Remember when Steps ruled the charts? And Blue were just shooting up the top ten with classics like Fly By and um, some of their other classics? Watching Dancing On Ice last night was just like the year 2000. Duncan from Blue had tamed his hair somewhat and did quite a good little skate. Lisa Scott Hyphen Lee was busy being as competitive as ever and did quite a good little skate. So it makes me worry about my hope and faith in the future of pop that both these former shining stars of pop were in the bottom two last night. The whole reason for my website's existence is to bring pop back to the charts, (well not it's whole raison d'etre - i have fashion and musicals and books and "witty" commentary!) and it was a little disheartening that the popstars of the show were being beaten by a comedy star, a rugby player and a soccer player (though to be honest, they were all uniformly excellent). But then I realised - that era of pop is over and we are entering a new era of pop music. Plus the desperation pouring Lisa Scott Lee makes her fairly unlikeable. Anyway, I still have high hopes for new pop to come roaring back in 2007, particularly with acts like Simon, Digital and Switch 22 all making amazing music that is just ridiculously catchy, pays the right amount of respect to pop gone by and is innovative enough to move us forward. Marv. PS - i may have been a little delirious when I wrote this. I was watching the Christmas episode of season 4 Lois and Clark and eating half a block of Edam Cheese...
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THE UNIVERSAL SWITCH:
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One act I have written fairly regularly about, despite a lack of output in the past year, is my lovely Maroon 5. And btw, doesn't Adam look good in a suit. Rar, etc. Anyway, news continues to trickle through that Maroon 5's return to the world stage is imminent, and not before time too. In the December issue of Blender, Adam discussed how he was ready to premiere new music as he could "play This Love bound and gagged" (something the kinky side of me would quite like to see ;) ). Then on Billboard this week, it was announced that their record label Octone is moving to Universal and the new album will be one of the first releases. No date set just yet, but surely it can't be far away. First single will be Makes Me Wonder followed by the sophomore set It Won't Be Soon Before Long. Apparently more danceable than Songs About Jane, with harder beats and some mellow moments. Me, i'm just eager to see Adam and the boys back in the charts and back on the stage...I'll keep you updated :)
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THE FILL THE GAP BIT:
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While I was down in London last week with work (and thus ensuring I wasn't able to go to popshow - yes i'm still harping on about that - and missed the Indigo Girls with Ruthiepoos) I decided to cheer myself up with a visit to the Gap which had an amazing sale on. My good friend Cat used to work at the Gap and she and I totally agree that it is one of the best places to go to stock up on the basics that enhance and complete your wardrobe. Not only do they have amazing ad campaigns (2 Christmasses ago, the boys at the gap in Birmingham wore nothing but gap boxers and scarves to advertise their new underwear and accessories range. RAR!), but you can always get something that makes you look incredibly smart for work, and that you can gussy up and make yourself look cutting edge cool by mixing with other brands. I stuck to some good solid basic stuff - new boxers, some stunning PJ bottoms, a surprisingly cool pair of cargos and a jaunty little wool hat. Granted I'm not as RAR as some of the models in biege above, but I certainly fill a little foxy in my new togs :)
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LINK: The Gap website
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THE POPPOSTERGIRL INSPIRED POP:
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Along with a plethora of other quality blogs (XO, Chartrigger, Robopop, Pinkie, Digital Technique, Slippy Disco, both Dans, etc.) I visit Poppostergirl daily to see what words of wisdom she has up her sleeve for me. Being quite enigmatic adds to her mystery and I often call her google girl or veronica mars for her ability to mine quality pop from every conceivable country and in every conceivable language. Apart from keeping an eye on BWO, I've never paid attention to Melodifestivalen or whatever it's called but this year, i've lived it vicariously through PPG and fallen in love with the following three songs... ~ Mans, Cara Mia: PPG likes the boy (eye) candy almost as much as I do - maybe more. So i have to thank her for bringing the visually quite pleasing Mans into my peripheral vision. Not only is he a little bit RAR, but he can turn a song with a title as potentially dodgy as this one into a storming piece of classic europop that is almost as equally delicious as he is. I haven't heard much else from the fella, but hopefully he will continue in such an edible direction...
~ Magnus, Live Forever: Anything that pays such homage to the amazing sound of A-Ha has got to be pretty special. In fact if you put this in a mash up with the A1 version of Take On Me, it would probably be a pretty seamless transition. Now this is the sort of pop that i miss with an aching passion. Plus I am still pretty enamoured with his Christmas swedish album and can't wait to hear some more English Language stuff from the dude :)
~ Magnus, Live Forever: Anything that pays such homage to the amazing sound of A-Ha has got to be pretty special. In fact if you put this in a mash up with the A1 version of Take On Me, it would probably be a pretty seamless transition. Now this is the sort of pop that i miss with an aching passion. Plus I am still pretty enamoured with his Christmas swedish album and can't wait to hear some more English Language stuff from the dude :)
~ Andreas, Move: Now i've finally stopped spinning his Lovegun ( :O ) I can move on this inspiring little piece. Less europop than the two above, this is like a male version of Emma Bunton's Free Me album, simmered with some Cathy Dennis Am I The Kinda Girl songs and flambayed with some early Abba tunes. In other words, it's pretty darn marvelous. I could eat it for breakfast. But i just had my marks and spencers croissants, so i'll pass...
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THE MAGAZINES WE LOVE:
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~ Details: It has to be the gayest straight magazine in the entire universe. It always has blokes i mostly would like to add to my "famous five" list (currently populated by this dude above, McDreamy and some others...) and they have ace fashion tips plus the gay or.... feature on the back page is always a hoot!
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~ Instinct: I don't get to read this very often as it's quite hard to get in Angleterre, but I always pick it up when I see it. It's like a slightly more refined AXM magazine without the pages and pages of pervy yet hilarious phonelines ("gagging for a shag with a chav") at the back. Plus a homes and fashion issue? RAR!!!! It's like it was written for me:).
~ Radio Times: Now I am over Heat, I can pick up the RT with the rest of middle England and delight in a cover that isn't "skinny celebs put on weight" or "jade jade jade". Plus Simon and I think that in the right light David Tennant is a little more than a "lanky string of piss" as he once described himself. Darren vehemently disagrees and judges me ;)
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QUICK PICS/BLOG WATCH:
~ Ooo lucky americans get a full dvd boxset of Robin Hood (also on my "famous five" list) which will probably also come out in England. I have been buying the "bit by bit" sets which I am sure I will regret when this released :(
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~ This is some dude from that Skins drama on E4 from the writer of Shameless. I haven't watched it yet, but will find time to do so shortly. Anyway I was talking to Baz from Digital yesterday and recommended he pass this pic onto Ross (their stylist) for their next photoshoot... PS, I'm pretty sure that Dean was wearing the same trousers as I own from Gap at popshow last week!
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~ Finally this is one of Kylie's backing dancers. Apparently, shorts made out of binbags are fashionable. I know what I am wearing to work tomorrow.
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Coming soon ~ the last zapping post as we know it. Sniffle...
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I, too, have decided to see what all the fuss was regarding the Melodifestivalen thingy thanks to PPG and other blogs. Some nice pop going on although I do struggle with non-English speaking entries. PPG's descriptions are spot on!
Paul i'm sure you'll look great in a binbag. Better than some Kylie dancer.
You called DSTP a quality blog. Gulp! From the master of blogs no less. I am humbled.
As for the end of pop. I think its all about waves. Moreover I think pop acts MUST lose the t.v reality tact. If it didnt work for a spice girl (EMMA BUNTON) then it wont work for some Steps nobody.
That Maroon 5 album is on its way to becoming the new Chinese Democracy, but "one of the first releases" sounds promising (as does "more danceable")!
PAUL - YOU MUST WATCH SKINS.
I've been, hem-hem, downloading the show in a totally-legal-fashion-honest since it began and it is my new favourite show.
Apparently Mr. Simon Amstell's a "ghost writer" on the show too.
DanP76 - i'm all about sexy geeks
D'Luv - it's the managing editor we all want to boff ;)
RobopopIII - The Robyning ~ i think you are correct re waves of pop. PS you are right. i look fucking AMAZING in a bin bag pair of hot pants.
PPG - i will fly over and headbut Adam M5 if he doesn't get a shimmy on...
XO - adem pipped me to the post. You should so get that yellow top...
Adem IAR ~ i intend to illegally download it also to catch up as i didn't bother sky plussing it!