a lot of it's targeted at Steps. Said they're not artists and musicians and don't belong in the same category as her...and thinks it's disgusting they, A1, and Westlife can get to #1. There's a lot about Geri. Doesn't like her hair. Doesn't like her music. Says she has bad breath. She goes after all the acts lip-syncing at Party in the Park (which is a bit odd...cause Victoria was lip-synching there that year). Calls Westlife a desperate band ripping off kids, and they make her sick (...these guys might deserve it, but I don't actually know if it was Mel C or Westlife who cast the first stone here). Says Girl Thing's management is ripping off the Spice Girls. Says Robbie Williams isn't any good in bed (lol) With Victoria...she talks about Geri quite a lot...but the gist is...she doesn't like her music, finds her desperate, and thinks her leaving didn't effect the group. Calls Naomi Campbell a bitch and a massive cow. Calls some TV show host (Rory McGrath?) an ugly bast*rd. Calls Robbie Williams desperate for the Rock DJ video. Calls Westlife boring. There's a bit of a spat with Sophie Ellis-Bextor...but it seems Sophie was the nastier of the two. That's what I remember off the top of my head. And that's only 2000. I thought I remembered Melanie C mostly getting nasty to other acts with the Reason era. But. There ya go. It truly was a different time. I think the Twitter era has dialed back some of the outwards feuding. It still happens, but I'm not sure people are quite so...frequently honest?

As for the George Michael song, I don't think they ever recorded that either. Supposedly, Michael's writing partner told a radio interview December Song was originally meant for the girls' Greatest Hits album...but they missed the deadline to submit it. A collab between Michael and the girls would seem like a great idea on paper, but the song seems quite wrong for the group. It's pretty overtly religious and a downer. Their Greatest Hits period is quite an odd time it seems. George Michael writes a song. Mel C's guitarist writes a song. Ne-Yo is asked to participate. But we end up with two Biffo tracks.