Good Friday to you all. Well not the easter good friday obviously. Unless i have somehow bent the fragments of time and space like that Japanese dude in Heroes. No, I just meant that it's good that it is Friday which means the weekend is here and no work. Unless you work Saturdays, in which case boo for you. After a bit of a dry patch, I had 3 Entertainment Weeklys finally find their way across the atlantic today so I was happy as a pig in muck. As they say. (Who says these things?) But i digress... I'm not sure what point my "preamble ramblings" were meant to have today, but i'm sure its all been jolly entertaining. And I got to listen to Cyndi Lauper's brilliant World Is Stone while I wrote it. And that can't be a bad thing at all...(ezarchive are now transferring servers so its back to rapidshare for a week... and the other links won't work. If you want a song where the link doesn't work, email me and i'll see what i can do!)
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THE SHOULD'VE BEENS (an occasional feature...):
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You know, the late 90s and early 00s were great for some cheesy pop. In fact, rather mortifyingly, Darren and I used to practice Steps dance moves while we were getting ready to go out on a saturday night (don't forget this was pre Doctor Who/Robin Hood on tv!). I'd like to say we were drunk, but tragically we weren't. Though we were very proficient at Deeper Shade.. and Summer of Love. At a push we can still remember the routines down "pat" now. Those were the days my friend. We thought they'd never end. But they did end and for some reason that is why the magnificent Pop were not bigger than they were. There were two cute boys. Two girls who handled most the vocals. Catchy pop tunes. The odd ballad. A brilliant hi-nrg cover of a disco classic. It was a cake baked to pop perfection. But times had moved on. The "kids" were all about boys with guitars or girls doing electro clash. The world had turned its hard cruel shoulder away from Pop and they soon disbanded. Boo! I still mourn them to this day. So here is a brief reminder of their all too short time in the limelight and some mp3s in the order that they should have been released as singles...
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SINGLE1: Heaven and Earth
SINGLE2: Can't Say Goodbye
SINGLE3: Serious WIP Radio Remix
SINGLE4A:Without The Boy
SINGLE4AA: Xanadu WIP Radio Edit
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THE IDOL BANTER(NO VIEW!):
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Gosh, the idols are coming out of the woodwork this autumn (fall for my lovely american readers) in order to cash in on that lucrative Christmas market. I have to admit that actually I really like Kimberley Locke. Her debut album was a sparkling delight and contained a classic pop track in the form of 8th World Wonder... So I was a little worried when I heard Supawoman as I wasn't totally loving it, but luckily, L'il Kim2 is launching her sophomore album with a lovely track called Change which is a much better choice. Plus she has put out some nice Christmas songs but I will save those for my Zapping Christmas Advent Calendar feature starting December 1st... Also coming out soon is the new Antony Callea single called Live For Love which Poppostergirl will no doubt adore. I only have a live version, but i absolutely adore it already (though am VERY disappointed about his hair). I only have a live version but i post it here just to show how rubbish Clay Aiken really is. I'm quite ashamed that not only did i buy his debut album but i eagerly awaited his Christmas album. Then I came to my senses (Daz threatened to leave me) and i can't even bring myself to listen to his new non-gay album. I only post a track here to subject you all to the horrors also :)
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MP3: Kimberley Locke - Change
MP3: Antony Callea - Live For Love (live)
MP3: Clay Aiken - If You Don't Know Me By Now
LINK: Kimberley Locke's myspace
BUY: Kimberley Locke - One Love
BUY: Clay Aiken - Thousand Ways
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THE CHRISTMAS HOPEFUL:
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When i was bored last year, I made this poster out of an Abercrombie and Fitch ad to advertise Deborah Gibson's single Naked. Now i still think that is a great slice of poppy rock (not poppy cock as darren once rather hurtfully said) and should be released now to cash in on her 'success' with Jordan Knight... but to Christmas it up a bit, I totally think she should put unreleased song Some People on the flip. Written for an indevelopment Cinderella musical, it reaks of Disney and is utterly gorgeous and soaring and swooning and someone needs to get this AA sided single out there asap... And she should so use my advertising campaign. Sex sells...and right here's where you start paying. In sweat. Oh. That might be fame...
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MP3: Deborah Gibson - Naked radio mix
MP3: Deborah Gibson - Some People
BUY: Deborah Gibson - Naked single
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THE GRATUITOUS RANDOM BITS:
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I just felt like posting a pic of the swoonsome Robin Hood which I am now addicted to on a saturday night! His pic has been keeping me warm at night while my gorgeous DazPants is on vacation (holiday for my British readers) in Gran Canaria. Plus I wanted to write some random stuff - like Nylon potentially are the future of girl bands and I quite like their cover of Sweet Dreams, but I prefer Switch 22's reworking of it. And I totally think that Nylon should stretch themselves a bit and cover the third mp3 on the list below. Just classic. And lovely Pacific Avenue (one of 7 to watch in 2007) should totally cover one of the two songs below that. Just for me. Cheers lads...
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MP3: Nylon - Sweet Dreams
MP3: Switch22 - Sweet Dreaming
MP3: Crush - Jellyhead (the greatest non-hit girl song ever!)
MP3: Living In A Box - Room In Your Heart
MP3: Tommy Page - A Shoulder To Cry On 2000
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THE 7 TO WATCH IN 2007 UPDATE:
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Lots going on for my fave 7 guys...
~ Conor has put together a competition on his website to do a video for his song Lose Control. He sounds just adorable in the little video clip. I am totally thinking of entering - any cool video ideas?
~ I have decided that Gavin Mikhail's album is the best cd never released by an American Idol. Great singalong ballads and nicely chugging rockers. Perfect for a guy winner...
~ Switch22 play a hallowe'en gig at Madam JoJos in London on October 25th...
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QUICK BITZ:
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~ UGH! It just breaks my heart that there is trouble on the set of Grey's Anatomy. And that it forced TR Knight into coming out of the closet. I think he did it with dignity though. Good for him...
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~ Those fine fellas with the Oxygenchunks have the new Emma Bunton single. I'm not going to post it as its for charity, but it fits in well with the 60s influence on the previous brillo album she released...
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~ Head on over to Zeon to get some great music - +44 aren't nearly as bad as i imagined, lady sovereign gets the missy elliot treatment and there is an ace remix of The Pipettes Judy. Why Hype Machine didn't want them is beyond me. Screw them i say :)
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~ new holiday diaries update here...
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~ oh my gosh, walk don't run to copycommaright and listen to the has to be heard to be believed covers of ace of bases The Sign and Annie Lennox Why. I nearly died laughing. Then download this - its very naughty, offensive and hilarious :)
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Coming soon: the indie/acousticy boys singers to watch; the fashion feature; lucas mire album review! Tiffany album review?! more forgotten popstars; more new popstars to keep an eye on and lots lots more... NEXT POST ON SUNDAY!
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Disclaimer: This site is dedicated to getting quality pop music back into the charts. Any songs posted here are to encourage people to go out and buy the music from an online source or high street store. That's what the links are there for. If any artist or management want a link removed, please email me and i will do it straight away. We love the guys featured here and want them to succeed!