Girl Bands in the 'pop' heyday

[aquaplex]

Browsing through old scans of Music Week from 1999. Apparently Made In London were due to launch in April 1999 and had four members.

And Thunderbugs were signed in early 1998(!)

21st Century Girls had issues with their name and had (at the start of 1999) be re named to Teenage Rampage (though then clearly switched it back).

 

[JMRGBY]

Browsing through old scans of Music Week from 1999. Apparently Made In London were due to launch in April 1999 and had four members.

And Thunderbugs were signed in early 1998(!)

21st Century Girls had issues with their name and had (at the start of 1999) be re named to Teenage Rampage (though then clearly switched it back).

Oooooh!

 

[aquaplex]

Carrying on with my browse of music Week. Marvin & Tamara had an album slated for November 15th titled Hanging With You

 

[JMRGBY]

Carrying on with my browse of music Week. Marvin & Tamara had an album slated for November 15th titled Hanging With You

I could not have seen an album doing well for them at all.

 

[heartmightmelt]

I could not have seen an album doing well for them at all.

The amount of time between those singles suggests that the second single was just so Epic could say "We tried, we threw everything we had at it" on the phone call to drop them.

 

[Christopher1985]

I could not have seen an album doing well for them at all.

I think that even the premise of a young boy and girl singing to one another was never going to work. There was only so much that could be done with an idea like this before it becomes problematic.

A similar situation occurred with ‘Idream - Calvin and Frankie’. Having what would appear as a ‘couple’ sing songs to one another and hoping to make this into a successful brand just doesn’t cut the mustard.

 

[aquaplex]

I think there was also the problem of Marvin’s voice suddenly breaking mid singles (of all things).

That reference was on a two page interview/ feature on Sony’s q4 1999 releases. What was due a week after Marvin & Tamara’s album from the same label?… the Thunderbugs album!

 

[JMRGBY]

I think there was also the problem of Marvin’s voice suddenly breaking mid singles (of all things).

That reference was on a two page interview/ feature on Sony’s q4 1999 releases. What was due a week after Marvin & Tamara’s album from the same label?… the Thunderbugs album!

I’d love to see these magazines!

 

[aquaplex]

I’d love to see these magazines!

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/M...in 1959 as Record,Music Week in February 1983.

 

[heartmightmelt]

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Music_Week.htm#:~:text=Founded in 1959 as Record,Music Week in February 1983.

Such a great resource. I hope they archive the Music Week sister magazine for music videos Promo.

 

[AcerBenII]

Does anyone remember this Cutfather & Joe production from 1997? Me neither

 

[elektricblue]

First Class are best known around these parts for having two tracks which ended up being handed over to Billie Piper. I think their album only got a release in Japan. Had a look for it when I was there last year but unfortunately couldn't find it.





Funnily enough 'Whatcha Gonna Do' was one of the only album tracks I actually liked from Billie's debut back in the day.

 

[AcerBenII]

Next on Unvaulted is Bellefire...

 

[Island]

First Class are best known around these parts for having two tracks which ended up being handed over to Billie Piper. I think their album only got a release in Japan. Had a look for it when I was there last year but unfortunately couldn't find it.





Funnily enough 'Whatcha Gonna Do' was one of the only album tracks I actually liked from Billie's debut back in the day.

This one is also on Billie’s album as Saying I’m Sorry Now!

 

[Island]

Browsing through old scans of Music Week from 1999. Apparently Made In London were due to launch in April 1999 and had four members.

And Thunderbugs were signed in early 1998(!)

21st Century Girls had issues with their name and had (at the start of 1999) be re named to Teenage Rampage (though then clearly switched it back).

Bellefire was being put together by late 1999, too! I think they were just an unnamed Louis Walsh girl group project at that time though.

I think all of the songs from the Made in London album were completed with the fourth member as she still has writing credits.

 

[aquaplex]

Bellefire was being put together by late 1999, too! I think they were just an unnamed Louis Walsh girl group project at that time though.

I think all of the songs from the Made in London album were completed with the fourth member as she still has writing credits.

Indeed - I think this was summer 1999. Five members!

WALSH'S GIRL GROUP GETTING INTEREST

Lou's Walsh and John Reynolds' are attracting major label interest in the new unnamed girl act they are developing. The five piece hall from different parts of Ireland, all play their own instruments and are classically trained. Boyzone and Westlife co-manager Walsh says he is targeting the new act at The Corrs market and is looking for a worldwide deal that will be supported by big-name songwriters.

 

[Shockbox]

Next on Unvaulted is Bellefire...

Thanks for sharing. Hadn’t ever seen them perform Spin the Wheel on TV. Still absolutely love that song.

Really wish they’d made it, truly my faves.

 

[Island]

The label made it seem that the Thunderbugs were meant to be in development for awhile to hone in on their overall image and song.

 

[JMRGBY]

The label made it seem that the Thunderbugs were meant to be in development for awhile to hone in on their overall image and song.

They said they’d been in development for 18 months supposedly?

 

[Island]

They said they’d been in development for 18 months supposedly?

Yea, the label gave them media training and acting classes to prepare them for their launch.