New Blog Post: Viva Forever! – Spice Boys Never Die

Tonight is the premiere of the musical inspired by the Spice Girls’ music, VIVA FOREVER!

Previews have been on for a few weeks and have received mixed reviews. Here are some random views from Twitter:

Nigel Botterill ‏@nigelbotterill
Thoroughly recommend Viva Forever. Very well written & crafted. Great fun night out. Really enjoyed it…                                                                                                                 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Michelle ‏@ms215
@KLouSummerside indeed! They murdered the songs and the story is beyond bad. We left before the end, which I rarely do.                                                                                   _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kacey Hatt ‏@KC_Lily
Viva Forever was amaaaazing!!                                                                                         _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sophie Green ‏@Lafashionfolie
Just been to see Viva Forever the musical.. Hate to say it, but Viva ForNever! It was rubbish.                                                                                                                     _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ok, well, you can’t please everyone and you don’t have to. Interestingly, people I know who know theater and who are intelligent Spice Girls fans, not ones who will drop to their knees at the very mention of anything Spice related, haven’t loved it. I think it’s complex having others singing the songs, and the story is undeniably cute but frothy and sorta obvious. But, again, I haven’t seen it and these are just reviews given to me by people who have and whose opinions I trust. It surprises me. I can imagine it to be loads of fun if you go in without great expectations and just enjoy! I don’t think this is a musical the reviews will kill. It’s rather critic proof having already taken in almost 4 million GBP in advanced sales. But that’s not a guarantee for the success of a show like Mamma Mia! In fact, those doing press for the show have already cut this notion off at the pass – guess their just making sure the bases are covered.

During the two weeks of previews there have been some changes made – songs that go with certain parts of the story changed slightly, part of the story that’s been lacking being pumped up, songs cut, added, things moved around, the norm; the whole point of having previews! What remains, of course, are the songs (well, most of them!). The Spice Girls are a band that will live on in pop record books forever because of their achievements as a female band, their slogan ‘girl power’ and what it meant at the time in the entertainment world, to feminism and frankly, as the most successful manufacturing, marketing and merchandising of a band. It was all completely brilliant.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of marketing and merchandising here as well. See all the clothing, iphone covers, mugs and umbrellas for sale http://vivaforeverstore.com/london/index.php. Also, you can have afternoon tea at Harvey Nicks and have the Viva Forever! experience http://www.vivaforeverthemusical.com/HNafternoontea/.  Hey tourists, come a calling!

But I’m burying the lead. The purpose of this post is to celebrate the songwriters – the men who, along with the Girls, wrote these memorable pop songs. Andy Watkins and Paul Wilson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_%28production_team%29, Biff Stannard and Matt Rowe http://www.biffco.co.uk/and Eliot Kennedy http://www.steelworksstudios.com/. Yes, the girls contributed to the songs, bits and bobs, but the Spice Girls music would not be still playing and as memorably without these gentlemen. After all, in the new musical, a whole new cast of characters are singing the songs – not Sporty, Baby, Scary, Ginger and Posh. So, the songs travel, and hopefully they travel well.

Of course the band was memorable – their moxie, their antics, the drama, the personas, the break-ups, the reunions, the continual selling of the band over and over again – trying to hold on to that last bit of, let’s face it, the memory, “forever-ness” and millions of dollars. Yes, they are fun to watch, of course, the Spice Girls are a special group and they do love to keep the dream of another reunion alive for the fans, but as I’ve said before, really it’s rather dull. Get on with your lives ladies, and continue to build your identities as something other than being a member of this band. It’s rather uncomfortable to listen to these women continue to live in the past, as memorable as it was, every few months or so. I applaud them all for what they achieved. It was indeed remarkable.

I love musicals but I don’t really care to hear the Spice Girls songs sung by anyone other than them. The book sounds cheesy and I’m sure it’s a good laugh as written by the brilliant Jennifer Saunders, of whom I’m a huge fan but the idea of the show doesn’t excite me. I don’t care about seeing all five girls together in one place on opening night, nor two girls, nor even one girl. I know there are fans who are more excited about seeing these women in a room together than they should admit but other than picking apart who wore what, it’s a non-event for me.  I would imagine the songwriters might be a little worried – their songs were perfect for the girls themselves to sing but will they translate as well in mash-ups and without the Spice Girls themselves singing them? I guess it remains to be seen. Hopefully, everyone is very talented and the songs maintain their legendary status in the pop world.

As usual, what I want to do here, and I did it on the day the musical was announced, June 26th, is to remind everyone of the Spice Boys, the writers of the Spice Girls music, of many of the girls solo work as well, and the later release, Headlines, and Voodoo for their Reunion tour. These guys are actually the legacy at the Piccadilly Theater. It’s their music, not the girls performing it on stage that  people will be hearing. This is an exciting thing for them – certainly the possibilities of financial gain are good and their songs will be heard, potentially, if the show continues on for a while, in many countries, sung by many other performers, in many languages, just as producer Judy Craymer’s previous show “Mamma Mia” did. But not by the Spice Girls. Does that matter? It very well might if they’re serious and care less about fame and the lights of the West End than the legacy of how their songs are heard.

Biff Stannard has been a consultant on the show and he and Matt Rowe have a bulk of songs in mix as do Andy Watkins and Paul Wilson (Absolute) at about 8-9 songs performed. Seeing as the show isn’t about the Spice Girls and is inspired by their music and these are the music men, shouldn’t they be getting their time on the magic red carpet? Well, I hope they do, in whatever form it brings to them. I hope they are proud and gain a great deal from the show. No one other than karaoke fans have sung these songs before and it’s not the magnetism of the Spice Girls themselves singing them, which has always added a great deal to the pop brilliance. I believe the members of Abba, who wrote their own songs alone demanded that no changes to songs were made when the show Mamma Mia was created. I hope the same has been considered for Viva Forever!

I do maintain the specialness of the band as well as the need to put it to rest. The Olympics, now a West End show, whether it will continue on to Broadway, etc… who knows – but ladies, and some have moved on – continue with your journey. Nothing will ever top being a Spice Girl in your professional music lives and you will have fans who turn up when you show up anywhere but move onwards and let the music stand on its own. Good luck with the reviews and let it play. Let it take its path and most of all, whatever happens, salute the men who helped make it happen more than anyone else. Not Chris and Bob Herbert, not even Simon Fuller, but the writers of your songs that stand alone and still do almost 20 years down the line. They are the Spice Boys and Spice Boys never die.

New Blog Post: Video of Spice Girls at Olympics Closing Ceremony

https://allmyvideos.net/byi9fwy5ualz                   video courtesy of Savannah

Thanks Girls for that 4+ minutes of fun. A great way to see you reliving that spirit.               A perfect “swan song” to the Spice Girls as Victoria has been saying all week. Congratulations. You beamed.                                                                                             G, it wasn’t Wembley but it was something more than you could have imagined – you finally got it.  xx

Most good deeds go unnoticed (a Spice Girl and me)

“The road to misery is paved with reasonable expectations” – with lyrics

I was going through a box of mementos, when I came across this – this was a place setting for Geri Halliwell’s baby shower for her daughter Bluebell, which I threw in her honor before she left Los Angeles to return to London to give birth. It brought up some good mixed memories of that time.

The flowers were from the stunning Mark’s Garden www.marksgarden.com, the food was prepared by the brilliant and talented Kim Bowen (marvelous cook & stylist extraordinaire).

I had to break into Geri’s house that morning because she was at a doctor’s appointment and had forgotten to leave me the key so I could prepare the house (the whole estate has now been turned into a drug rehab). I must have run up and down the hill from the bottom of the drive to the top lining it with flowers and balloons five times. The cake was superb, we got the china and table rentals back on time minus one spoon and despite the silly party games, everyone had a great time. (“Never give up on the good times, livin’ it up is a state of mind!”)

Geri was slightly overwhelmed by the whole scenario and halfway through the party I found her upstairs in her bedroom packing up as she had to leave on a flight the next morning. (“There’s always tomorrow.”) She gave me a huge jar of Nivea, which was the basis of her facial beauty regime. I still haven’t finished it. Oh, she never thanked me or Kim.

I went to visit Geri in London a few weeks before she gave birth and helped her with some last minute preparations and just hung out and kept her company. (“Sparkle in the rain. Told me she needed a friend. If she’s going crazy, baby’s on the way”) Then I read about the blessed event in The Sun newspaper. I sent her a baby basket and later on, food from Villandry http://www.villandry.com/ on Great Portland Street near where she was staying.

When she got the food she called me and thanked me profusely – it’s always the best gift for a new Mum. I asked her about the birth and she cut me off saying “Read it about in Hello! Magazine. It’s out tomorrow.”

I did read about it and I did, at her behest come to London again two months later to stay with her and Bluebell. I slept on the couch, rocked Blue to sleep, let Geri get some rest and we saw “Superman”. We discussed how he was a metaphor for Jesus. In the TV room were several pictures taken at the second baby shower she was given, by her friend Kenny Goss, which George Michael attended.(“Do you think he’s cool and sexy?”) Lots of photos of those on the wall, none of ours. True, we didn’t have a pop star in attendance (well, I guess we did…Geri), just good friends wishing her the very very best from Los Angeles.

Later, that Christmas, I was invited again and she gave me a lovely framed photo of me and Blue, who then was unrecognizable as the gorgeous clever curly-haired girl she is today. I helped her unpack her new house, we talked about her career, we went shopping, should have been fun…Oh, did I mention that halfway through this visit she stopped speaking to me without explanation? (“Too much of nothing is just as tough”)

When I got pregnant a few months later I started to ask her some questions and she said she preferred I ask someone else. (“I won’t be hasty, give you a try. If you really bug me then I’ll say goodbye!”)

Bitter? Sure, on occasion, but more sad for her and angry at myself (“Giving is good, as long as you’re getting!”). However, in the end I don’t regret being of service to her and helping her out emotionally, physically with all the love a friend would give another (“Look for the rainbow in every storm?”). I guess I could get into all that and more, but instead I’ll just say..um…..GIRL POWER!?

The Spice Girls – please, stop right there! (thank you very much)

A few final words on the Spice Girls and their musical “Viva Forever’, now after the presentation occurred on Tuesday. I kinda feel like Victoria Beckham looked, bored, peeved and sour. I didn’t want to see it either. I’d rather be putting my daughter to bed instead as well.  I mean, what more do we need from these women? They made their mark back in the late 1990′s. They made a big mark. They have a place in history and every time they “reunite” it sours the memory of the magic everyone felt back then.

To me it just feels exploitative. The tour was one thing. Geri was back and they were reuniting to have that final Hurrah. FINAL. Understand? The tour was a hit even though it wasn’t finished and disappointed many of their international fans. There was also no tour DVD released for those fans who paid for tickets but whose shows were cancelled when the tour ended early. Allegedly there was a lot of strife between two of the band members who wanted to get home to other opportunities and another band member was suffering exhaustion. So, that’s it – memorabilia – “This is like a marriage” “Girl Power never dies”, “Mummy was a pop star”. Understood and a-ok even if there was a minimal amount of new recordings and the two new songs were so-so (not to mention the most horrific video ever produced for “Headlines”). The girls made a lot of money and should be set for life. After all, they have long lives ahead of them and lots more things to do, right? Well…..

In the past few weeks there have been some snarky comments by the girls (women, I should say) that they did not perform at the Diamond Jubilee concert nor will they at the Olympics. Grow up. Stop being so smug. Stop talking about how great you were and let your legacy speak for itself. You didn’t do it because, happily and thankfully, one of your band members, one whom I have never liked personally or otherwise (until now), has finally wised up and moved on. She has clearly said in the recent past that she is not comfortable performing, has new business priorities and does not want to reunite for performances. Hurray!

I understand the idea that if all these other great British bands and musicians are performing you’d like to as well but you’re not and it’s not because you weren’t asked but because it’s been made clear by one of your own and the powers that be that it’s time to put this to bed. Honestly, if I hear Girl Power one more time, someone is going to get strangled. Is everything that has to do with women girl power? No. It’s old. It’s tiring and I’m afraid it’s boring people. It was a catchphrase and now it’s just something to pull out to remind people that you made up this catchphrase. There are a lot of other women in the world doing grander things than the Spice Girls and knowing some of the Spice Girls, I’d say the way they behave doesn’t define Girl Power much at all.

I knew four people who were at the presentation on Tuesday and each one of them said it was ‘underwhelming’. The girls are doing it by rote. No one is half as excited as they are for themselves and only four of them actually are. Jennifer Saunders and Judy Craymer are big talents; without them there would be no place for this anywhere in musical theater. Even the premise depletes the memory of the girls. “A young woman of English/Spanish heritage enters a talent show and as she proceeds and encounters fame starts to lose her friends and family and learn lessons about life”. Um, Geri Halliwell anyone? I mean, it’s almost embarrassing. Don’t they see we can see that? And it’s about only 4 girls, not 5..I’m not sure what’s going on here but this premise feels selfish, hackneyed and nothing at all like a fresh new way to showcase the great pop of the Spice Girls and that time.

From what I understand some of the girls have troubles with some of the others. There was little done to even hide that on Tuesday. These are very different people than we knew back in the day – they sound different, look different, act different – for better or worse sometimes, but they have changed and change they should! There is no cohesive band, there are no performances, these are five women who did something once and then did it again for a while and now they are individuals who have lives to get on with. This is not a ‘friendship never ends’ band; these are five women who bottled something back in the day and made a lot of money from the music, the lollipops, the scooters, the dolls, the bobble heads, the comics and magazines, the everything else they could possibly exploit, they did it again 5 years ago with the tour and now here they are again. Thank God one of them is finally saying “Stop” (right there, thank you very much!).

Do you really think this is for the fans? Hardly! Buy the records, put out the DVD everyone has asked for but why create this musical using a modern tale that includes 16 Spice Girls songs? What does that have to do with the Spice Girls as a band? The legacy of that time and what it meant to kids (mostly) back then? What is has to do with now is money. They want the West End, Broadway, touring, a movie – remember Simon Fuller’s at the helm here, creator of Pop Idol, he’s the man with the talent show! Hey we all want money but when they’re practically begging Victoria to get on a flight to be there only to have her leave immediately after the last fake smile was smiled shows that the trotting of this legacy out again has to end. No one else does it. Take That properly reformed and did it as a real band, not a fabricated band every time a good opportunity arises.

The discomfort was written all over the girls faces while there. The body language was horrific. I don’t believe a word that comes of out their mouths. It’s polished quips, old tunes that are now off-key and a lot of bullshit that they hope will resurrect your interest long enough to buy a ticket for their show. Problem is this, other than Victoria, none of them have something they are doing that they feel a passion for (except Melanie C, as she still regularly makes music and tours). They just do whatever comes their way, make a good amount of money from it, stay enough in the public eye as much as each individually craves but that’s it. Having a clothing line and a line of books and a potential album and a small role in a show and a hosting gig and a radio show, and a, and a…this is not focus or passion, this is taking anything that comes your way to hold on. Victoria has passion and it’s for something else. The others get the positive vibe of the 1990′s when they resurrect their Spice Girls mantras, its their moment in the sun again. But honestly the sun needs to set on this because at this stage, it’s smug and it’s not for the fans (I heard they wouldn’t mingle for fear of having to speak to fans). It’s for the bank account and if they don’t think we can’t see that they’re underestimating every one of us.

As for the fans who think they are getting a piece of the Spice Girls if they see the show -  You are going to be hearing other women sing Spice Girls songs in a show with a storyline that is not really about the Spice Girls. Emma is not going to be your usher, Geri’s not taking tickets; they will reunite again I’m sure for the first night premiere and that’s it. Then you’re seeing a musical with songs you know. But because Judy and Jennifer are involved it might have something else worth it. I mean Geri saying “I’m so proud of Jennifer, this is her first musical”? The gumption to say something like that is horrifying. This is Jennifer Bloody Saunders. She can do whatever the hell she wants.

By now we have realized you’re coming back for yourself, you’re not the young “Ginger”, “Sporty”, “Scary”, “Posh” and “Baby” you were 16 years ago. You’re mothers and you want to make sure you have a healthy bank account. I would to. But you’re losing the brilliance you once created by trotting it out again with the same ole lines and the fake notions that all is well in the land of Spice. It’s not. We saw. I will always enjoy the magic the Spices brought but they’ve lost it for me and many I know. The songs remain but the girls need to move along. What’s more important? – Your genuine legacy or the money you’re going to make off of t-shirts and “Viva Forever” canvas bags. Have a think girls and to coin a few lyrics:

You’re swelling out in the wrong direction,
you’ve got the bug, superstar you’ve been bitten,
Your trumpet’s blowing for far too long,
playing the snake of the ladder, but you’re wrong

“Viva Forever” – Spice Boys Never Die

Tonight is the premiere of the musical inspired by the Spice Girls’ music, VIVA FOREVER!

Previews have been on for a few weeks and have received mixed reviews.Here are some random views from Twitter:

Nigel Botterill ‏@nigelbotterill
Thoroughly recommend Viva Forever. Very well written & crafted. Great fun night out. Really enjoyed it…                                                                                                                 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Michelle ‏@ms215
@KLouSummerside indeed! They murdered the songs and the story is beyond bad. We left before the end, which I rarely do.                                                                                   _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kacey Hatt ‏@KC_Lily
Viva Forever was amaaaazing!!                                                                                         _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sophie Green ‏@Lafashionfolie
Just been to see Viva Forever the musical.. Hate to say it, but Viva ForNever! It was rubbish.                                                                                                                     _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ok, well, you can’t please everyone and you don’t have to. Interestingly, people I know who know theater and who are intelligent Spice Girls fans, not ones who will drop to their knees at the very mention of anything Spice related, haven’t loved it. I think it’s complex having others singing the songs, and the story is undeniable cute but frothy and sorta meh. But, again, I haven’t seen it and these are just reviews given to me by people who have and whose opinions I trust. It surprises me. I can imagine it to be loads of fun if you go in without great expectations and just enjoy! I don’t think this is a musical the reviews will kill. In fact, those doing press for the show have already cut this notion off at the pass – guess their just making sure the bases are covered.

It seems generally thought of to be fun but the story lacking, and there have been changes made, songs cut, added, things moved around, the norm, the whole point of having previews! What remains, of course, are the songs (well, most of them!). The Spice Girls are a band that will live on in pop record books forever because of their achievements as a female band and their slogan ‘girl power’ and what is meant in the entertainment world, to feminism and frankly, the manufacturing, marketing and merchandising of a band. It was all completely brilliant.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of marketing and merchandising here as well. See all the clothing, iphone covers, mugs and umbrellas for sale http://vivaforeverstore.com/london/index.php. Also, you can have afternoon tea at Harvey Nicks and have the Viva Forever! experience http://www.vivaforeverthemusical.com/HNafternoontea/.  Hey tourists, come a calling!

The purpose of this post is to celebrate the songwriters – the men who, along with the Girls, (primarily) wrote these memorable pop songs. Andy Watkins and Paul Wilson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_%28production_team%29, Biff Stannard and Matt Rowe http://www.biffco.co.uk/and Eliot Kennedy http://www.steelworksstudios.com/. Yes, the girls contributed but the Spice Girls music would not be still playing and as memorable without these gentlemen. After all, in the new musical, a whole new cast of characters are singing the songs – not Sporty, Baby, Scary, Ginger and Posh. So, the songs travel, and hopefully they travel well.

Of course the band was memorable – their moxie, their antics, the drama, the personas, the break-ups, the reunions, the continual selling of the band over and over again – trying to hold on to that last bit of, let’s face it, the memory, forever-ness and millions. Yes, they are fun to watch, of course, the Spice Girls are memorable and they do love to keep the dream of their fans for another reunion alive but as I’ve said before, really it’s rather dull. Get on with your lives ladies, and continue to build your identities as something other than being a member of his band. It’s rather uncomfortable to listen to these women continue to live in the past, as memorable as it was, every few months or so. I applaud them all for what they achieved. It was indeed remarkable.

I love musicals but I don’t really care to hear the Spice Girls songs sung by anyone other than them. The book sounds cheesy and I’m sure it’s a good laugh as written by the brilliant Jennifer Saunders, of whom I’m a huge fan but the idea of the show doesn’t excite me. I don’t care about seeing all five girls together in one place on opening night, nor two girls, nor even one girl. I know there are fans who are more excited about seeing these women in a room together than they should admit but other than picking apart who wore what, it’s a non-event for me.  I would imagine the songwriters might be a little worried – their songs were perfect for the girl themselves to sing but will they translate as well in mash-up and without the Spice Girls themselves singing them? I guess it remains to be seen. Hopefully, everyone is very talented and the songs maintain their legendary status in the pop world.

As usual, what I want to do here, and I did it on the day the musical was announced, June 26th, is to remind everyone of the Spice Boys, the writers of the Spice Girls music, of many of the girls solo work as well, and the later release, Headlines, and Voodoo for their Reunion tour. These guys are actually the legacy at the Piccadilly Theater. It’s their music, not the girls performing it on stage that  people will be hearing. This is an exciting thing for them – certainly the possibilities of financial gain are good and their songs will be heard, potentially, if the show continues on for a while, in many countries, sung by many other performers, in many languages, just as producer Judy Craymer’s previous show “Mamma Mia” did. But not by the Spice Girls. Does that matter? It very well might if they’re serious and care less about fame and the lights of the West End than the legacy of how their songs are heard.

Biff Stannard has been a consultant on the show and he and Matt Rowe have a bulk of songs in mix as do Andy Watkins and Paul Wilson (Absolute) at about 8-9 songs performed. Seeing as the show isn’t about the Spice Girls and is inspired by their music and these are the music men, shouldn’t they be getting their time on the magic red carpet? Well, I hope they do, in whatever form it brings to them. I hope they are proud and gain a great deal from the show.

I do maintain the specialness of the band as well as the need to put it to rest. The Olympics, now a West End show, whether it will continue on to Broadway, etc… Who knows, but ladies, and some have moved on – continue with your journey. Nothing will ever top being a Spice Girl in your professional music lives and you will have fans who turn up when you show up anywhere but move onwards and let the music stand on its own. Good luck with the reviews and let it play. Let is take its path and most of all, whatever happens, salute the men who helped make it happen more than anyone else. Not Chris and Bob Herbert, not even Simon Fuller, but the writers of your songs that stand alone and still do almost 20 years down the line. They are the Spice Boys and Spice Boys never die.