DEFINITIVE 2022 PREVIEW BANANARAMA | STEPS

MADONNA | JANET JACKSON

RETROPOP
2021 REVIEWED NEW!
Our TOP 20 albums
of the year ranked

RETRO
REVIVAL
Ones to
watch

ISSUE 1 • £4.99

THE VOYAGE
BEGINS
Inside ABBA‘s comeback

INTERVIEWS! WESTLIFE | MATT GOSS | KIM WILDE | SOFT CELL

TEARS FOR FEARS | THE FIZZ | MARCELLA DETROIT
CONTENTS

PREVIEWS
08 ABBA
Sweden’s best-
loved supergroup embark on their
biggest journey yet as we get the
scoop on their ‘Voyage’ residency

10 David Bowie
Marking the
late Starman’s 75th birthday,
the Bowie estate unveils pop-up
locations, reissues and new music

11 Janet
Jackson
Damita Jo gets up close and
personal with a documentary
14 Steps
Claire, Faye, H,
Lee and Lisa have the summer of
all summers planned to mark their
16 New Music
A look at what’s to
come from Bryan Adams, Gabrielle,
Avril Lavigne, Gary Kemp, Róisín
special on her life and career 25th anniversary Murphy, Waterboys and more...

12 Madonna
The Queen of
Pop launches a career-spanning
reissue campaign as she celebrates
15 Bananarama
There’s no sign
of a cruel summer with girl group
royalty Bananarama looking back
20 Tours
A return to
live music from Anastacia,
Melanie C, Elton John,
40 years atop the charts on four decades of hits Gary Numan and more...

4 RETROPOP
 REVIEWS
90 Albums
Our verdict of new
albums from David Bowie, Gorillaz,
JLS, Matt Goss, Belinda Carlisle,
Tears For Fears and Starsailor

RETRO: 94 DVDs
The lastest
DVD releases
and collector’s box sets from

REVIVAL Saint Etienne, Depeche Mode

and Cliff Richard

70 Ones To
Watch
See who’s going to be lighting up
the charts this year: BAYLI, Darin,
82 Little Boots
With a new album
on the way and a spot in the ABBA
‘Voyage’ band, Little Boots has
PROFILES
Get to know rising stars Aimée
and Asher Monroe via the tracks
Zella Day, Yola and more... plenty to look forward to of their years on pages 81 & 89

FEATURES
22 Westlife
Ireland’s premier
boyband are flying into a new era
with their 12th studio album
‘Wild Dreams’ and summer tour

26 Tears
For Fears
Tears For Fears are stronger
than ever with their long-awaited
comeback LP ‘The Tipping Point’

42 Matt Goss
Former Bros
heartthrob Matt Goss goes
back to his with his new album
54 Kim Wilde
Pop don’t stop for
‘80s icon Kim Wilde, as she digs
deep in her musical vault for her
64 The Fizz
Four decades on
from their iconic Eurovision win,
The Fizz are planning to celebrate
‘The Beautiful Unknown’ new ‘Greatest Hits Tour’ their latest anniversary in style

48 Soft Cell
Soft Cell have
something to say with their
first album in two decades,
60 Marcella
Detroit
From Shakespears Sister to solo
superstar, Marcella Detroit looks
‘*Happiness Not Included’ back on a life in the spotlight

5
 EDITORIAL

RETROPOP
CREDITS
2022 Preview Special • Issue 1
LINER
NOTES
Irresistible Ltd., 86-90 Paul Street,
London, EC2A 4NE

Retro Pop
Established April 2020
retropopmagazine.com
@RetroPopMag

Editor ‘Music makes the people come together,’

Connor Gotto
connor.gotto@retropopmagazine.com
Designer
Matt Dettmar
magazinedesigner.co.uk
Contributors
Sarah Bull
Christian Guiltenane
Ross Mondon
Cover Images
ABBA © ABBA Voyage
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recognised and respected.
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Please direct enquiries to
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All contents © 2021 Irresistible Ltd.
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this publication is for information
only and is, as far as we are aware,
accurate at the time of going to
press. Irresistible Ltd. cannot accept
any responsibilities for errors or
inaccuracies in such information.
Madonna sang on her 2000 hit single – a
statement that’s become more significant
than ever over the past two years...
From Friday nights at Sophie Ellis-
Bextor’s Instagram Live Kitchen Discos
to rediscovering classic albums over on
Twitter with Tim Burgess, the power of pop
has brought fans closer than ever before.
During unprecedented times, stars worldwide masterminded new
ways to connect – via social media, livestreams and virtual gigs – and in
September, the focus was on London as ABBA launched one of the most
successful comebacks of all time: ‘Voyage’.
Along with their first album in 40 years, the group announced a
revolutionary concert experience at the ABBA Arena in east London,
beginning May 27, and it’s so exciting to have their incredible ABBAtars
cover our launch issue. Aren’t they stunning!
They lead our 2022 preview as we look forward to the next 12 months
and exciting new campaigns celebrating true icons – David Bowie, Janet
Jackson, Bananarama, Steps, to name a few – along with plenty of new
music and a return to the live stage.
If life begins at 40, then there’s surely lots to come from Tears For
Fears, Soft Cell, Kim Wilde and The Fizz – all of whom are celebrating the
milestone – as we catch up to look back over their extraordinary careers
and preview their new projects.
While embracing the past, Retro Pop is a celebration of the enduring
influence of pop music, and in this issue we preview the ones to watch in
2022 that are bringing classic sounds bang up to date and keeping the
spirit of pop music alive.
Who better to catch up with than Little Boots? Having rocketed into
the charts in 2009 with her monster hit Remedy, the singer-songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist is preparing to release a brand new album
while rehearsing as part of ABBA’s band for their live shows – of which
she offers a very special insight.
It’s so exciting to finally share this debut issue with you. Retro Pop
started life online in April 2020 out of a love for pop music and I want to
take this opportunity to thank everyone who’s come on board and joined
us over the past 18 months. Your support means so much to all of us and
I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Now, let the voyage begin!

7
PREVIEW: ABBA VOYAGE
A NEW
BEGINNING
ABBA stopped the world in its tracks with the
announcement of ‘Voyage’, the band’s first new
music in four decades, from the observation deck
of the ArcelorMittal Orbit at the Queen Elizabeth
Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, and fans
worldwide will once again look to the city when, in
the spring, they premiere the ‘ABBA Voyage’ digital
concert experience.
“We were in London three years ago, I said to Björn,
‘So you think it’s very clever if we try to tour this thing?’
Because it’s technically, immensely complicated,”
says Benny Andersson. “It’s the screens, the sound,
all the lights...
“I said why don’t we do it here? ‘Well there’s no
arena,’ we said – and I said, ‘We can build one.
London is the town.”
ABBAtars
The groundbreaking venture is the work of Industrial
Light & Magic, the company founded by movie mogul
George Lucas, and will feature digital recreations of
Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson,
and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
8 RETROPOP
“People have often talked about whether you
can create either people who have lived in the past, or
people when they were younger, and we actually create
ABBA in their prime, 1979,” says ILM’s Ben Morris.
“We are creating them as digital characters. We
will then be using performance capture techniques
to animate them and perform them and make them
look perfectly real, and that stuff starts first of all with
the present-day ABBA. We did some performance
capture on them and that’s formed the basis for the
whole of the project, the backbone.”
The group reunited for five weeks in London to
record footage for the shows, sporting motion capture
suits and performing each song in the set in front of
160 cameras, “capturing every mannerism, every
emotion, the soul of their beings”.
“They performed every song in this show to
perfection,” says Benny’s son Ludvig Andersson,
who serves as producer on the ‘ABBA Voyage’ show.
“That becomes the great magic of this endeavour –
that when you see this show, it is not a version of,
or a copy of, or four people pretending to be ABBA.
It is actually them.”

Photos ©
ABBA Voyage
& Baillie Walsh
The Final Voyage
It’s a massive undertaking and the first of its
kind, with four of ILM’s international studios –
between 500 and 1,000 artists – collaborating on
the project.
Producer Svana Gisla explains: “The challenge has
always been merging the digital with the physical,
to make digital ABBA come into the physical world,
and for the boundaries between those two worlds
to disappear.
“Our director Baillie Walsh had to crack that code,
and as simple as it sounds, he did it with light. Light is
the connector, light and audio and this environment
is going to be a unique space to be in, which is neither
digital or physical.”
Ahead of the release of their chart-topping ninth
album, Benny and Björn confirmed ‘Voyage’ will be
ABBA’s final full-length project, as the group closes
the book on its recording career for good.
But with a concert that can play for decades to
come, ‘ABBA Voyage’ adds yet another chapter to the
band’s incredible legacy and signals a bright future
for Sweden’s best-loved supergroup.
THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC
Little Boots has assured us that “no one will
be disappointed” by the ‘ABBA Voyage’ setlist.
The singer-songwriter aka Victoria Hesketh
will play keyboards/synthesizers and provide
backing vocals as part of the show’s 10-piece
live band, also starring Klaxons guitarist
James Righton, and she’s offered a teaser
of the “revolutionary project”.
Insisting the group’s selections will “please
everybody,” she beams: “There are two songs
that are some of my absolute favourites that I
wouldn’t expect them to include, but they are,
so that’s really exciting!
“They definitely are going to tick all the ‘ABBA
Gold’ boxes as well, so I don’t think anyone will
be disappointed.”
Two songs from the ‘Voyage’ album – I Still
Have Faith in You and Don’t Shut Me Down – have
been confirmed for the gigs and James previously
revealed four of the songs rehearsed by the band
which will likely make the set: Voulez-Vous,
Knowing Me, Knowing You, Gimme! Gimme!
Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) and Eagle.
Few more details of the setlist have been
confirmed, however Victoria admitted there’s
one omission she “had a big gripe with” –
but wouldn’t name the track in question.
All will be revealed when ‘ABBA Voyage’
opens on May 27, 2022 at the ABBA Arena
in Stratford, east London.
9
PREVIEW: JANET JACKSON

JANET JACKSON
MILESTONES

Janet Jackson
40th Anniversary
Released: September 1982

Control: The Remixes

35th Anniversary
Released: January 1987

The Velvet Rope

25th Anniversary
Released: October 1997

MS. JACKSON
IF YOU’RE NASTY
When Janet Jackson debuted with her
understated self-titled album in September
1982, no one could predict the coming storm.
It wasn’t until ‘86 that her chart domination truly
began, but the youngest Jackson made up for lost
time with her game-changing ‘Control’ album.
The record spawned seven hit singles and
marked Janet’s first collaboration with production
heavyweights Jam & Lewis, who helped propel
the singer to superstardom across follow-ups
‘Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814’, ‘janet.’,
‘The Velvet Rope’ and ‘All For You’.
Now, the global sensation is looking back on a
life in the spotlight with her eponymous four-hour
documentary, set to premiere on the Lifetime and
A+E networks.
Billed as an intimate, honest and unfiltered look at
the untold story of one of the biggest artists in music
history, it follows Janet as her family navigates the
loss of her father, Joseph, the patriarch of the Jackson
dynasty who passed away in ‘18.
‘JANET’ delves into the most talked-about moments
of her life, including her ‘04 Super Bowl performance
with Justin Timberlake, her reaction to the death of her
brother Michael and becoming a mother.
“This is my story, told by me. Not through someone
else’s eyes,” she says. “This is the truth. Take it or
leave it. Love it or hate it. This is me.”
Alongside the documentary, Janet is poised to
return with her 12th album, ‘Black Diamond’, after
the project and its accompanying tour were delayed
in ‘20.

10 RETROPOP
 PREVIEW: DAVID BOWIE

“I don’t know where I’m going from here,

but I promise it won’t be boring.”

David Bowie, Madison Square Garden, New York, 1997

David Bowie fans worldwide are gearing up to

celebrate the Starman’s legacy in conjunction
with his 75th birthday on January 8.
The legendary musician and performer, who
passed away from cancer in 2016, two days after he
turned 69, is being feted with two pop-up locations in
London and New York.
Situated in the heart of Soho at the site of the
earliest confirmed Ziggy Stardust sighting and in
Bowie’s adopted hometown where his final album ‘ ’
was created, the venues run through January and
offer an immersive insight into his life and career.
Developed in collaboration with 360 Reality
Audio, using Sony’s spatial sound technologies,
it’s an opportunity to experience Bowie’s legendary
catalogue for the first time in immersive sound.
The stores play host to hours of video content,
including previously unseen and rare footage from
the ‘Heathen’ and ‘Reality’ eras, along with fine art
photography and gallery installations documenting
his many iconic eras and personae. For sale are
limited-edition releases of exclusive Bowie apparel
and collectables, as well as limited-run LPs and CDs.
Included among the
releases is the ‘lost’ album
‘Toy’, offering fresh takes on
Bowie’s earliest recordings,
reimagined following his iconic
Glastonbury set in 2000.
Bowie entered the studio
with his band to record new LONDON
interpretations of songs he’d 14 Heddon Street
first recorded from 1964-1971, Monday to Saturday 11am – 8pm
intending to cut the tracks with Sunday 12pm to 6pm.
a live band, choose the best
takes and release it in as short NEW YORK CITY
a time-frame as possible. 150 Wooster Street
The “surprise drop” concept was years ahead Open seven days 11am – 7pm
of its time and ‘Toy’ fell to the wayside in favour of
Bowie’s 22nd album ‘Heathen’, featuring all original “From time to time, he used to say ‘Mark, this is our
compositions, but the original recordings have been album’ – I think because he knew I was so deeply in
unearthed and will be released commercially for the the trenches with him on that journey. I’m happy to
first time. finally be able to say it now belongs to all of us.”
Of the collection, co-producer Mark Plati says: ‘Toy:Box’ – featuring the original album plus
“‘Toy’ is like a moment in time captured in an amber alternate takes and remixed versions – will be
of joy, fire and energy. It’s the sound of people happy released on ISO Records via Parlophone on January
to be playing music. David revisited and re-examined 7, with Plati and Bowie’s ‘Toy’ era bandmates Sterling
his work from decades prior through prisms of Campbell, Gerry Leonard and more to appear at the
experience and fresh perspective – a parallel not New York Bowie 75 store for a celebratory launch
lost on me as I now revisit it twenty years later. that evening.

11
PREVIEW: MADONNA

THE
QUEEN IS
BACK

12 RETROPOP
 MADONNA
Madonna is celebrating 40 years at the top of MILESTONES
the charts with a massive career retrospective
reissue campaign beginning this year. Who’s That Girl
The undisputed Queen of Pop has returned home 35th Anniversary
Released: July 1987
to Warner Music Group (WMG) – the label on which
she launched her career in 1982 with debut single You Can Dance
Everybody – which has acquired the rights to her 35th Anniversary
entire recorded music catalog. Released: November 1987
Celebrating four decades of pop perfection, the
deal commences an extensive, multi-year series of
Erotica
30th Anniversary
catalog releases that will revisit the groundbreaking Released: October 1992
music that made her an international icon.
It encompasses Madonna’s complete Sire/ GHV2
Maverick/Warner recordings, from 1983 release 21st Anniversary
Released: November 2001
‘Madonna’ through to 2008 album ‘Hard Candy’ –
including classic albums ‘Like a Virgin’, ‘True Blue’, MDNA
‘Like a Prayer’, ‘Erotica’, ‘Ray of Light’, ‘Confessions on 10th Anniversary Photos © WMG
a Dance Floor’ and more – plus singles, soundtrack Released: March 2012 & Ricardo Gomes
recordings, live albums and compilations.
Among the iconic hits set to be celebrated are UK
chart-toppers Into the Groove, Papa Don’t Preach,
La Isla Bonita, Vogue, Frozen, Music, Hung Up,
Sorry and 4 Minutes (featuring Justin Timberlake
and Timbaland).
It’s also set to spotlight Madonna’s Oscar-winning
movie career, with soundtrack LPs ‘Who’s That Girl’,
‘I’m Breathless’ and ‘Evita’ included, along with
the remix record ‘You Can Dance’ and compilation
releases such as ‘The Immaculate Collection’,
‘Something To Remember’ and ‘Celebration’.
Madonna will personally curate expansive
deluxe editions for many of her landmark albums
and introduce unique releases for special events as
part of the ongoing celebration of one of the most “Since the very beginning, Warner Music Group
successful pop artists of all time. has helped bring my music and vision to all my
As of 2025, the deal will also cover ‘MDNA’, fans around the world with the utmost care and
‘Rebel Heart’, and ‘Madame X’ – Madonna’s three consideration,” said Madonna. “They have been
most recent studio albums, which were released via amazing partners, and I am delighted to be
Interscope after she signed a three-album deal with embarking on this next chapter with them to
the Universal Music Group company in 2011. celebrate my catalogue from the last 40 years.”
The commencement of the new campaign comes
after Madonna returned to screens in 2021 with her
Paramount+ and MTV documentary concert special
‘Madame X’, which was shot in January 2020 at
her concerts in Lisbon, Portugal at the Coliseu dos
Recreios. The special was accompanied by a live
album – featuring tracks from her 14th studio album
and reworks of her biggest hits, adapted for the
show – and ‘Madame X Presents: Madame Xtra Q&A’,
which saw her answer burning questions from stars
including Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and Lil Nas X.

13
PREVIEW: STEPS
STEPS
MILESTONES
The Last Dance
20th Anniversary
Released: November 2002
Light Up the World
10th Anniversary
Released: November 2012
Tears on the
Dancefloor
5th Anniversary
Released: April 2017
SUMMER OF STEPS
Steps are back from the future to celebrate
their 25-year legacy in style.
Hot off the heels of their ‘What The Future Holds
Tour’ in support of their double album campaign -
which spawned the hits Something in Your Eyes,
Take Me For a Ride and Heartbreak in This City
(feat. Michelle Visage) - Claire Richards, Ian ‘H’
Watkins, Faye Tozer, Lee Latchford-Evans and
Lisa Scott-Lee are planning a summer packed
full of Steptacular surprises.
Leading the festivities is the first set of dates for the
group’s ‘25th Anniversary Tour’, with stops at the Back
2 and Kubix Festivals, along with Carfest North and
South and Birmingham Pride, with more on the way.
The group’s latest gigs mark their first outdoor
shows since their 2018 tour and they’ve teased
exciting projects to commemorate the career
milestone.
“There’s plenty in the pipeline that’s new,” says Lisa
(via Daily Star). “Big plans are already in place for
that. I can’t say that much or I’d get in trouble.
“[But] it’s nice to keep a bit of mystery, but we like to
keep it fun and give back to our fans who have been
so loyal over the years.”
Lisa’s dream of hitting the festival circuit looks
set to come true and she’d love to organise a one-off
Steps-themed festival for fans to immerse themselves
in planet pop.
14
“We’ve never really done festivals. I’d love to do
one so maybe we will get a chance to put on our own,”
she hints. “Who knows!”
It’s 10 years since Steps reunited for ‘The Ultimate
Collection’ - a 20-track compilation of their greatest
hits - and there have been calls for the band to revisit
some of their best-loved numbers with musical
director Steve Anderson, off the back of his
dazzling work on their live shows.
During their most recent tour, the band performed
alternative versions of some of their most popular hits,
including a Motown-influenced rendition of After The
Love Has Gone, and mash-ups of 5,6,7,8 / Groove is in
the Heart and Better the Devil You Know / Vogue.
After the group named classic track Never Say
Never Again as a song from their catalogue they’d love
to bring back into their set, fans have also suggested
they hit the road with a series of intimate ‘Anti-Tour’
dates, featuring deep cuts from the band’s seven studio
albums that don’t make it into their regular live shows.
And long-time devotees will no doubt be calling
for Steps’ classic series of albums - ‘Step One’,
‘Steptacular’ and ‘Buzz’ - to be reissued across formats,
including a long-awaited vinyl debut sure to catch the
eye of fans and collectors alike and sit pretty alongside
the various editions of their most recent releases.
Whatever the future holds, it’s sure to be a non-stop
pop party as long as Steps are around.
RETROPOP

BANANARAMA
MILESTONES
Wow!
35th Anniversary
Released: September 1987
Exotica
21st Anniversary
Released: March 2001
Now or Never
10th Anniversary
Released: September 2012
The Original
Line-Up Tour (UK)
5th Anniversary
November/December 2017
YEAH BABY
THEY’VE GOT IT!
Bananarama’s achievements speak for
themselves. Since their 1982 breakthrough
with Fun Boy Three collaboration, It Ain’t What
You Do... – a ska-influenced recording of jazz classic
– Bananarama earned a Guinness Book of World
Records placement as the most successful female
band worldwide with the most charting singles.
They’ve had 32 Top 40 UK hits, along with
international acclaim, including four US Billboard
Hot 100 Top 10 singles and a No. 1 with their cover
of Shocking Blue’s Venus, while their 11 albums have
sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.
It’s a testament to Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward
and Siobhan Fahey’s talent, drive and determination
to succeed on their own terms – even after their debut
single Aie a Mwana – a demo recording of the Swahili
song – stalled at No. 92 in the UK charts.
Still, they pushed forward and landed a deal
with London Records, after which Fun Boy Three
returned the favour by appearing on Bananarama’s
Really Saying Something – their fresh take on
The Velvelettes’ classic – scoring the group a
second hit and paving the way for their debut
album, ‘Deep Sea Skiving’.
What followed was an ascent to mega-success
worldwide with hit albums including ‘84’s self-titled,
‘True Confessions’ in ‘86 and their ‘87 opus ‘Wow!’.
Following a turbulent period of line-up changes,
Sara and Keren cemented themselves as the pop
duo we see today on the ABBA-influenced ‘Please
Yourself’, and now they’re preparing to enter a new
phase of their career and look back on a lifetime of
Photo ©
Nell Campbell pop perfection.
PREVIEW: BANANARAMA
After reuniting with Siobhan for ‘The Original Line-
Up Tour’, which played across the UK in 2017 and hit
the US and Europe the following year, they’ve been
more active than ever, releasing their 11th album ‘In
Stereo’ – Bananarama’s highest-charting LP since their
Stock Aitken Waterman late-’80s masterpiece – and
memoir ‘Really Saying Something’, which was named
one of The Sunday Times’ Best Music Books of 2020.
Embarking on a new chapter to mark four decades
of hits, the duo already has a series of live summer
dates booked, including two Heritage Live shows in
London and West Sussex, along with Kew Gardens’
annual Kew The Music concert series, with more gigs
to be announced.
Nostalgia will no doubt be at the forefront of the
festivities and the group even threw it back to French
& Saunders’ iconic Lananeeneenoonoo sketch with a
studio selfie captioned: “I’m a bit toppy Ian.” They’ve
been embracing their legacy in their concert setlists
too, digging out fan favourites like Every Shade of
Blue, Movin’ On, Love Don’t Live Here and Feel For
You in recent shows, along with their original version
of Last Thing On My Mind, which they debuted live
last summer.
There also looks to be new music on the way, after
Sara and Keren hit the studio with longtime co-writer
and producer Ian Masterson – who also worked on
their most recent albums ‘Drama’, ‘Viva’ and the
‘Now or Never’ EP – and hinted there’s “new music
on the horizon” during an Instagram Live stream.
With four decades of hits and a lifetime of friendship
under their belt, there’s never been a better time to be a
Bananarama fan.
15
PREVIEW: NEW MUSIC

LET THE
MUSIC
The charts are in safe hands as the biggest
names in pop return to soundtrack 2022.
PLAY
Shakira Conjures
Pop Magic
Shakira’s back on the dance
floor with infectious new music.
The Latin superstar offered a
taste of her latest project with lead
track Don’t Wait Up – and there’s
more on the way.
“Songs will continue to come out
throughout this year that will end
up on an album that I think will
be available next year,” she tells
Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1.
Don’t Wait Up was co-written
with Ian Kirkpatrick and Emily
Warren, who penned Dua Lipa’s
global smash Don’t Start Now.
“[It’s] a song that I’ve been
waiting to write for a long time,”
she adds of the single. “It has
been in my mind and it has
already existed for a while
inside of me.
“When we were at the studio,
we were just feeling the instant
chemistry and the magic
happening.
“And we were looking at each
other saying, ‘Oh my God, this is
something really, really special’.”
It comes after Shakira
celebrated the 20th anniversary of
her global breakthrough ‘Laundry
Service’, featuring the smash
hits Underneath Your Clothes,
Objection (Tango) and the
massive Whenever, Wherever.
The new ‘Washed and Dried’
edition of the record features four
bonus tracks and is available on
double opaque yellow vinyl, due
Photo ©
January 7 on Sony. Jaume De Laiguana

16 RETROPOP
Photo © Elaine Constantine
Nothing Can Stop St. Et
Saint Etienne are planning more
new music for 2022.
‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’ –
the group’s cinematic 10th album
and visual experience – scored
the band their first UK Top 20
placement in three decades.
According to Pete Wiggs, the
next album was their original idea
but plans changed when the trio
was forced to work remotely.
“We were actually recording a
different album and we decided
we’d better pause that because
we couldn’t get in the studio,” he
explains. “I think we’ll carry on
and resume when we can.
“It’s a totally different sound,
so we need to regroup, as it were,
and hopefully there’ll be another
album out next year.”
‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’
saw Saint Etienne experimenting
with samples from the late ‘90s
and Pete reveals the new album
will see a shift in direction.
However, he’s hesitant to pinpoint
exactly what’s on the table: “There’s
always some interesting chord
progressions and things that make
you extract emotion; key changes
and things like that.
“Melancholy is a big thing. But it
can be fun and melancholy at the
same time, hopefully.”
Saint Etienne will celebrate
the band’s 30th anniversary with
a limited green coloured vinyl
edition of the classic debut album
‘Foxbase Alpha’, shipping mid-
January via Heavenly.
Will Revisits All The Hits
Original ‘Pop Idol’ Will Young
is celebrating two decades
of music.
After shooting to fame on the
inaugural series of the TV singing
contest, Will scored smashes
with Evergreen, Leave Right Now,
Jealousy and more.
They’re all set to feature on
‘20 Years – The Greatest Hits’
– his latest retrospective release –
alongside choice cuts selected
by Will himself from his eight
Top 3 albums.
To coincide with the LP, he’ll hit
the road in October/November
for a string of tour dates across
the UK.
Will’s most recent record,
‘Crying on the Bathroom Floor’,
peaked at No. 3 on the UK charts
last year.
‘20 Years – The Greatest Hits’
is due May 27 via BMG on CD
and vinyl.
Photo ©
Gabs Is Ready “Let’s just say, I don’t think we’re Uzo Oleh
To Rise Again going to be waiting too long for
Gabrielle’s last album ‘Do It the next album…” she hints while
Again’ was just a “taster” of celebrating the 20th anniversary
what’s to come. of her classic album ‘Rise’.
Fresh off ‘The Masked Singer’, “The days of waiting for me for
the R&B diva dropped her brilliant like 11 years are over. My kids are
covers album, but it was new grown. I’m more selfish as opposed
cuts, Stop Right Now and Can’t to selfless.
Hurry Love, that really caught “I’m happy to walk out the
our attention. door and say, ‘See you later guys’.
They originated in sessions for So I’m excited and I can’t wait. I’m
a planned album of new material just loving the opportunities that
and Gabrielle intends to keep are coming my way to be able to
working on the project. release new music.”
17
PREVIEW: NEW MUSIC
Xtina Doubles Down
After taking a break from the
studio, Christina Aguilera
is busy putting the finishing
touches on two new albums.
The Genie in a Bottle singer
is simultaneously working on an
English record and the follow-up
to her debut Spanish album,
‘Mi Reflejo’.
“I’m a perfectionist and want
to give everything my best –
especially because of the soul-
searching I’ve done over the past
year and the new perspective I
have,” she tells Health magazine.
“I am reinspired and have
reconnected with myself. I’ve
fallen in love with music all over
again, which is a really big thing to
say, having spent my entire career
in music.”
Two singles have been issued
from the Spanish-language
project – Pa Mis Muchachas with
Becky G, Nicki Nicole and Nathy
Peluso, and Somos Nada – offering
a flavour of what’s to come.
Waterboys Tease
Otherworldly Album
The Waterboys return with their
latest album ‘All Souls Hill’.
The “mysterious, otherworldly,
tune-banging and emotional”
record is a collaboration with
producer Simon Dine.
“Its nine songs tell stories,
explore dreamscapes, and cast a
cold but hopeful eye on the human
drama,” says frontman Mike Scott.
18
Photo © Jaume De Laiguana
Lead single The Liar is
“a comment on recent and
still-current events” and is
accompanied by a haunting
image by satirical collagist Cold
War Steve, taking aim at Donald
Trump and the lies and deceit
that infest those in power.
‘All Souls Hill’ is due April 22
via Cooking Vinyl on CD, LP and
cassette.
Photo ©
Barry McCall
Photo ©
KM16 Is Coming Denys Dionysios
She may still be living her disco
fantasy, but Kylie Minogue’s
secretly making plans for her
next album.
The pop icon is switching
things up after smashing UK chart
records with ‘DISCO’ – her third
No. 1 record in three years – with
a brand new sound.
She tells Claudia Winkleman
on BBC Radio 2: “‘Fever’ just had
its 20th anniversary, perhaps it’s
going a bit more electropop.
“Don’t quote me that […]
but that’s what’s on the boil at
the minute.”
Someone get Cathy Dennis
on the phone!
Gary Gets Ahead Of
The Game
It took him 25 years to revive
his solo career, but Gary Kemp
isn’t waiting around for his
next LP.
His critically acclaimed
comeback ‘INSOLO’ stalled
outside the UK Top 40, but the
singer-songwriter is already
pushing forward with new music.
“I still had one foot in Spandau
Ballet world and it’s always much
harder writing for someone else
to sing, rather than writing for
yourself,” he says.
“Once I’d let go of that and
stepped away from that shadow
of possibility, I felt free. And I’m
already halfway through writing
the next album now.”
RETROPOP
Bryan’s So Happy
To Be Back
Bryan Adams is ready to rock
again with his 15th album
‘So Happy It Hurts’.
The record “touches on
many of the ephemeral things
in life that are really the secret
to happiness.”
“The pandemic and lockdown
really brought home the truth that
spontaneity can be taken away.
“Suddenly all touring stopped,
no one could jump in the car and
go,” he explains.
“The title song So Happy It
Hurts is about freedom, autonomy,
spontaneity and the thrill of the
open road.”
Bryan will embark on a 12-date
headline tour of the UK in support
of his first album in two years
throughout spring.
‘So Happy It Hurts’ is available
March 11 via BMG on CD and LP.
Re-Introducing:
Gwen Stefani
She already gave us b-a-n-a-n-
a-s – now Gwen Stefani is ready
to add a little extra sauce to her
fifth album.
The No Doubt frontwoman is
going back to her reggae roots
on the project, featuring Julia
Michaels, Justin Tranter, Busby,
Greg Kurstin and Mozella.
She also worked with
newcomers Ross Golan and
Luke Niccoli on her most recent
single Slow Clap, along with her
brother Eric, with whom she last
collaborated on No Doubt’s ‘Tragic
Kingdom’ album, for which they
co-wrote her megahit Don’t Speak
Hey Hey! You You!
Avril Lavigne’s going back to
her punk rock roots for her first
album in five years.
The former teen sensation
found herself atop the US
Christian Charts with her
previous effort ‘Head Above
Water’, but it’s a feat she won’t
be repeating this time around.
After signing with Travis
Barker’s DTA Records, she
promised to “f**k s**t up”
with her new music.
“It was just time to rock again,
and I have a feisty side to me,” she
tells Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1.
“Travis is producing, we’re writing
together and we just had such a
blast collaborating in the studio.”
It’s 20 years since Avril released
her debut album ‘Let Go!’ and
she can’t believe tracks like
Complicated and Sk8er Boi
are hitting the milestone.
“I’m stoked that pop-punk
music, it’s coming back around
right now and people are falling
back in love with it,” she beams.
“And it’s almost in a weird way,
it feels like bigger than ever right
now.”
Clare Grogan’s
Altered Images
Altered Images have recorded
their first new music in four
decades.
The group’s last album ‘Bite’,
featuring the Top 10 hit Don’t Talk
to Me About Love, was released in
1983 - the year they separated -
but they’re back with a new LP
on the way.
“Yippee! It’s official I have
recorded a new #AlteredImages
album after 38 years with more
than a little help from my fiends
[sic],” tweeted frontwoman Clare
Grogan, adding, “As you can
imagine I am super excited.”
The new album features a
refreshed iteration of the band,
including her husband, multi-
Photo ©
Adrian Samson instrumentalist and original
Altered Images member Stephen
Lironi, plus Bluebells singer Bobby
Bluebell and Bernard Butler.
Production was delayed after
Grogan came down with “a crazy
flu thing,” but she finally finished
recording in October.
The record is due on Cooking
Vinyl this year.
Dance Floor Diva
Róisín Returns
Just months after dropping her
‘Crooked Machine’ remix project,
Róisín Murphy is “not far off”
releasing new music.
Hot off the back of her fifth
outing ‘Róisín Machine’ and its
alternative counterpart, the ex-
Moloko vocalist is readying new
tracks with DJ Koze.
Calling the next stage of her
career “the most interesting” yet,
she tells Buds Digest: “It could get
tossed out the window, who knows,
we’ll see…
“I need complete freedom now.
Anything could actually happen.
I need total control over what it is
I’m doing and not doing.”
19
PREVIEW: TOURS
LIVE AND
KICKING
Live music is back with a bang and, as venues fill with eager fans,
here are the big ones to watch out for over the coming months.
Shadows And Light
Gary Numan promises a light
show spectacle when he tours his
latest album ‘Intruder’.
The Tubeway Army star scored
another hit with his latest offering,
packed with moody electronic
tunes like I Am Screaming and
Now and Forever that are sure to
cause a frenzy when played live on
his world tour.
The electronic pioneer has dates
planned across the UK, Europe
and North America through 2022
and, after debuting tracks from the
dystopian set during a livestream
special last summer, he teases a
new kind of show when he hits the
road next.
“From a lighting point of view, I
always do as much as I possibly
can,” says Numan. “I’ve long been
thinking about asymmetric light
shows; huge towers running on
one side and something very, very
different than the other.
20
“I’ve been working on that for
years and trying to find a way of
making that work no matter where
you sit, and it’s very tricky.
“I’ve been working on some
things and this might be the time
to give that a try.”
The Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
hitmaker’s new album is the latest
in a string of successes for the
star, who insists that – despite
the overwhelming love for his
extensive catalogue of hits – he
won’t stop looking to the future.
“I’ve learned to be more proud of
my legacy. But I’m still interested
in what I’m doing next,” he adds.
“I’m not really that interested in
what I’ve done, but it’s good that
I’m proud of it now, and I can look
back and say, ‘Yeah, that was that
worthwhile.’ But I still don’t want
to dwell on it.
“Even though I’m happy with
it, I don’t want to dwell there – I’m
interested in what I’m gonna do
tomorrow.”
‘The Intruder Tour’ begins
February in the US and hits
the UK in April.
I’m Outta Lockdown
Anastacia is back and ready to
rock as she finally breaks free
with her ‘I’m Outta Lockdown’
Tour.
After wowing fans Down Under
with her stint ‘The Masked Singer
Australia’, on which she took home
the crown following a stellar stint
as The Vampire, she’s back with a
celebratory new show.
The run was originally meant to
coincide with the 20th anniversary
of the release of her 2000 debut hit,
I’m Outta Love, in 2020, but will
finally commence in September.
During the jaunt, the Left
Outside Alone hitmaker will make
her way across Europe, beginning
in Switzerland on September 18,
before heading to Germany, Italy,
Austria and The Netherlands.
The UK leg includes a stop at
London’s Hammersmith Eventim
Apollo on November 8, along with
shows in Manchester, Newcastle,
Glasgow and more.
The gigs are sure to be brimming
with hits and there’ll no doubt be a
few surprises too.
The ‘I’m Outta Lockdown’ Tour
begins September 18 and hits the
UK on October 30.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Ronan Keating
Twenty Twenty
Begins: January 17 (UK)
Genesis
The Last Domino? Tour
Resumes: March 7 (Europe)
Celine Dion
Courage World Tour
Resumes: May 25 (UK and Europe)
Queen + Adam Lambert
The Rhapsody Tour
Resumes: May 27 (UK and Europe)
Coldplay
Music of the Spheres World Tour
Begins: July 2 (UK and Europe)
Michael Bublé
An Evening with Michael Bublé
Resumes: July 6 (UK)
RETROPOP
Photo © Gregg Kemp
Farewell Yellow
Brick Road
Elton John will finally return to
the road this year as he resumes
his last-ever concert tour.
The singer, whose start-studded
comeback LP ‘The Lockdown
Sessions’ recently topped the UK
charts, was mid-way through the
trek, which began in 2018, when he
was forced to shut down the gigs in
March 2020 after an extended run
in Australia and New Zealand.
After almost two years away, he’s
set to resume the shows in January
with a North American leg before
returning to Europe in the summer.
Included in the run are two
stops at Watford FC’s Vicarage
Road stadium on July 3 and 4,
with Elton – who became Watford
FC’s chairman in 1976 and is still
Honorary Life-President – insisting
he “simply had to” book a duo of
homecoming shows.
“My relationship with the club,
with the fans, the players and the
staff over the years have meant
the world to me,” he beams.
“Through the good times and the
bad, Watford have been a huge
part of my life. I love the club so
dearly, and have had some of the
best days of my life in those stands
– these shows are going to be so
incredibly emotional, and to spend
them surrounded by my fellow
Watford fans will be wonderful.
“We’ve been on quite the journey
together. Come on you ‘Orns!”
The ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’
is due to run through summer 2023.
One More Sleep
Leona Lewis is sure to land a
spot on the nice list when the
holidays come around, as she
books in her first-ever festive
tour across the UK.
Having recently reissued her
modern classic, ‘Christmas,
With Love Always’, the singing
superstar is taking the album on
the road for a magical evening of
seasonal standards along with a
selection of her greatest hits.
“I couldn’t be more excited to
announce my UK headline tour
for 2022,” says Leona. “After
such a challenging year I can’t
wait to celebrate with my fans
and experience that feeling of
togetherness again”
The jewel in Leona’s Christmas
crown will no doubt be One More
Sleep, the song that saw the diva
break the record for the most Top
Five hits for a British female solo
artist back in 2013, while smash
hits like Bleeding Love, Better In
Time and Run are sure to make
an appearance.
Don’t be surprised if there are
a few new songs in the mix too
– Leona recently revealed she’s
back in the studio and working
on tracks for her first album since
2015’s ‘I Am’.
The ‘Christmas With Love 2022’
Tour commences November 30 in
Glasgow, Scotland.
For more news, visit retropopmagazine.com
Zig-A-Zig-Ah
Melanie C will finally hit the road
in support of her stellar self-titled
solo album this year.
Fresh off the ballroom after a
Stateside stint on ‘Dancing With
the Stars’, the Spice Girls legend
is ready to celebrate her latest
release as she takes the album
to venues across the UK.
Kicking off on February 12 in
Glasgow, Melanie will play shows
in Manchester and Birmingham,
before wrapping the jaunt
on February 16 at London’s
Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
Although an extended run of
dates across Europe has been
called off, the superstar plans to
turn the energy up with a selection
of her latest tracks – such as Who
I Am, Blame It On Me and Into
You – and Spice Girls classics like 2
Become 1 and Who Do You Think
You Are.
It’s not the first time she’s
performed the new material –
Melanie went global in 2020
with her virtual ‘Colour And Light
Stream’ show, which featured live
renditions of each of the album’s
10 tracks.
Her performance was impressive
and things are sure to heat up as
she brings her unbeatable brand of
girl power back to the masses.
Melanie C’s tour kicks off
February 12 in Glasgow, Scotland.
21
FEATURE: WESTLIFE

WILD DREAMS
COME TRUE
From boyband teenyboppers to suave pop stars:
Westlife are living out their wildest dreams as they return
with their most ambitious project yet!

Words: Sarah Bull

Photo ©
Matt Holyoak

22 RETROPOP
 Westlife’s two decades atop the charts is
the stuff of dreams. From the moment they
burst onto the scene with their 1999 debut Swear
It Again, the Irish boyband won legions of fans
with their irresistible charm, stellar vocals and
unfaltering run of hit singles. In the years that
followed, they’ve undergone line-up changes,
a break-up and a reunion, but the group has
weathered the test of time and they’re set to
embark on their most ambitious chapter yet.
Alongside their smash hit album ‘Wild Dreams’,
Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan
will hit the road this year for a summer run of stadium
dates followed by a series of arena shows across the
UK and Ireland, as they strive for bigger and better
than ever before. But the journey to where they are
today was far from plain sailing and, celebrating the
launch of the project, the band admits the challenges
of remote recording via Zoom and other amazing new
technologies pushed them to tap into their creativity
and look towards new beginnings with their music.

23
FEATURE: WESTLIFE
“This album… like the whole world at the moment,
has been so difficult, in many ways. And that’s why
we did an album – it wasn’t planned,” Nicky explains.
“But we’d been locked down with everybody working
from home [and] we found a way. We got the mic for
the studio, laptops, we linked on Zoom and different
things. And we were able to hook up with producers
and songwriters around the world and start getting
our creative juices flowing.”
Recording ‘Wild Dreams’ became their work-from-
home project, with Nicky adding that they might
“write every day” or “once next week and five times
the week after”. “We kind of got the creative juices
flowing as a band, probably the most on this album
for the first time, because... it was behind closed
doors, nobody knew what was going on,” Shane
explains. “Nobody knew we were starting to kind of
write songs and work with all these people. And there
was no time limit.
“We didn’t know when the album was going to come
out. We didn’t know what our timeline was. But we got
to kind of just experiment and the experiment worked.”
The result is that “three-quarters of the album
is, for the most part, from the whole band [...] So
it’s a very proud album,” he smiles. “It’s a very, very
personal album. Lots of different songs: good and
bad, uptempo, ballads. Sad, happy... we just tried to
go to our happy place for it.”
But not everyone was a fan of the unique way of
recording, and Nicky admits the set-up “wasn’t all
24
roses”. “I mean, if we’re being really honest, it wasn’t
[perfect]. It can’t be, because you’re not together.
You’re not going into the pub at the end of the
recording session, not going for dinner... You’re not
saying, ‘You try that verse, you take this,’ so that brings
problems in itself and you have to deal with that.
“We actually do get on better when we’re together,”
he says, with Shane nodding in agreement: “The one
thing we say is that, when we’re together, we get on
unbelievably well. When we’re apart it’s more difficult
because we have to make decisions all the time and
they’re always life-changing decisions.”
Their ability to maintain friendships amid the
business side of the group sets Westlife aside from
their peers and has ensured they’re still going after
20 years together. But in their early days, the boys
had no idea they would become as big as they have
– especially when they had straight-talking Louis
Walsh as their manager.
“The first time we met Simon Cowell – Simon
Cowell wasn’t the TV personality he is now,” Shane
recalls. “He was a record exec that was coming to
Dublin to see this new band that Louis Walsh had.
I was out late the night before. But yeah, we did an
audition. And I didn’t perform well.”
They sang Backstreet Boys’ Quit Playing Games
(with My Heart), but Shane – who was battling the
mother of all hangovers – let the group down and
faced the wrath of Louis, who told the singer exactly
what he thought of him once the audition had ended.
RETROPOP
 “I remember like it was yesterday,” he laughs. “I
came out of the room, and Louis slapped me in the
face. He literally slapped me in the face. He was like,
‘I was counting on you. What were you doing? You’re
letting me down.’”
At the time he thought his “life was over”, but Shane
jokes the music mogul would be “put in jail” if he hit
him today, and three months later, they returned and
performed another audition for Simon – and the rest,
as they say, is history.
Their success continued and Westlife’s career
rocketed, with the band amassing seven consecutive
UK No. 1 singles, recording hit collaborations with
the likes of Mariah Carey and Diana Ross, and selling
out 10 Wembley Arenas. But the boys have done their
utmost to maintain level heads – so much so that
they fear they may have missed out on some things
because of their determination not to let their success
get the better of them.
“For the first year and a half we didn’t have time to
[indulge] – as you said, we had seven number ones in
a row,” Shane muses. “So we didn’t have time to think
about anything. As we were working, we did 104 days
straight – 104 days without any day off, leading up
to that Christmas No. 1. So we were just working
and working and working... We announced our first
tour and we did ten Wembleys. You know, it was just
mental stuff. So we didn’t have time to process it.
“But we didn’t have time to realise how big it was
and Louis was reminding us, going, ‘It could be all
over tomorrow. It could be all over if you do one
wrong thing.’”
However, Mark admits: “I wonder sometimes if we
went too far into the ‘Let’s not get big-headed. Let’s
make sure not to ever…’ Because some of the things,
we kind of suppressed it so much that we maybe lost
or didn’t enjoy some of those moments as much as
we should have, because we were so worried about
getting big-headed.”
Not only loved for their perfect harmonies, Westlife
also became synonymous with the “standing up with
key change” moment, for which they credit Simon,
who “said one day to us, ‘Guys I think you should
stand up with the key change’.
“So this was our seventh single, and it was the first
major, major key change because, if you notice, Swear
It Again doesn’t have a key change, Flying Without
Wings doesn’t have a key change, but My Love had a
key change,” recalls Shane. “But we had this moment
where we were in rehearsals and Simon actually said
to us, ‘Why don’t you stand up at the key change?
I think this could be amazing.’”
It became a staple of the band’s performances and,
while they openly admit the trope led to them being
mocked, Nicky insists the jibes were made “fondly”.
Following their huge success, Westlife announced
plans to disband in 2012 – a decision that they had
to make to end on good terms. And it was during their
time apart that the memories of their former success
took hold.
“Being at a concert and playing live
music again... I don’t know, there’s just
something about that.”
“You would be at football matches with your kids,”
Nicky reflects, “and Westlife had been, let’s say, not
around for a while and something would jump into
your mind. Like, meeting Whitney at a party, or I
always remember when we recorded with Mariah.
We were in her recording studio in Capri and we’re
in the vocal booth, but Mariah was co-producing the
record, so you’d be doing a vocal and then Mariah
would be like the engineer, going, ‘Can you give us
one more of those? Thank you.’ And then Claudia
Schiffer and Uptown Girl. Then we sang with Diana
Ross… You do have those moments where you go,
‘Am I living a different life now?’”
The group reunited in 2018 and, after releasing
their comeback album, ‘Spectrum’, the following year,
had been due to head out on tour in 2020 – plans that
were axed as the live entertainment industry shut
down. Now, things are looking brighter and the boys
are already anticipating the intense emotion that
will come with their return to the stage.
“I think that moment will feel just as big,” Kian
explains. “And not just because of Westlife being on
stage for us or for our fans – but just for the world to
be back. The last two years that we’ve all had has
been pretty crazy. And being at a concert and playing
live music again... I don’t know, there’s just something
about that. Because it’s the last thing, right? It’s the last
thing that’s going to happen for everybody because it’s
so many people in one big room.
“I think it’s gonna probably break us all. Everybody.
No matter what show it is that you go to see, I think
we’re going to be emotional wrecks.”
Whatever the next year brings, Westlife are sure to
ride high on a wave of love as fans reunite to celebrate
a bold new chapter in the group’s enduring legacy.
‘Wild Dreams’ is out now via East West. ‘The Wild
Dreams Tour’ kicks off in July with shows running
through December.
25
 REVIEW 2021: TOP 20

TOP 20
OF 2021
From the dawning of a new disco era to the renaissance of the
singer-songwriter, the pop gods have shone down over the past
12 months and delivered some truly spectacular records.

RETROPOP 27
REVIEW 2021: TOP 20
20 DEBBIE GIBSON
The Body Remembers
StarGirl
Debbie Gibson delivers pop
perfection on her long-awaited
comeback, ‘The Body Remembers
Arriving 20 years after the star’s
last original LP, the teen chart-
topper hits every beat on this
collection of dance floor anthems
and sweeping ballads.
Single One Step Closer is a
banger while, on the brilliant
Runway, Debbie declares, ‘My
life’s a runway / And I’m the star’.
Echoing the seminal
‘Electric Youth’, she balances
19 WILL YOUNG
Crying On The
Bathroom Floor
Cooking Vinyl
Will Young celebrates his
favourite female artists in style
on his latest album ‘Crying on
the Bathroom Floor’.
His goal to “occupy” the
gender is an intriguing concept
that translates across the 10-
song set, exploring a plethora of
emotions through an alternative
gaze.
The pairing of Will and
producer Richard X is a dream
and, three albums into their
working relationship, the unity
18 GABRIELLE
Do It Again
BMG
Gabrielle’s ‘Do It Again’ is one of
the R&B icon’s most compelling
album’s to date.
Her masquerade as Harlequin
on ‘The Masked Singer’ may have
quickly been rumbled by fans
at home, but it inspired the soul
sensation to hit the studio for her
first covers collection.
Classics like Smile, Teardrops
and I’ll Be There sit alongside
recent hits from Harry Styles,
Billie Eilish and Rhianna for a
timeless recording.
28
all-out pop (Love Don’t Care,
Girls Night Out, What Are We
Gonna Do) with more intricate,
laid-back moments (Legendary,
Red Carpet Ready, Me Not
Loving You).
It allows the record to breathe
and, amongst the glitter and neon
lights, is a winning formula that
translates into one of her strongest
releases yet.
35 years since her debut,
there’s no doubt it’s an exciting
time to be a Debbie Gibson fan.
between the vocals and music
has never sounded stronger.
Will makes each track his own,
with Everything but the Girl’s
Missing, Lykke Li’s I Follow Rivers
and title track, MUNA’s Crying
on the Bathroom Floor, instant
highlights, while his take on Clare
Maguire’s Elizabeth Taylor is a
standout from his career.
‘Crying on the Bathroom Floor’
is a triumph and offers up a fresh
blueprint for covers albums going
forward.
Among the tracklist are two
original compositions – Stop Right
Now and Can’t Hurry Love – both
of which were issued as singles.
Closing the record is a cover of
Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car – the
song Gabrielle originally sampled
on her debut single and breakout
hit, Dreams.
It makes for a poignant listen
and paves the way for a brand
new era, as Gabrielle prepares
to celebrate 30 years since her
musical debut.
RETROPOP
17 PRINCE
Welcome 2 America
NPG
Prince turns prophet as he looks
to the future with his posthumous
release ‘Welcome 2 America’.
Originally recorded in 2010,
the album was scrapped and
went unreleased for a decade,
and sees the star tackle several
cultural issues in a hard-hitting
examination on the state of
the US.
Look no further than opening
cut and title track Welcome 2
America; a spoken word piece
painting a picture of a country
16 DEAD OR ALIVE
Fan The Flame (Part 2)
The Resurrection
Demon
Dead or Alive’s unreleased ‘90s
album ‘Fan the Flame (Part 2)’ gets
new life thanks to this carefully-
curated revival project.
Five years after the death
of frontman Pete Burns, the
record has been restored from
the original multi-track tapes
by engineer and frequent
collaborator Craig Hardy.
The result is a curious
concoction of their work
between ‘Fan the Flame
(Part 1)’ and ‘Nukleopatra’ –
15 BONNIE TYLER
The Best Is Yet
To Come
earMusic
Bonnie Tyler revisits her ‘80s
heyday on the rocking ‘The Best
Is Yet To Come’.
It’s a bold statement from the
Welsh powerhouse, but one she lives
up to across 12 tracks that come
alive with pulsing synths, electric
guitar riffs and sing-along choruses.
Lead single When The Lights
Go Down holds its own alongside
Bonnie’s best power ballads, while
obsessed with celebrity, sex,
hedonism and excess.
There are greater enemies
afoot, with Running Game (Son
Of A Slave Master) calling out the
exploitation of Black culture for
commerciality and Stand Up and
B Strong a fitting anthem for the
Black Lives Matter movement.
‘Welcome 2 America’ is
brimming with influences,
exploring pop-rock, gospel and
soul while maintaining Prince’s
trademark funk sound. the quality of his work and, on
That’s the genius of Prince; his ‘Welcome 2 America’, it resulted
drive to combine artistry with in one of the best albums of his
activism never compromised latter years.
which features completed
versions of several cuts from
the new release.
The lead track Tonight…
appears to have influenced
The Right Stuff, and there are
early versions of Sleep With You,
retitled I Want 2 B With U, and
International Thing, now U Were
Meant 4 Me.
Covers of Lloyd Cole And
The Commotions’ Are You Ready
To Be Heartbroken? and Barry
White’s I’m In Ecstasy (When
You Lay Down Next To Me)
are given Pete’s unique stamp,
reinforcing his status as one of
pop’s all-time greats.
Dreams Are Not Enough and
Hungry Hearts were built for
sold-out arenas.
Feminist anthem Stronger
Than A Man is a statement piece
that wouldn’t sound out of place
in Springsteen’s catalog.
The record is split in two halves;
Side A is packed with mega-
anthems, while a more mellow
B-side offers a stripped-back,
intimate selection, allowing
Bonnie’s vocals to shine.
If the best really is yet to come,
we’re ready to be blown away.
29
REVIEW 2021: TOP 20
14 DAVE GAHAN &
SOULSAVERS
Imposter
Columbia
Depeche Mode frontman Dave
Gahn revisits the tracks of his
years on his latest Soulsavers
collaboration, Imposter.
Featuring numbers from across
genres and time periods, Gahan
dissects and reassembles 12
meticulously chosen songs for
an alternate listening experience.
The original tracks couldn’t
be more different – classics from
Neil Young and Bob Dylan sit
alongside cuts from PJ Harvey,
13 LAURA MVULA
Pink Noise
Atlantic
Laura Mvula shimmies back to
the ‘80s on her slick electro-pop
set ‘Pink Noise’.
The soul star’s sublime vocals
stand out against a sea of lush
synths and beats encompassing
the best of the classic era.
Kicking off with the dreamy Safe
Passage, the album segues through
Prince and Michael Jackson
references, with Phil Collins-esque
drum arrangements and flairs of
Chic and Nile Rodgers.
Laura teamed up with the
disco legend on their 2016
12 GARY KEMP
INSOLO
Columbia
Gary Kemp rediscovers his
voice on ‘INSOLO’ – a triumphant
comeback after 25 years away.
Worlds apart from the pop-rock
of his Spandau Ballet days, the
singer-songwriter’s sophomore
effort is crammed with influences
like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell,
reaffirming his status as one
of Britain’s elite songwriters
Beginning with its title track,
Gary’s 11 songs each tell their own
story and offer a deeper insight
into the man behind the music.
30
Charlie Chaplin and Mark
Lanegan – but with the help of
Rich Machin, they’re transformed
into a cohesive body of work.
collaboration Overcome and
‘Pink Noise’ pushes that sound
further, resulting in a treasure
trove of electronic gems.
Ballad Magical sends shivers,
with sweeping synths and
powerhouse vocals, while title
track Pink Noise defies you ‘give
in to the feeling’ and let loose.
Before The Dawn revives the
dreamy soundscapes of Safe
Passage, bringing Laura’s ‘80s
chapter full circle.
Wherever her journey takes her
next, we’re on board for the ride.
Much of the LP has a
confessional quality; the
classic Lilac Wine is an early
showstopper, while a take on
Roland S. Howard’s Shut Me
Down, with haunting female
backing vocals, is chilling.
Closer Always On My Mind – a
downtempo interpretation of Pet
Shop Boys’ classic ‘80s anthem
– becomes a stunning ballad
steeped in meaning.
It’s rare for a covers album to
reveal so much about the artist,
but Dave’s latest solo endeavour
has us already anticipating his
next move.
Lead single Ahead of the
Game is the most commercial –
a ‘70s-inspired, guitar-driven
pop track with an earworm
chorus to boot – while radio hit
Too Much muses on the pressures
of daily living.
Oftentimes nostalgic, Gary finds
comfort and optimism in the past,
and on Waiting For The Band
rediscovers his love of live music
while reminiscing on his early
experiences at Bowie gigs as a
wide-eyed teen.
Spandau Ballet may have had
its day, but Gary’s solo career
looks just to be dawning.
RETROPOP
11 TOYAH
Posh Pop
Demon
Toyah hits new highs with her
lockdown project ‘Posh Pop’.
Inspired by a state of global
uncertainty amid unprecedented
times, the punk legend’s first
album in 13 years was produced
from her home with husband
Robert Fripp and collaborator
Simon Darlow.
The result is an eclectic
10-track collection - underpinned
by a pandemic - that speaks
directly to a moment in time
while remaining timeless.
10 TEXAS
Hi
BMG
Texas embark on a musical
journey through their ‘90s roots
on their 10th album, ‘Hi’.
The record began life when
Sharleen Spiteri and co. revisited
their ‘White on Blonde’ demos,
which inspired the group to
resume that classic sound on
a set of new tracks.
Single Mr. Haze samples
Donna Summer’s disco smash
Love’s Unkind and is one of the
earlier compositions, which the
group polished off and completed
two decades on.
9 DONNA SUMMER
I’m A Rainbow
(Recovered &
Recoloured)
Driven By The Music
Donna Summer’s ‘lost’ 1980
album ‘I’m a Rainbow’ gets new
life with the help of an all-star
ensemble of producers.
Revived from the original
recordings, the LP features 10
tracks from the sessions with
producers Giorgio Moroder and
Pete Bellotte, reimagined by Junior
Vasquez, Le Flex, Figo Sound,
Opener and lead single Levitate
deals with forced confinement
and leads a call to rise above the
uncertainty, while Space Dance
and Rhythm In My House offer a
moment’s respite.
Other tracks tackle poignant
issues head on; The Bride Will
Return speaks of an explosion
in Beirut in August 2020, while
Zoom Zoom calls for fans to lead
change and keep connected
via technology.
The album’s most poignant Included are 10 self-funded,
cut, Barefoot on Mars, recalls directed and produced music
Toyah’s experience of losing videos, proving Toyah’s hotter now
her mother. creatively than she’s ever been.
Segueing seamlessly from disco
to hip-hop with the Wu Tang Clan
collaboration Hi, there really is no
agenda here – just Texas doing
what they do best.
Tracks like Just Want to Be
Liked and Look What You’ve
Done – a duet with Clare Grogan
– are uptempo earworms, while
Unbelievable is a rare ballad
spotlighting Sharleen’s lush,
layered harmonies.
More intimate than many of
the group’s releases, ‘Hi’ reads
as Texas – as they are now –
communicating with their younger
selves, for a nostalgic trip back to
their heyday.
Jean Tonique, Ladies On Mars
and Oliver Nelson.
Opening ballad I’m a Rainbow
showcases the purity in Summer’s
voice, before the dance floor ready I
Believe In You and funk driven Back
Where You Belong turn up the heat.
There’s plenty more toappreciate;
Sweet Emotion, with its electronic
R&B edge, is infectious, while an
amped-up revision of fan-favourite
Romeo is perfection.
When it comes to music icons,
Donna Summer is among the elite, Recoloured)’ is a fitting celebration
and ‘I’m a Rainbow (Recovered and of her incomparable legacy.
31
REVIEW 2021: TOP 20
8 DAMON ALBARN
The Nearer The
Mountain, More Pure
The Stream Flows
Transgressive
Damon Albarn’s mystical
offering ‘The Nearer The Fountain,
More Pure The Stream Flows’ is a
thing of beauty.
The album – inspired by his
adoptive home of Iceland – features
a combination of slow burners
and jazz-influenced numbers,
and began as a commission
from a French arts festival.
After an extended development
period, he emerged with a fully-
7 STEPS
What The Future Holds
Pt. 2
BMG
Steps deliver wall-to-wall pop
precision on their musical sequel
‘What The Future Holds Pt. 2’.
A direct follow-up to their 2020
release ‘What The Future Holds’,
the album echoes the ‘one foot
in the past, one foot in the future’
formula of its predecessor, and is
packed with timeless pop melodies
laced with up-to-date production.
The retro influence is apparent
from the extended intro of Take Me
For a Ride, reuniting the group with
Topham & Twigg, the duo behind
6 SAINT ETIENNE
I’ve Been Trying To Tell You
Heavenly
Saint Etienne’s latest album ‘I’ve
Been Trying To Tell You’ takes
them back in time to the ‘90s.
Across eight tracks, the group
dissects pop music from 1997-
2001, for a concept piece that
explores “memory, how it works,
how it tricks you and creates a
dream-like state”.
‘I’ve Been Trying To Tell You’
is intrinsically cryptic; lead track
Pond House features the refrain
‘here it comes again’ – the subject
of which remains a mystery – while
32
formed follow-up to his 2014 solo
album, ‘Everyday Robots’, derived
in part from the John Clare poem
‘Love and Memory’.
Title track The Nearer
The Fountain, More Pure The
Stream Flows is one of the more
conceptual pieces, but it’s not
long before things pick up pace;
electronic drum sequencing runs
through The Cormorant, while
single Royal Morning Blue is as
close to radio friendly pop as the
album gets.
Saxophones add another
musical layer to The Tower of
Montevideo and closer Particles
is particularly cinematic.
It all makes for a stunning
LP that transcends trends and
instantly feels timeless.
classic hits like One For Sorrow,
Deeper Shade of Blue and Stomp.
They also reteam with Thomas
G:son, who penned 2020 smash
Something in Your Eyes, for two
tracks – A Million Years and new
cut Living in a Lie – and Savage
Garden’s Darren Hayes is on hand
with A Hundred Years of Winter.
Closer The Slightest Touch – a
cover of the Five Star classic –
embodies the ‘What The Future
Holds’ era and cements its legacy
as one of Steps’ all-time best.
Fonteyn’s ‘and you call to me’
is evocative and eerily hypnotic.
The album defies conventional
song structure and the execution
of the concept is impressive – from
the music, to song titles, tracklist
and the choice of samples.
Alongside the album is a film
directed by photographer and
longtime collaborator Alasdair
McLellan, echoing his own
nostalgia for the ‘90s, inspired
by the music on offer.
It’s an album to be played in full,
front to back, with each experience
unique, individual and deeply
personal.
RETROPOP
5 DURAN DURAN
Future Past
BMG
Duran Duran celebrate four
decades of hits on ‘Future Past’.
Co-produced with Mark Ronson,
Giorgio Moroder and Erol Alkan,
the band’s 15th outing features
collaborations with Tove Lo,
Ivorian Doll, Japanese rockers
Chai, and Mike Garson.
Blur’s Graham Coxon serves as
guitarist and the refreshed line-up
offers up Duran Duran’s strongest
album in years.
Lead single Invisible – with its
robotic opening, building melody
and Simon Le Bon’s ageless vocals
– blends contemporary sounds
with timeless pop sensibilities.
Looking to the future, the
group draws from the past;
Anniversary is brimming with
Easter eggs referencing their
biggest hits while marking
40 years atop the charts.
Moroder lends his disco
expertise to two cuts – Beautiful
Lies and Tonight United – both of
which are instant highlights.
‘Future Past’ opens new musical
possibilities for Duran Duran and
paves the way for what’s sure to be
an exciting new chapter.

4 KYLIE MINOGUE
Disco: Guest List Edition
BMG
Kylie Minogue leads a VIP list of
collaborators on her shimmering
‘DISCO’ reissue.
The ‘Guest List Edition’ of her
record-breaking 2020 LP features
four new collaborations with Dua
Lipa, Years & Years, Jessie Ware
and Gloria Gaynor, alongside the
original 16-track album.
On A Second to Midnight,
Kylie teams up with Olly
Alexander for a partnership
made in pop heaven, while the
long-awaited collaboration with
Jessie, Kiss of Life, is worth the
wait. Can’t Stop Writing Songs
About You – with ‘70s icon Gloria –
is sublime.
Seven remixes offer alternative
takes on singles Say Something,
Magic, Real Groove and fan-
favourite Dance Floor Darling,
with Initial Talk, F9, Syn Cole
and Purple Disco Machine
offering an array of sounds,
from late-night club beats to
Stock Aitken Waterman style
throwbacks.
There’s more; physical editions
come with a CD, DVD and Blu-ray
of the ‘Infinite Disco’ livestream
special, while a limited vinyl release
features extended versions of the
original ‘DISCO’ album.
One year after opening its doors,
Kylie’s disco is still going strong
and shows no sign of simmering
down anytime soon.

3 ABBA
Voyage
Polar
ABBA’s first album in 40 years is a
nostalgic ‘Voyage’ through time.
The group’s ninth LP opens with I
Still Have Faith in You, ABBA’s first
sinlge since 1982’s Under Attack.
The keys may have been
lowered to accommodate Agnetha
Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad’s
matured tones, but as they declare,
‘We do have it in us / New spirit
has arrived,’ it’s a comforting
reassurance that all is well.
‘Voyage’ is as varied as
ABBA’s classic offerings, with the
Irish-influenced When You Danced
With Me segueing seamlessly into
delicate Christmas ballad Little
Things, into Don’t Shut Me Down
– the group’s latest UK Top 10
and Swedish No. 1 single.
Fans of upbeat ABBA will
gravitate towards ‘Voulez- Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’
Vous’ outtake Just a Notion songwriting partnership.
and stadium-worthy No Doubt Close your eyes and ‘Voyage’
About It, while the tender I Can will transport you back to the ‘80s
Be That Woman and Bumblebee like the past four decades never
showcase the beauty in Benny even existed.

33
REVIEW 2021: TOP 20

2 JACK SAVORETTI
Europiana
Universal
Jack Savoretti takes a musical voyage through the
soundtrack to his childhood summers on ‘Europiana’.
Inspired by his early years in mainland
Europe, the album is led by the Nile Rodgers-
produced Who’s Hurting Who, showcasing the
singer-songwriter’s signature raspy vocals over
Chic-style beats.
That inspiration runs through the collection,
which touches on Jack’s love of 1970s Italo disco
and the sounds that shaped his musical instincts,
through to his career today.
Secret Life, with its infectious rhythm and sweeping
synths, laments the freedom of anonymity, while
Dancing in the Living Room deals with life’s simple
pleasures over a funky bassline.
Most impressive about ‘Europiana’ is its narrative;
reflective opener I Remember Us features the chant
of a children’s choir, and the album closes with a full
circle moment on War of Words, blending the young
vocals with Jack’s unmistakeable tone.
‘Europiana’ is more than an album; it’s a snapshot
of a moment in time, preserved in words and music,
capturing the youth and early loves of one of Britain’s
premier musicians.

AGNES
Magic Still Exists
Universal
Agnes conjures a slick disco fantasy on her
triumphant comeback ‘Magic Still Exists’.
The superstar celebrates a sweet 16 years since
finding fame on Sweden’s ‘Idol’ with her first album
in a decade and scores our pick of 2021 with a
non-stop collection of dance floor perfection.
Opening instrumental Spiritual Awakening
segues into XX – an anthem forauthenticity that
defies you to lose yourself in the beat and live your
best life.
The energy continues with singles 24 Hours, Here
Comes the Night and Fingers Crossed, while new
tracks Selfmade and Love and Appreciation are
consistently strong.
Pieced together via a series of interludes that feed
off the music, Agnes shares a proud message of love
and acceptance, declaring, ‘It’s time to set yourself
free / Let go of everything that holds you back / ‘Keep believing that we’ll stay forever young / Keep
The soul has no gender’. believing that we’ve only just begun / No, we don’t
It’s a poignant narrative that comes to a head on have to close our eyes and make a wish / With you,
the album’s closer and title track; a rousing piano I know that magic still exists,’ she sings, as a welcome
ballad that urges listeners to, ‘Free your mind and offering of hope and escapism.
free your body’, and surrender to the music. All rise – a new Queen of Disco has been crowned.

34 RETROPOP
FEATURE: TEARS FOR FEARS

FINDING
BALANCE
IN A
MAD WORLD
Tears For Fears’ epic catalogue soundtracked
the ‘80s and scored them international acclaim,
but working on new album ‘The Tipping Point’ – the
band’s first in 18 years – almost tore Roland Orzabal
and Curt Smith apart in the process.

Words: Connor Gotto

36 RETROPOP
 Tears For Fears’ career has been an exercise
in finding balance. The group achieved early
success in 1982 with Mad World, the synth-led
new wave hit inspired by pioneers of the movement
Duran Duran, before a transition to mainstream pop
took them global with Shout, Sowing the Seeds of
Love and their signature anthem Everybody Wants
to Rule The World hitting the charts worldwide.
It’s a move that cemented their legacy and earned
them icon status, but making plans for the future with
the band’s first since LP since ‘04 release ‘Everybody
Loves a Happy Ending’ saw Roland Orzabal and
Curt Smith surrounded by collaborators who were
preoccupied with the past.
“When we first started this record, we did that thing
called ‘speed dating’, where you get together with a
lot of writers and producers,” Roland recalls. “There’s
no real sense of ‘Well, what do you want to say?’ It’s
more often like they’re saying, ‘Well, you’ve had a hit
before and it sounded like this…’”
It was an exercise that continued for “six or seven
years” and initially sparked creativity, resulting in
the single I Love You but I’m Lost – co-written with
Bastille’s Dan Smith and producer Mark Crew –
from their greatest hits LP ‘Rule the World’. But
Photos ©
Frank W. Ockenfels 3 as the sessions progressed, something was off,
and things came to a head when a dissatisfied Curt
threatened to wash his hands of the record altogether.
“We got to the point a few years ago where I certainly
wasn’t happy with what we were doing,” he admits.
“Myself and Roland sat down and I said, ‘Look, if this is
what you want to do, then you go ahead and do it, but
it’s not for me.’ That ended and we didn’t know what
we were going to do. It was sort of up in the air.”
It’s not the first time disagreements threatened the
lifeblood of the group; following the release of their
platinum-selling third album, ‘The Seeds of Love’,
in ‘89, an acrimonious split saw Roland retain the
band’s name for his solo project, which spawned
two albums – ‘Elemental’ and ‘Raoul and the
Kings of Spain’. The result was distinctly different
to Tears For Fears’ previous output and the latter
failed to break the UK Top 40.
37
FEATURE: TEARS FOR FEARS
Back then, it took a decade for the longtime friends
to set aside their differences and regroup, but this
time around they were able to rise above the growing
tensions and pinpoint the cause of the discontent.
“[We were being] pushed in various directions –
not only by our past management but also a record
company we were signed to,” Roland says. Curt adds
of the original album: “It was just a lot of attempts at
trying to make a modern hit single… And we’re crap
at making modern records!”
Initially, they set the project to one side and focussed
solely on live work, but it was a tragedy that reignited
their creative flair and pushed the pair back into the
studio, when Roland’s wife Caroline passed away a
decade after a difficult experience with menopause
sent her into depression and alcohol misuse.
He candidly recalls the heartbreak: “I can be quite
honest about this, because my late wife and Curt and
I used to hang out when we were 14 [or] 13, in Snow
Hill flats in Bath. Obviously, the older you get the more
people you lose. And then you kind of think, ‘Hang
on, I’ve known him all my life, almost.’ So when I had
my medical emergencies in 2018, the first person I
thought about ringing was Curt. I was thinking, ‘Am
I going to get through this?’ Get Curt on the phone!
‘You can have my guitars. You can have my clothes!’”
That poignant moment reopened the lines of
communication between the pair and compelled
them to reconvene and reassess their direction, with
a view to pushing forward with a body of work that
was mutually fulfilling.
“Roland said, ‘Look, let’s sit down and talk about
this. What do you feel?’ And I said, ‘I think we have
some good songs. But I just think that the recordings
really aren’t right. They don’t sound like Tears for Fears
– they sound like us trying to be someone else’,” Curt
remembers. “I think he’d come to the same realisation,
having taken time away from it... So we sat down
and plotted a path forward of how we could finish
an album that we were both happy with.”
Back on the same page musically, the pair blocked
out the external influences and reverted to a method
of working they’d not embraced since their teens – on
acoustic guitars, in Curt’s house. “That was the first
time we’ve done that since we were 18,” he smiles.
The result was album opener, No Small Thing,
which begins as an acoustic ditty and flourishes into
a full band moment, and it became a “catalyst” for
‘The Tipping Point’ as we know it today.
It’s a story the pair are all too happy to share and
one that’s woven into the narrative of the album; its
title track, Roland says, comes from “a specific time
in my life when my first wife wasn’t very well”.
“I was essentially watching her die. That’s where
the lyrics come from. It’s an image of a hospital room
where you are just looking at someone and waiting
for the point when they are more dead than alive.
That’s the tipping point, and it’s almost like part of
you is willing to cross that threshold because you
are in that purgatory while they’re in purgatory.”
38
It was the obvious choice as lead single, not only
due to its personal significance but also because it
references two of their biggest hits: Head Over Heels
and Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
“That was Charlton Pettus, who desperately was
trying to do something that was self-referential,”
Curt says. “So he put a Head Over Heels piano
motif over a shuffle beat, which is Everybody
Wants to Rule the World.”
The result is classic Tears For Fears and a track
that, in a world where ‘80s music is as popular as ever,
is simultaneously current and classic.
Curt and Roland are fully aware of what constitutes
a Tears For Fears song and, while they take calculated
risks, the collection feeds into their discography and
caters to longtime fans and new listeners alike. When
it comes to their own preferences, however, the pair
couldn’t be more dissimilar. The dilemma: “He adds
rhythm to things I do and I tell him not to shout as
much,” Curt laughs.
“I was essentially watching her die.
That’s where the lyrics come from. It’s an
image of a hospital room where you are
just looking at someone and waiting for
the point when they are more dead than
alive. That’s the tipping point.”
Although the pair washed their hands of many of
the early recordings, they couldn’t resist addressing
their struggles on the drum-driven Master Plan,
which is “a bit of a dig” at their ex-manager. “It’s
about when someone in your life has ‘the master plan’
– at least that’s their job. And the master plan for our
last manager was not to make any records because,
‘It’s a waste of time’,” says Roland.
Consequently, the pair stopped trusting themselves
and came to a creative standstill. “There are certain
periods in a long career that are not going to work for
you, so you might as well go home and do nothing.
Then, the tide turns. All of a sudden, you’re floating
back to shore at a very fast pace.”
Some would question their determination to push
forward with an album at all; Curt admits they “don’t
get paid fairly” by the major streaming companies
and, as a band that makes “an incredibly good
income playing live,” the personal and financial
exertion seems counter-intuitive.
So why did they? He laughs: “Self-gratification
more than anything, I think. We can go out now for
six weeks and make as much as we would make in a
year back then. And that was when we were hugely
successful. So you’re not doing it for money, you’re
doing it for personal satisfaction.
RETROPOP
39
FEATURE: TEARS FOR FEARS
“We got to a stage playing live, which we do enjoy
a lot. Especially with the band we have now. But we
were playing the same things all the time. Obviously,
we have a big enough catalogue where we can
change it around, but you know, you are limited, there
is a finite amount of material. So we just sort of felt
the need for new songs, primarily for us to go out
and play live and still enjoy it and still find it fresh.”
The group credit their live band for much of their
career renaissance – calling the collective “ the
easiest people to play with and great musicians” –
and the ensemble rallied around when it came to
getting ‘The Tipping Point’ back on track.
Roland explains: “My new wife is acutely aware
of the struggles we had early on making the record
and working with all sorts of people. She scratched
her head one day and said, ‘Why don’t you write your
songs with your own band? Because they’re amazing.’
I said, ‘Well, not a bad idea’.”
Keyboard player Doug Petty teamed up with
Charlton to work on an instrumental, which they
handed over to Roland at the start of the pandemic,
when the Black Lives Matter movement was gaining
momentum Stateside following the killing of
Minnesota man George Floyd at the hands of cops.
The result is Rivers of Mercy – an ambient track
inspired by his experience of living through a
cultural revolution through the lens of a TV camera.
“It felt strange because during lockdown #1, I was
in the West Country of England, and it was beautiful.
Then you turn on the TV or your computer and there
is absolute chaos,” he recalls. “The narrator in Rivers
of Mercy is a person almost desperate to go back to
a time when this chaos isn’t happening. This song
has that idea of redemption through the river, like in
Take Me To The River – that notion of redemption or
baptism. That’s probably my favourite song on the
whole album.”
It’s ironic that Roland’s pick of the bunch is more
aligned with what Curt would typically produce
and perhaps a sign that the pair are more similar
musically than they would admit. Curt nods: “It just
becomes a natural process in the end. There are times
where it’s out of balance – we’ve used this word a lot.
This album was about trying to find a balance: that’s
a balance between old and new, that’s a balance
between me and him, and a balance between
songs where they have a flow.
“So not everything is one thing. You need to tell
a story and the story has to be balanced and has
to have a beginning and an ending. That was the
struggle with this record,” he muses, as Roland
chimes: “Which is why we don’t make records
very often!”
Much has changed in the music industry since
Tears For Fears released their previous body of work,
with streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music
taking a stronghold over the charts, and although
they present myriad issues Curt is optimistic they
could work in the band’s favour this time around.
40
“More and more people have access to our music.
So whereas when I was younger, I wasn’t going back
and listening to my parents’ 78s. There was nowhere
where you could get instant kind of, ‘If you like this,
then you might like this.’ And no instant, ‘I want to
hear that song’ – because you’d have to go to a record
store and buy the album or the single. Now you can
just find it online in a second. So in that sense, people
have more access to older music.”
It leads to a discussion surrounding the group’s
legacy and, in particular, the 40th anniversary of
Tears For Fears’ first chart success. Will the milestone
be celebrated in the group’s forthcoming world tour?
“Well, no plans for it to come into it right now – other
than, thanks for making me feel old,” Curt laughs.
This album was about trying
to find a balance: that’s a balance
between old and new, that’s a
balance between me and him,
and a balance between songs
where they have a flow.”
“No, I mean, we’re very aware of it, but whether
we plan something... It’s a weird one, because it
doesn’t really happen ‘til the end of next year. If you
see what I’m saying: Mad World was released at the
end of ‘82, ‘The Hurting’ was at the beginning of ‘83.
So, we’ll see…”
However, nothing’s off the table, and after wrapping
the international trek, which takes Tears For Fears
across the US and UK, there’s time in the latter half
of 2022 to look back. And when it comes to the future,
the pair are more than happy to see where the muse
takes them.
“I learned a long time ago that planning more than
six months to a year ahead is sort of pointless because
anything can happen,” he insists. The problem [with
‘The Tipping Point’] was there was a plan: work with
these modern producers and songwriters and make
this modern-sounding album. It was a plan, then we
got into it and realised, ‘I don’t like this’. And then the
plan goes up in smoke.
“We’re far better off, it would appear, going into
the studio and bluffing our way through it until we
get to a point where we find something we both like,”
he affirms, leaving the book open for the band to
write the next chapter in Tears For Fears’ enduring
pop legacy.
‘The Tipping Point’ is out February 25 on Concord
Records. Tears For Fears kick off the US leg of their
tour in May with support from Garbage, before
hitting the UK in July with Alison Moyet.
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41
FEATURE: MATT GOSS

DIVING
INTO THE
BEAUTIFUL
UNKNOWN
Matt Goss is back and he’s doing things his way,
with a brilliant new solo album and plans for an
“outrageous” Bros comeback in the works...

Words: Connor Gotto

Matt Goss has recently returned to the

UK after a decade in the United States.
“I’ve come back a lot. I’ve done a lot of shows;
obviously The O2, Wembley, the Royal Albert Hall.
I’ve done a show like that every year since I can
remember,” he reflects, insisting now is the time
to get back to his roots.
The move is permanent – well, sort of... He’s
planning to split his time between London and
Los Angeles and, as we catch up via Zoom, Matt
reveals he’s been viewing property and admits his
homecoming has “a very different feel to it”.
It’s hardly surprising; the last time Matt lived
in the UK, the iPhone was on its second iteration,
Instagram hadn’t been invented and Madonna
was in her ‘Hard Candy’ era.
The city may have changed, but he insists:
“The time is right for me. I’d had enough of being in
one place, I’d had enough of over abusing my voice.
I didn’t want to touch the piano. I didn’t want to
Photos ©
touch my guitars. I definitely didn’t want to sing.” Amanda Demme

42 RETROPOP
43
FEATURE: MATT GOSS
Matt, who earned teen heartthrob status as the
frontman of the group in the late ‘80s, set up base
Stateside in June, 2009 after landing a residency
show at the Palms Casino Resort. An instant success,
he later moved the concert to the iconic Caesars
Palace in January, 2010 and began touring the
spectacle worldwide.
Early in the run, Matt was living in LA and
commuting to Sin City for up to 120 shows each
year, but following the devastating loss of his mum
Carol to cancer in 2014, he made a more permanent
set-up in Vegas. The move was only part of the
upheaval, as the singer’s mental health began to
suffer following the heartbreak, leading to social
anxiety and panic attacks, which he links to his
gruelling flight schedule.
“I needed to get into a place where I could still do
what I love but not necessarily be around so many
people,” he recalls, insisting that Vegas was the
perfect place to keep his career in the spotlight while
dealing with his personal issues behind closed doors.
Returning to the stage gave Matt a focus and he was
thriving on the momentum of his packed schedule,
but when the Strip shut down in 2020 Matt found
himself reevaluating his life choices and facing
tough decisions about his future.
“I think that this time has forced us into a place
of self-reflection. I don’t know one person that hasn’t
drilled a hole in themselves,” he muses, insisting,
“You’re either going to get crushed by this wave, or
you’re going to get on top of it and ride it all the way
to the shore. I just made a decision that, if I want to
see the world again, in a way that I am used to
seeing the world, then the one thing I know how
to do is write music.”
44
It was from that realisation ‘The Beautiful
Unknown’ was born; an 11-track collection that
sees Matt return to the pop sound of Bros’ biggest
chart hits – I Owe You Nothing, Drop The Boy, Too
Much and, of course, When Will I Be Famous? – and
territory he hasn’t explored in decades. The result is
an “aggressive pop record,” but buried beneath the
surface is the story of his experiences over the past
10 years: “There’s a lot of stuff that’s in there that I
wanted to address; from toxic relationships and my
grief, to the intimacy of technology...”
However, he’s cautious not to “overly explain”
the record: “There is such solitude in writing. You’re
really trying to dig into yourself and, if you really want
to tell the truth, you’ve got to talk about stuff that you
might not want to talk about. You know, never waste
good agony…
“I remember being in a very isolated and somewhat
oppressive environment and, all of a sudden, that
experience gets transformed into something that’s
very public and very open and alive. That’s the
intoxicating part of being a musician; you have this
very inward, pensive, vulnerable place, which turns
into a very joyous place, that is interpreted differently
by different people.”
Matt’s lyrics are both personal and open – take lead
single Somewhere to Fall, in which he seeks refuge
and comfort while working through his heartache:
‘I will be strong / A mother’s son / Gotta let go’.
There are moments of vulnerability – ‘No one
should feel like they’re an island / Surrounded
by the sea’ (Feeling High) – juxtaposed with the
triumph of overcoming adversity – ‘Raise a glass
to the beautiful unknown / Be prepared to undress
your soul’ (The Beautiful Unknown).
Buried among the lush metaphors are more
striking lyrics sure to capture fans’ attention –
‘We’re making love over FaceTime / My words are
pictures in your mind’ – but, judging by the glimmer
in his eyes as he discusses “phone sex” track Making
It Rain, Matt knows exactly what he’s doing.
His passion for music is infectious and it’s
refreshing to speak to an artist who, 30+ years into
his career, is both totally grounded and genuinely
humbled by the positive response to his latest work.
He grins: “Last night, I was on the phone doing
interviews in Australia. I’m definitely going to
Australia and that’s because of the 11 songs that I
wrote. They’re already taking me to the other side
of the world. It’s quite an extraordinary thing, if you
think about it, that even after all this time of writing
records, music can still take you to amazing places.
“When you’ve been in music for a while, you realise
that music isn’t just about chart positions. It’s about
the journey that music takes you on. It’s extraordinary
where music is taking me – we wouldn’t have enough
time to explain where music is taking me…”
Chart positions are nice though, surely? “I think
you transcend that kind of success. If you spend the
day with me, you become a person that everybody
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says ‘Hello’ to. You become a person everyone wants a
selfie with. It transcends that brief moment of fame.”
And yet, when it comes to his celebrity, Matt
remains as popular as ever; after touching down
at Heathrow Airport in September, he was greeted
by adoring fans celebrating his long-awaited
homecoming. Less than 24 hours after his return,
he was already making headlines.
“Many things haven’t changed; there are still
fans downstairs the hotel, I’m still doing interviews
all over the world. It’s not as mad as it was – there’s
definitely a pace at which you can observe a bit more,
then there are moments where you just go, ‘If people
f**king knew what I’m experiencing right now, there’s
no way they would even fathom’.
“When you’ve got secret service around you and
you’re playing for Joe Biden, because he’s asked you
to. Or you’re playing one song for the owner of the
biggest football team in America and he wants you
to sing that song for him. Or you’re in St. Barts on an
800-foot yacht and there’s every single A-list person
from Hollywood on that boat.
“It transcends hit records. It transcends chart
positions. The thing I’m proud of is that you become
less concerned just with the chart positions because
that alone doesn’t pay the mortgage. It becomes a
journey. I know it’s cliché, but it really is about the
journey, not the destination.”
‘The Beautiful Unknown’ is a testament to
Matt’s commitment to his craft and, when it came
to gathering tracks for the LP, he approached the
project with the view that “every song could be
a single”. “If there was a song that was nice but
I didn’t feel like it was current, or it didn’t feel
like I could hear on the radio, I just scrapped it.
I was pretty brutal writing this record.”
A self-professed perfectionist, Matt admits he can
be particularly hard on himself in the studio – a habit
he shares with twin brother and Bros bandmate Luke
and one that fuelled the volatility of their working
relationship. To this day, they still “do not speak each
other’s musical language”.
“I love pop and soul, and Luke loves more of the
rock side of things,” he shrugs. “It’s pretty easy once
we’re in the studio to figure it out, but can be quite
tumultuous… We’re both perfectionists.”
This time around, Matt’s biggest critic was himself,
as he endeavoured to create a record that spoke to
a current audience and sounded contemporary yet
classic. Although influenced by the sounds making
waves in today’s commercial charts, however, our
conversation soon turns to the revival of electronic
‘80s and ‘90s house music.
The irony isn’t lost on Matt: “I’ve heard certain
things and I think there were some influences that
might have come from me,” he laughs. “The Weeknd
and stuff like that, that sound... When you hear the
keyboards that he’s using, they’re without question
from the ‘80s and early ‘90s. It’s all coming back.
45
FEATURE: MATT GOSS
“If I’m being brutally honest, I’m hearing this music
and I’m thinking, ‘Well, I was part of that original
movement.’ It’s something I really understand –
so why not take advantage of that?!”
It’s inevitable, then, that along with the modern
influences comes an equally-impressive list of
veteran inspirations for the record: “Duran Duran,
Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, George Michael, Prince,
Michael Jackson, they’re all on this album.”
Nicks and Fleetwood Mac have the most profound
impact on ‘The Beautiful Unknown’, with a cover of
her song Landslide, from the group’s 1975 self-titled
‘White Album’, closing out the record. For Matt, it’s
his way of “saying thank you for all these wonderful
influences”.
“I’d never really heard a fella sing that song,
but it always moves me for some reason,” he says.
“It moved me when I was 19 and it moves me now.
So to close the album out with it, out of respect for
an artist I also love, and put a little bit of soul in there,
is a way of saying it’s not all about me.”
Matt’s humility shines through and, as we wind
down our chat, he reflects on the full-circle moment
of returning to London and how far he’s come over the
past decade, as he prepares to embark on a bold new
chapter, both personally and professionally.
“It’s beautiful to have a residency for over 10
years. Certainly at Caesar’s Palace – arguably the
most famous casino on the planet – I’m proud of
succeeding in that town and the accolades I got
in that town. I will always be grateful for Vegas. It
taught me so much,” he says. “But I was designed
to see the world…”
A big part of his desire to leave Las Vegas and seek
out new experiences is the opportunity to reconnect
with fans worldwide, outside of an environment
which, he admits, is “becoming very corporate”.
46
“There’s something beautiful about having that
connection,” he says of his MGA aka Matt Goss Army.
“I know for a fact the fans would not be with me if I
was some arrogant a**ehole that didn’t care about
people and didn’t care about compassion and didn’t
genuinely care about civility. I guess we’ve got this
necessity of civility that drives us as a little army
that we are.”
“I know for a fact the fans would not be
with me if I was some arrogant a**ehole
that didn’t care about people.”
That authenticity, he says, is vital for anyone
living out their life in the spotlight and something
he’s come to appreciate especially since reuniting
with Luke onstage in 2017 for their 30th-anniversary
gigs at The O2 – the band’s first live shows since
1989 – which played out in the documentary
‘Bros: After the Screaming Stops’.
The shows were an instant hit; tickets for the
first night sold out in a record-breaking seven
seconds, leading to the pair adding a second date,
but the behind the scenes feature shone a light on
the duo’s often-faltering personal relationships.
Looking back, Matt admits it was a
breakthrough moment for the siblings: “I don’t
think the documentary was nostalgic. I don’t think
it was a fluff piece. I think it probably changed the
way documentaries are made. It was so honest
and, if you’re not that honest now, I think it’s going
to be very noticeable. I think there are some
documentaries out there that aren’t as honest
and, as a result, they’re not as interesting.”
To coincide with their reunion, Bros returned
with Love Can Make You Fly, their first new single
in 25 years. It remains a standalone release. But after
Luke recently revealed the pair were planning to work
together on “the definitive Bros album,” we couldn’t
not get an update on the project.
“It’s definitely on the cards,” he nods. “My brother’s
in love with art right now. We’ve both had a massive
illumination of what feels right and what we needed.
We let go of certain things in our life, certain people
in our life. Also, we realised the people that really,
really loved us.”
He adds: “Luckily, we are the closest we’ve ever been.
Once I’m done with this record and Luke is done with
the next phase of his art, we absolutely want to do an
outrageous record together.”
With that in mind, I ask whether Luke has heard
‘The Beautiful Unknown’? Matt smiles: “He loves it.”.
‘The Beautiful Unknown’ is out February 4
on Lewisham Records.
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47
FEATURE: SOFT CELL

BRUISED
ILLUSIONS
Synth-pop pioneers Soft Cell return after two
decades with their hard-hitting comeback
‘*Happiness Not Included’

Words: Connor Gotto

Twenty years since they last released

music, Soft Cell still have plenty left to say.
The duo return with their fifth studio album,
‘*Happiness Not Included’ – an 11-track collection
of electronic musings on the progression of the
human race and the attitudes and behaviours
that have created the world we live in today.
“In this album, I wanted to look at us as a society,”
says Marc Almond, “a place where we have chosen to
put profits before people, money before morality and
decency, food before the rights of animals, fanaticism
before fairness and our own trivial comforts before
the unspeakable agonies of others.”
It strikes a fine balance between light and shade – a
dichotomy often found in the group’s tracks, which dive
deep lyrically over infectious, often uplifting beats – and
analyses the world through the gaze of the singer and
lyricist, who took the reins on Dave Ball’s instrumentals
as the pair worked remotely to complete the project.
Across the impressive set, he explores the
disappointment of a future that never materialised
and shares his disillusionment at the modern media
landscape, via his own experiences as a celebrity – at
Andy Warhol’s New York studio The Factory – and as
a human being.
“I’m always surprised and he didn’t disappoint,” says
Dave of the end result. “Normally, we’d probably get into
the studio together at some point. Not all the time, but
I’d go over and see what he’s doing with the vocals.

48 RETROPOP
49
FEATURE: SOFT CELL
“Luckily, he had all the sound files. So, he could go
into a little studio down Dean Street [in London] and
do the vocals without me being there. So it worked
out OK. It was a completely remote way of working.
But we’ve kind of done that since day one when I
used to make Marc cassettes. That’s how we did
our early stuff.”
Times may have changed, with the wonders of
technology allowing the pair to exchange recordings
digitally – “I can now send him a finished multitrack,
that he can work on in another studio, so you get
the actual real masters,” he explains – but the
advancements don’t make up for the shortcomings
that influenced the pair to return to the studio for
the first time since 2002 release ‘Cruelty Without
Beauty’. For Soft Cell, the space between recordings
isn’t uncommon – that record was the follow-up to
their 1984 release ‘This Last Night in Sodom’, some
18 years in the making – but for Marc and Dave,
“the conditions seemed to be right” to reunite
and create new music.
50
“I think our music has always had a slight, gritty
reality to it, which obviously comes with the lyrics,
but it’s also a subject matter that’s close to my
heart,” Dave explains of the deeply political offering.
“Regardless of the pandemic, a lot of it reflects the
dreadful government we have at the moment and the
levels of hypocrisy and incompetence. I think it’s very
much reflective of what’s going on in the world. The
fact we had someone like [Donald] Trump in power.
“We’re not in a very good place globally. Whatever
your political beliefs are, the state [of the world] isn’t
too good. And obviously, with all the global warming
and all that sort of stuff going on, it’s not fantastically
happy times.”
It’s a heavy subject matter for a pop comeback
20 years in the making, but the pair excel at
spreading the message with a subtlety that makes
for a pleasurable listening experience. The move is
intentional, with Marc explaining that innate to the
album is “a belief that there is a utopia if we can peel
back the layers and understand what really matters.”
“I think it’s quite reflective and looks back as much
as it looks forward, really,” Dave says. “When we
started out [in our careers], obviously you’re looking
forward. But as you get older, you’re looking
back and forward. He’s written some
really kind of wise sounding lyrics.
Some of it’s jaded, but some
of it’s still optimistic.”
That notion is
encompassed in the
album artwork, which
features photos from the
funfair at Pripyat, Ukraine, which
was due to open just days after the
Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 and has
remained abandoned since. The visual also
forms the backdrop for the pre-release
track Heart of Chernobyl, on which Marc
sings: ‘All I have to say, the news has
made me this way / Another horror
every day / So on your knees and pray.’
“When I wrote the music to Heart
Like Chernobyl it was at the height
of lockdown and I had been alone
for about six weeks,” Dave explains.
“I was feeling a bit Joy Division
and recalled their track Isolation.
I played, programmed and
recorded the track digitally in
my home studio – Kitchen Sink
Drama. The track title was Marc’s
idea, as was the subject matter.”
It extended beyond just one song
and became synonymous with the
state of the world today, harkening
back metaphorically to Marc and
Dave’s respective upbringings in
the seaside towns of Southport
and Blackpool.
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 “We both have a sort of background of coming
from seaside towns with funfairs,” Dave muses.
“When you’re young, it’s all great fun and it’s all a
laugh, but as you get older, it’s not so fun anymore.
“We’ve got these clowns in charge, but it’s not
funny. It’s kind of like a funfair where there’s no fun,”
he quips, before laughing: “Maybe we’re just getting
a bit old and cynical.”
When talking about his formative years, Dave
name-drops another Blackpool-born star – Pet Shop
Boys’ Chris Lowe – and reveals he used his musician
pal as a sounding board for ‘*Happiness Not Included’.
He was so impressed, in fact, that the ‘80s legends are
now planning to work together on a collaboration.
“We’ve known each other for years and there’s never
been a rivalry,” he says. “They’ve obviously been a lot
more successful in terms of pop. They would probably
readily admit they are more pure pop than we ever
were; we were much more dangerous and challenging
things a bit more, whereas the Pet Shop Boys always
had an excellent, very pop sensibility.
“I was talking to Chris Lowe backstage about
the possibility of a Pet Shop Boys remix and he said,
‘I love that track, The Purple Zone.’ So that’s a
possible contender.”
The song – an airy pop number that contrasts
uplifting sonics with Marc’s darkly doomed lyrics –
is one of the most commercial on the album, sitting
between Heart Like Chernobyl and Bruises On My
Illusions, which is “one of [Soft Cell’s] darker cinematic
pop moments with a classic Marc Almond lyric.”
According to Marc, the track is “a mini film noir
Soft Cell story about a disillusioned character with “You don’t want to just do a show where you’re just
everything against him or her who still has hope for gonna play the entire new album, because that’s really
a better future, despite the odds. A darker Bedsitter. hard on an audience… So we thought, ‘Well, we could
Dave’s ominous yet punchy defiant chords inspired do a few new tracks…’ Some old favourites and some
the song.” that we’ve not played before that people always ask
Another cut that encapsulates the themes of the for, like Kitchen Sink Drama. Then, we decided to do
album, New Eden, directly addresses the passing the second half as the entire first album, because it’s
of time: ‘All those plans we made in the ‘60s… Seem the anniversary.”
naïve now we’ve grown older / Leaving we’re leaving The shows were eye-opening for the duo: “There
looking for the New Eden.’ were certain standout numbers – and it wasn’t Tainted
It’s impressive that Soft Cell’s latest offering is so Love, because everyone’s so bored with that. But things
forward-facing considering the group’s most-recent like Bedsitter, Chips on My Shoulder, Seedy Films –
career milestone – 40 years since the release of their they seemed to go down a storm.”
debut, full-length album, ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’, Yet the demand for Soft Cell’s classic hit remains
featuring their iconic cover of Northern soul classic as strong as ever, with a commemorative pink vinyl
Tainted Love, which topped the charts in 1981 and reissue of the track – featuring a new, five-minute
went on to sell more than one million copies. It’s edit from Dave, which uses previously-unheard
a pivotal moment in pop history and one the pair studio parts from the original recording sessions,
couldn’t let go by unnoticed. plus remastered versions of the original 7” coupled
“Marc’s always been a great one for celebrating with its B-side, Where Did Our Love Go – whipping
certain anniversaries,” Dave admits, as we touch on fans into a frenzy when it went up for pre-order
their recent week of celebratory shows, featuring all earlier this year.
of their best-loved material – including songs from the It seems that hitting the road for an alternative style
new record – followed by the classic album, played show worked well for Soft Cell, with Dave admitting
front-to-back, during the second half of the evening. a similar style gig in celebration of its follow-up,
“We just signed a deal for a new album with ‘The Art of Falling Apart’, is an option. “We’ve not
BMG and they said, ‘Are you going to do any shows?’ got a massive catalogue, but there’s enough stuff
We hadn’t really thought about it,” Dave recalls. that the fans regard as classic,” he says.

51
FEATURE: SOFT CELL
It’s true: ‘*Happiness Not Included’ is only Soft Cell’s
fifth studio album, but Marc and Dave’s legacy –
both as a duo and off the back of their solo projects
– stands the test of time and secures their status as
bonafide pop icons. And despite their decades in the
business, they still have a great time playing live and
connecting with fans around the world.
For Dave, touring is fine “when it’s organised
properly”. “That’s why this was really great, because
everything was sorted out properly…”
However, he did have one complaint: “There were
a few issues, like the distance from the hotel room to
the bar! [...] When we played in Glasgow, we couldn’t
actually get a room because of the [COP26] climate
change conference. So we ended up staying at this
golf club in Edinburgh – it’s probably where Biden
and stayed a few days before! It had two full-size
golf courses and a tennis court, this massive low-
rise sprawling mansion place – and it was about a
quarter of a mile away from the bar!”
In search of a drink, Dave found himself getting
lost in the grounds – but ever the resourceful one, he
tracked down a porter who drove him – via golf buggy
– to finally quench his thirst. “The guy said to me,
‘Come outside, I’ll take you on one of the buggies.’ So I
got on a golf buggy and he took me around the outside.
There was an exit near my door – it was fantastic!”
52
When it comes to touring the new album, however,
he’s not sure whether the pair will get round to hitting
the stage during the campaign because of current
global events. “We’ve probably been lucky to get that
week in when we did,” he says of the recent jaunt,
insisting they don’t want to book shows and let fans
down. What’s more, the demand for concert venues,
he says, makes it near impossible to plan anything in
the immediate future.
“A lot of it reflects the dreadful
government we have at the moment and
the levels of hypocrisy and incompetence.
I think it’s very much reflective of what’s
going on in the world.”
Now 64 and 62, respectively, Marc and Dave are
realistic when deciding their next move and, although
studio work is adaptable, the duo have accepted the
fact that their days performing live shows worldwide
are numbered.
“We’re not going to be touring for years and years
now. If we do many more shows, they’re going to be in
the next few years,” Dave insists. “Because of our age
and our physical health, you know. I don’t know how
long I’ll be good enough physically to do it.
“I’m not in great shape. Marc’s probably a lot fitter
than I am and he runs around. I’m pretty static because
I have terrible back problems and stuff,” he adds. “It’s
all those years of Northern Soul dancing – my hips
have gone. I’ll have to have a hip replacement!”
However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about
Soft Cell it’s that they follow their muse and don’t
have their careers dictated to them by anyone but
themselves. “We’ve always been like that though,”
Dave insists. “When we felt like doing something
and conditions seemed to be right, then we’d do
something. Marc does a lot of other stuff that he
enjoys doing and needs to get off his chest. And I’m
the same. I do a lot of other projects with The Grid
and various other people...”
Case in point: the group’s 2018 gig at The O2 in
London – dubbed ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’ – was
billed as their final UK performance, and here we are
catching up after they wrapped their latest string of
headline shows across the country.
So although Marc and Dave might be considering
winding down on work in the not-too-distant future,
don’t be surprised if in a couple of years, once the
new album has been unleashed into the world, the
inspiration hits and drives them back into the studio
to create more Soft Cell magic.
‘*Happiness Not Included’ is out February 25 via BMG
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53
FEATURE: KIM WILDE

BORN TO BE
WILDE Ahead of her hotly-anticipated ‘Greatest Hits Tour’, ‘80s icon
Kim Wilde talks Madonna, touring with Michael Jackson
and marking her impressive 40 year musical legacy.

Words: Christian Guiltenane

Kim Wilde has never been enticed by the

fame game.
“I was never a mad popstar – I was the girl next
door,” she asserts with a deadpan laugh. “One minute
I’d be singing Kids in America on ‘Top of the Pops’ or
on stage somewhere, the next I’d be home helping
mum changing my kid sister’s nappies.”
The single took her around the world and made her
an industry darling, but Kim remained humble and
continued living at home with her mum, along with
rock star dad Marty and brother Ricky, who co-wrote
her breakthrough hit.
While her success meant performing to thousands
of adoring fans and appearing on huge TV shows,
she never lost sight of who she was or what she was
doing. “Music was always the motivational factor,”
she maintains. “It’s always been at the heart of who
I am. Fame itself was never something that never
Photos ©
Sean J. Vincent really sat well with me. But it was fun.”

54 RETROPOP
55
FEATURE: KIM WILDE
Whether she liked it or not, Kim admits she “had a
public life,” but “felt comfortable that that was the bed
that I was in. I was just grateful that my career was so
exciting and enabled me and my brother to work on
our songwriting and see where it took us. It gave us the
chance to do what we wanted to do. And having Ricky
there with me made everything so much easier.”
Flash forward four decades and the pair’s bond
is as strong as ever, as the siblings celebrate Kim’s
latest career milestone. Coinciding with her 60th
birthday, the pop icon marked 40 years of her chart-
topping success by unleashing ‘Pop Don’t Stop –
Greatest Hits’ – a comprehensive 5CD/2DVD box set
featuring her singles, deep cuts, B-sides, remixes and
music videos, plus exclusive new interview content.
Among the highlights are delicious pop gems like You
Came, Cambodia, Four Letter Word and You Keep Me
Hanging On, plus two new cuts – Shine On, a sublime
ballad with Boy George, and You’re My Karma with
singer-songwriter Tom Aspaul.
This year, she’ll hit the road with ‘The Greatest Hits
Tour’, promising a night of wall to wall hits and fan
favourites, like Can’t Get Enough (Of Your Love) and
Million Miles Away.
Despite the ambitious retrospective project,
Kim has a habit of downplaying her success, but it’s
impossible to dismiss the impact she had at the time,
with a string of hit albums including ‘Select’, ‘Teases &
Dares’, ‘Another Step’ and ‘Close’ proving so successful
that, by the end of the ‘80s, she’d been named the most
successful British female artist of the decade.
56
Kim took the accomplishments in her stride, but
that’s not to say she didn’t happily throw herself into
the wild pop star party lifestyle. ”I got invited to so
many parties and events,” she recalls with glee. “But
the one that sticks out was a really fancy Elton John
party that was just wonderful. I had always been such
a huge fan of his so to be invited by him to one of his
parties was just mind-blowing to me. I remember
I bought him a vintage robot as a gift because he’d
recorded a song called I Am Your Robot and I thought
it was quite a clever idea. I remember he gave me a
big hug and treated me like I was the star! It was an
amazing party! Everyone was there – George Michael,
Boy George, everyone you could imagine. It was such a
starry night.”
At the height of success, Kim was branded a sex
siren by the press and her stunning looks weren’t lost
on her showbiz peers, who also took a shine to her.
“I had my fair share of offers from some celebrity
men along the way,” she giggles. “I went on a few dates
with Adam Ant. He took great care of me. He took me
to very expensive restaurants. I was still living at home
at that point. He would always make sure chocolate
mousse was on the menu even if it wasn’t, because he
knew I liked it. Sadly there wasn’t that chemistry that
has to happen between two people for it to be long
lasting. I guess on paper Kim Wilde and Adam Ant
looks good. But we just didn’t have that going for us.”
He wasn’t the only Prince Charming whose eye
Kim had caught – she also attracted the attention
of Highlander actor Christopher Lambert. She’d
reached out to him via his people to ask him to
appear in one of her videos then received a late-
night phone call from the Hollywood hunk himself.
“He called me up to say he didn’t want to be in it and
explained why. But then he asked me to meet him in
Paris for a date. Sadly that ever happened.”
As Kim was smashing up the charts, a new star
was shocking her way to the top, with her own brand
of pop coupled with a highly sexualised image. Her
name was Madonna and, while the two couldn’t
have been more different, Kim was impressed by the
Material Girl’s burgeoning success.
While Madonna was setting a sexual agenda that
many popstrels would emulate in her wake, Kim was
never encouraged by her record label to take her on at
her own game. “I never felt the pressure to be anyone
other than me,” she insists. “I was never the sexually
explicit person that Madonna was. She had created
this public persona that was very sexual. I would never
have felt comfortable about putting it out there like
“I guess on paper Kim Wilde and
Adam Ant looks good. But we just
didn’t have that going for us.”
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she did. My sexuality was and is much more private. I
would never have considered sharing it with the public.
But I genuinely find her fascinating. I don’t know what
motivates people to be that sexually explicit but I am
most definitely a more of a cards-close-to-my-chest
kind of person when it comes to sexuality.”
While she may not share her thoughts on sexual
liberation, Kim is mighty impressed that, to this day,
Madonna continues to reign over the charts and is
ageing “disgracefully”.
“Madonna’s high calibre music was and still is really
inspiring,” she says. “She has really raised the bar so
high over the years and that was good for everyone. I
think ageing disgracefully – as you put it – is actually
inspirational. She’s doing what makes her happy, she’s
still pushing herself and she doesn’t seem to care what
people think about her regardless of her age.”
Kim’s record label may not have pressured her
to sex up her image, but they were keen for her to
break America – particularly after her cover of The
Supremes’ You Keep Me Hangin’ On topped the
charts Stateside.
“The label wanted me to do more there,” she recalls.
“They thought I had a lot of potential in America, and
wanted to pitch me as a second Blondie. There was a
lot of discussion between the label and my own camp
and it was hard as when you’re offered a carrot that
big you want to bite it. But I was having big success
in the UK and Europe and so I decided that that was
more important for what I wanted to do musically.
To be honest, I didn’t fancy going to America – it’s a
long way to go. It would have been a big commitment
to do promotion across the US, especially live.
Touring the country in a bus is hard work. It worked
for Depeche Mode. But I’d rather be performing in
Munich or Berlin.”
While she opted out of a big US tour, that didn’t
stop her label from continuing to push her in the
direction of the US – a move Kim resisted.
“After You Keep Me Hangin’ On, I had a battle with
MCA about the next single Say You Really Want Me,”
she reveals. “It was a track that had been found by
the label which I wasn’t feeling because it didn’t feel
like me. It was obviously a track geared toward the
American audience. We asked MCA to change their
mind and told them we didn’t think it would work in
the UK, but they went ahead with it. We were right
in the end, but we had fun with it and even made a
saucy video that was banned from kids TV.”
Looking back at that time and what could have
been, Kim has no regrets that she “didn’t smash
America” – she’s just glad to have an enduring
fanbase in Europe and that she can “still pitch
up to Berlin and have a great show”.
“I was never that ambitious,” she confesses,
refreshingly. “I am when it comes to writing a song.
I really want to write the best song. But I’m happy
with my lot.”
Kim resisted international domination, however
she didn’t turn down every lucrative offer that came
her way and, when she was handpicked by Michael
Jackson to join him on his ‘Bad’ tour, she packed
her bags and hit the road – following a typical
“Kim moment” of hesitation, that is...
57
FEATURE: KIM WILDE

“Touring with Michael happened at a great

time for me as my album ‘Close’ had just been
released and was doing really well,” she says.
“Then when I got asked to join him on a 33-
date tour – I just couldn’t believe it! I was
like, ‘How could I possibly open for Michael
Jackson?’ My confidence evaporated the
minute my management told me. When
I told my mum that I couldn’t do it she
gave me one of those mum talks every
kid needs and said to me, ‘You’re just
as good as he is’. I didn’t buy into it,
of course.”
Despite trekking across Europe with
Michael, she barely caught a glimpse of
the megastar and, when she did manage
some face-to-face time, it was fleeting and
she was left flummoxed.
“It was incredible to be able to hear his
greatest hits every evening,” she recalls.
“We met once and he was very sweet, very tall,
very down to earth and just a lovable, open guy.
Unfortunately, I was just too impressed with
him when I was around so I could never find
the right words. He was a very private person.”
But Kim reckons the superstar’s introverted
nature was his way of “managing his safety”:
“Seeing the way the fans were around him,
I was glad I didn’t have that kind of devotion.
I liked the fact I didn’t need security to go
to the local Tesco. I loved the down to
earth nature of having a famous life,
the best for my mental health. I would
have felt isolated.”
Following her massive success, Kim
sensed her career was beginning to slow
down at the start of the ‘90s and doubts
about the future entered her mind. “I’d gone
through times when I’d been chased by paps
and then there were times when no-one was
remotely interested in me,” she laughs. “I had
endured the ups and downs every popstar
experiences. I came out of the chaotic
success with an ambivalent approach to
perceived success or failure. We all come to
terms with our own life. I felt that I didn’t
have any more challenges to overcome.”
It was when she turned 30 that Kim realised she
wasn’t happy with her lot and, following the release
of her ninth album ‘Now & Forever’ in ‘95, she decided
to retreat from the world of music to focus on herself.
But away from the limelight, Kim experienced a deep
low as she came to terms with a life no longer ruled by
her usual showbiz itinerary and, just six months later,
she signed up for a run in the West End production
of Tommy. “Doing a musical meant I could be in one
place for a year,” she explains. “I took time to look at
my life to see who else I could be.” And she did just
that as, during her spell in the show, she met and fell
for Hal Fowler, whom she married six months later.

58 RETROPOP
 Looking back, she considers her decision to
move away from music a canny one. “If you have
the courage to close the door on something you’ve
outgrown, you’ll be surprised to see how many doors
suddenly open,” she muses, adding that she had
never really considered fame to be the be-all-and-
end-all of life. “Having been around intensely famous
people like Michael Jackson, I was never under any
illusions that fame would answer all of life’s questions.
If I was to grow as a person I would take myself away
from it and see who else I could be.”
Kim resurfaced in the early ‘00s to join the
‘Here and Now’ tours and found inspiration to
record again with ‘Never Say Never’ – her first
album in over a decade – dropping in ‘06, featuring
new tracks and re-recordings of her classic hits.
Four years later she released ‘Come Out and Play’
and the following year dropped the covers album
‘Snapshot’.
Kim focussed on the European market for years,
but it was a viral video of an impromptu drunken
performance aboard a packed train at Christmas
that pushed her back into the limelight in the UK
and inspired her festive album, while her next LP,
‘Here Come The Aliens’, became her highest-charting
in 25 years and was inspired by a close encounter she
had with a UFO in her garden.
“I know it sounds a bit ridiculous but actually it
made a huge impact on me and the people who
saw it with me and also on the local community,”
she explains. “It made the local newspaper and
a lot of people around here also saw something
extraordinary in the sky that night too. So yeah,
I’m a firm believer that they’re here, that they’re
visiting, they’re around, they’re not sure whether
to give us some more time here to mess things up
or maybe they’ll just come and take matters into
their own hands.”
While keen to make extraterrestrial contact in
the future, Kim’s immediate focus is to reunite with
fans, when she finally gets out on the road with
‘The Greatest Hits Tour’ this spring. “When we
started planning the show, we plunged into the back
catalogue, so we had fun putting as many of the songs
into the set as we could,” she teases. “It’s going be the
best of the best. I have had costumes made which are
waiting in the wardrobe.”
Kim’s passion for her career is infectious and,
as she looks to her contemporaries like Boy George,
Duran Duran and Bananarama, she applauds them
for still producing fresh material and looking as
chipper as ever.
“We plunged into the back catalogue,
so we had fun putting as many of the
songs into the set as we could.”
“Time has served us old ‘80s stars well,” she smirks.
“It’s proved to everyone the enduring commitment we
gave to pop music back then. We weren’t just playing
around with it, it came from deep inside. That energy
is endless. That energy is not going anywhere. It’s
powerful, which is why I am left a quivering wreck
when I hear that song in the new John Lewis advert as
I tuck into my fish finger sandwich with tomato sauce.
It’s lovely to hear a song that was a hit when I was
around doing so well now. These songs last forever.”
‘Pop Don’t Stop – Greatest Hits’ is out now via
Cherry Red Records. ‘The Greatest Hits Tour’ kicks
off in Europe in April and hits the UK in September.

Who did your favourite cover

version of Kids Of America?
I was chuffed when Nirvana and the
Foo Fighters covered Kids In America.
Dave Grohl really does seem to like pop
music. He was eulogising ABBA recently.
So far he hasn’t been in touch with me
to perform together, but he did that
performance with Rick Astley a
while back, so who knows?
I’m lucky! Kids in America is
an incredible song to have in
your arsenal!

59
FEATURE: MARCELLA DETROIT

GOING FOR

GOLD Shakespears Sister launched Marcella Detroit

to the top of the charts, but the duo is just a chapter
of her incredible life story...

Words: Connor Gotto

Marcella Detroit has enjoyed an extraordinary

career. The singer-songwriter began working
in the music industry in the early ‘70s as a backing
vocalist when she was just a teenager. She later
joined a band of recording and touring players
for Eric Clapton, with whom she soon started
co-writing and duetting, and collaborated
with artists like Aretha Franklin, Alice Cooper,
Johnny Lee and Robin Gibb. All this before
recording her first solo album in ‘82.
Now celebrating 50 years in the industry,
Marcella is still able to pinpoint the exact moment
she dedicated her life to music. She was just 18 when
she found herself strumming her guitar in a park in
her hometown of Detroit, Michigan.
“I was playing and it was making me feel so much
better – as usual – and I remember looking up at the
sky and saying, ’This is what I’m going to do with the
rest of my life’.”
It marked the beginning of a career spanning five
decades for a musician who’s lived many lives in the
spotlight: “I’m probably on number six now, as far as
nine lives go.”
Her latest venture is ‘Gold’ – a brand new 20-track
album of original compositions, conceived over the
past 18 months as Marcella’s usual touring and
performing commitments ground to a halt and the
world went into shutdown. But from isolation came
inspiration as she set to work crafting new music –
originally as part of a publishing deal for film and
TV – which eventually became her latest solo LP.
“They gave me some things they wanted me to
write but, as I was writing for them, I realised that
I was also writing a record for myself,” she says.
“After a while, I just started to pursue that more.”

60 RETROPOP
61
FEATURE: MARCELLA DETROIT
Despite celebrating a major career milestone,
‘Gold’ is strictly contemporary, with chart-worthy
dancefloor numbers sitting alongside lush ballads
showcasing Marcella’s ageless vocals, which remain
as powerful, emotive and distinctive as ever.
Connecting with her muse was easy: “I was just
writing about life and writing about the pandemic
and how it was affecting everybody… Life inspires
me, wherever and whenever, at any given moment.”
Its two singles – Vicious B**ch and Alien 2 Me –
are both inspired by global shutdowns and showcase
the very contemporary inspirations and references
that informed her latest work. Of the former, she
explains: “There was this girl, Sofi Tukker, who did
some music that I first heard on this TV series that we
were watching called ‘The New Pope’ [...] and it kind of
stayed in the back of my mind. I thought, ‘I want to try
and write something like that’.”
62
Alongside the album, Marcella has also penned
her memoir, ‘My Love Affair’, and the project allowed
her to look back through the years and recover her
earliest musical memories. As a child, she would often
duet with her dad, who played the ukulele and with
whom she learnt the art of harmony at a young age.
“He wasn’t a musician – he was an artist. A fine artist.
But he quit that,” she explains, “because he had to take
care of the family. And there wasn’t really any money
in it. But he was incredibly good at what he did.”
Still, there was “always music going on in the
house, in the way of the radio or records,” and the
constant soundtrack sparked a drive within the
aspiring musician to hone her craft and master
the art of songwriting.
“I was always creating and writing poetry and
then I started writing songs when I was about 11. And
I never stopped really. Going through my early teens, it
was the way to cope with life. During the angst-ridden
teenage years, I would just lock myself in my room and
play my guitar and sing. And I always felt so much
better after that.”
Some songs she held onto and can still recall today:
“One of them better than others. But it wasn’t until my
late teens that I really started writing seriously.”
That came when Marcella left Detroit to start a
new life in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she’d relocated
at the bequest of drummer Jamie Oldaker and
keyboard player Dick Sims.
“When we started writing together. I realised,
‘Oh, okay. This is really what I love to do,’ and then
it became a viable thing,” she remembers of her
early band. Despite being “the big fish in a little pond,”
Marcella admits, “a lot of notables would come in and
see us and I’d be doing my original songs and people
loved it. I was like, ‘Oh, wow! It was fun for me to write
these, but people are enjoying them. They’re dancing
to them.’ And that was very cool.
“That’s when I realised that this is something that
I will continue to pursue, something that I really love
and also that I need to do. I need to be expressive.”
The drive was always there, but convincing those
around her that she’d make it was another story.
“When I used to have Leon Russell’s albums all over
my wall, my mother would laugh at me. I said, ‘I’m
gonna sing with him one day,’ and she goes, ‘Oh,
that’s nice honey.’ And I made that happen.
“A few years later, I was singing with Eric Clapton
in front of over 100,000 people. You have dreams,
but I never imagined they were gonna get that big.”
For most musicians, touring the world and playing
front-and-centre with artists like Clapton and Russell
would be the pinnacle of their career – but Marcella’s
star propelled to dizzying new heights in the late
‘80s when she teamed up with ex-Bananarama
star Siobhan Fahey on her rebound project,
Shakespears Sister.
Fresh out of the girl group, Siobhan threw herself into
her latest venture with the support of then-husband,
Eurythmics musician and songwriter Dave Stewart,
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and enlisted Marcella – who was working as a session
singer while pursuing a solo career – to record vocals
for the project. But Dave and their mutual friend
Richard Feldman had other ideas and urged the pair
to hook up more permanently – although convincing
Marcella and Siobhan to commit to one another was
no easy task.
“I don’t know if Siobhan really wanted to be in a
band with me. In fact, she didn’t want to be. I remember
her saying, ‘I don’t want to be in another girl band’,”
Marcella recalls. “And I wasn’t sure whether I wanted
to be in a band with her, simply because I was busy
pursuing my own career.”
They began working together in 1987 but,
despite appearing across debut LP ‘Sacred Heart’ as a
vocalist and co-writer, Marcella insists she was merely
a “hired hand” for Shakespears Sister’s first outing
and only became a “50 per cent” member of the act
for its second record, ‘Hormonally Yours’. To this day,
it remains one of her favourite projects: “That whole
album is tremendous and I’m very proud of it.”
As the duo shot to the top of the charts with
international mega-hit Stay, the pair’s time together
came to an end; according to Marcella, Siobhan
wanted to take a break from the act to spend
time with her family, while she began working on
a solo album – a project she had written into her
Shakespears Sister contract.
“She was the one who made that happen. It wasn’t
me saying, ‘Now that Stay’s a hit, I’m making a solo
record’ Not at all… She said from the beginning, ‘I want
to take a break and be with my family after the life of
this record’. So once I got that news, I started writing.”
However, things turned sour when, at the ‘93
Ivor Novello Awards, Siobhan’s acceptance speech for
their Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection win
saw her bid farewell to her musical partner and wish
her “all the best for the future” – a gesture Marcella
didn’t foresee.
The breakup was brutal, but did any part of her
relish the opportunity to commit her full attention to
her solo career? Marcella insists: “I didn’t just join the
band to do my record. I thought we were gonna do
more records.”
Out of the group, she bounced back with her Top
20 album ‘Jewel’ and continued carving a successful
solo career with follow-up ‘Feeler’ – both of which
she cites as career highlights – and various live
recordings and EPs, while Siobhan continued working
on Shakespears Sister solo. It was 25 years before
Marcella and Siobhan met again, following her stint
with the reunited Bananarama on their ‘The Original
Line-Up Tour’, and going into the meeting in July
‘18 she “didn’t really know what to expect”. “I was in
London doing some shows – I joined Clapton on stage
at the BST Hyde Park festival – and Siobhan was
there as well. My husband and I were having lunch
with Siobhan and her manager and he said, ‘Why
don’t you guys try to write together? See if you still
have that connection and that magic…’”
“I’m really proud of the work we
did together and that we were able
to resolve our differences enough
to create this whole new thing
for our fans to enjoy.”
Cut to October and, after reuniting in the Joshua
Tree desert, the pair wrote their first song in almost
three decades together: All The Queen’s Horses.
The “Spaghetti Western-Americana” track became
the lead single from the pair’s retrospective release
‘Singles Party (1988–2019)’ and later featured on
the ‘Ride Again’ EP – along with Dangerous Game,
Time to Say Goodbye and C U Next Tuesday.
The latter was their first pick as the single from
the record, but when she and Siobhan presented it
to their management, they quickly dismissed the
idea “because they were so worried a bit about the
offensive meaning – I was rolling my eyes about that!”
“Meanwhile, Cardi B can talk about her ‘wet
ass p**sy’ and we can’t say ‘see you next Tuesday’,”
she scoffs. However, with a smile, she says: “I’m proud
of those songs. I’m proud of what we did. She and I
wrote them together. I brought my little laptop along
and I recorded all those songs and all our vocals and
my guitars and everything.
“I’m really proud of the work that we did together
and that we were able to resolve our differences
enough to work together and create this whole new
thing for our fans to enjoy. I know they loved it as well.
And I’m grateful for that.”
Right now, the duo has nothing set up for the
immediate future – “I heard from her manager [who
asked], ‘Would you want to do some more writing?’
And I said, ‘Yeah, sure.’ But I’ve not heard much” – but
Shakespears Sister’s legacy lives on: “It was the birth
of grunge, the birth of that rebellion – and we were part
of that. It was a short time – it was only five years. I met
her in ‘87 and we were together until the end of ‘92.”
Looking to the future, Marcella insists she’ll never
stop working. Right now, she doesn’t “feel really safe”
to hit the road with a full-blown tour, but “may do some
shows” in the near future. But she reveals some new
career directions: “I’m talking about doing another
clothing line – a capsule collection with my friend who’s
in Australia. He has a line called Hoodedwept and we
did a collection a few years ago back in ‘17. So I’d like to
do that some more. And maybe I’ll continue writing as
far as novels... who knows?
“I’ll always be involved in music and being creative.
You know, that’s who I am. It’s in my DNA.”
Marcella’s album ‘Gold’ and autobiography
‘My Love Affair’ are out now.
63
FEATURE: THE FIZZ

BACK TO
WINNING
WAYS
Pop icons The Fizz look back on the world they
left behind as they prepare to celebrate their
40th anniversary with their best album yet!

Words: Connor Gotto

“If there’s any ultimate goal in music, it has

to be winning the Eurovision Song Contest,”
beams Bucks Fizz legend Cheryl Baker, revealing
her other aim in life was to be an Olympic gold
medallist.
While the latter may still be pending, she realised
her musical dream 40 years ago when the group –
also starring Mike Nolan, Jay Aston and Bobby G
– rocketed to international success after winning the
1981 edition of the annual extravaganza with their
chart-topping entry, Making Your Mind Up, and a
skirt-ripping routine to boot. It marked the beginning
of a four-decade-long musical soap opera that’s still
playing out today and, after rebranding as The Fizz
and pushing forward as a trio, their popularity is
unwavering.
Since returning to the studio with music legend
Mike Stock in 2017 for their comeback LP, Top 40
hit ‘The F-Z of Pop’, Cheryl, Mike and Jay have gone
on to release two further albums – festive offering
‘Christmas with The Fizz’ and their most recent
collection ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ – with a fourth on
the way.
Their career is undoubtedly one of Eurovision’s
greatest success stories and, as we look back on their
humble beginnings, their lifelong love affair with the
Contest pre-dates Bucks Fizz’s win.

64 RETROPOP
65
FEATURE: THE FIZZ
For Cheryl, the process was all too familiar;
three years before topping the leaderboard, she
represented the UK at the ‘78 Contest at the Palais
des Congrès in Paris, France with Co-Co, where the
group finished in 11th place with The Bad Old Days.
It was, as Cheryl recalls, “the worst the UK had ever
done at that time – I thought I’d let the Queen down!”
However, she remained in the Eurovision bubble and
the following year recorded the demo for The Nolans’
‘A Song For Europe’ entry Harry My Honolulu Lover.
In ‘80, she entered again as a member of The Main
Event with the song Gonna Do My Best, but during
the selection, they were beaten by new band Prima
Donna, which starred the writers of The Bad Old
Days – Stephanie de Sykes and Stuart Slater – and
Lance Aston, who represented the UK the year before
sister Jay lit up the Eurovision stage. Looking back,
she credits his participation for compelling her to
sign up: “I saw what happened with Lance – if you’re
going to Eurovision, it’s either life or death, isn’t it? If
you come last, it’s definitely not good, but if you win,
it can change your life like it has done for us for the
last 40 years.”
Mike, meanwhile, was a huge Eurovision fan but a
member of another group – Brooks – alongside Chris
Hamill, aka Limahl, of Kajagoogoo up until ‘80, when
he had himself dismissed from the band and freed
from his contract after becoming dissatisfied with the
setup. With the help of two of his bandmates, the trio
caused havoc in rehearsals until eventually, “we got
this letter in the post with a cheque, saying, ‘You’ve all
been fired from the band. Here’s a month’s money’.”
At that time, he had no plans for the future, and
when he received a call from songwriter Nicola
Martin, who alongside partner Andy Hill was
working on establishing a group to enter their
66
latest track into ‘A Song For Europe’, with the promise
that he could perform the song if they got through,
he wasn’t sold on the idea.
“My answer to that was, ‘No. I don’t want to be in
another band. Definitely not. But I’ll come and do
the demos for you anyway’,” he recalls. But when
Making Your Mind Up was accepted, she managed to
persuade him to return to the spotlight for what was
sure to be “a one-off thing”.
“She said, ‘Listen to me [...] We’re never going to win
it, and when it’s over at the end of March, you’ll be out
of your contract…’ 40 years later, we’re still in it.”
“There’s something that unites you,
which is an experience - good and bad -
and no one else can bring you that.”
Having remembered Cheryl from her Co-Co days,
Nicola implored her to join the band, while Jay and
Bobby were recruited from auditions to form the
original Bucks Fizz line-up, and after months of
rehearsals and performing the track “hundreds and
hundreds of times,” they finally made their TV debut.
Bucks Fizz’s ‘A Song For Europe’ victory was a
curveball; they were up against already-established
disco act Liquid Gold, along with Hill and Martin’s
own group, Gem, but came out on top of the public
vote and danced their way to the ‘81 Eurovision
Song Contest grand final at the RDS Simmonscourt
Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland. On the night, their
iconic skirt-ripping routine went down a storm
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and the group came out on top of the leaderboard,
narrowly beating Germany’s Lena Valaitis by just
four points. “I didn’t dream that we would win. And I
didn’t realise the power of velcro,” Cheryl laughs.
Returning home to the UK, the band signed with
RCA Records and began work on their self-titled
debut album, turning around its 10 tracks in just
four months for release in July of that year. The
group had intended to release The Right Situation
as its first single, but the record company had other
plans and sought to steer them away from the
novelty sound of their breakthrough. Subsequently,
Piece of the Action was issued and scored the group
a second Top 20 hit, while the album itself achieved
similar success.
If their debut was a hit, follow-up ‘Are You Ready’
launched Bucks Fizz to stratospheric new heights
with another pair of chart-topping singles – The Land
of Make Believe and My Camera Never Lies – along
with the Top 10 ballad, Now Those Days Are Gone,
cementing their status as icons of the decade.
The singles remain staples in the band’s live shows,
which feature a mix of classic recordings and new
tracks from their more recent releases, with the trio
determined to keep the group’s creative legacy alive
despite being forced to adopt another moniker.
But the name change remains a sore point and,
looking back, Jay calls the squabble “a testament
to what happens with bands” and speculates the
writing was on the wall from early in their career,
through the ‘Hand Cut’ and ‘I Hear Talk’ eras,
based on the “internal politics” at play.
It was after the group’s horrific coach crash in
December ‘84 that she decided to exit the line-up.
The incident left Mike with severe, life-threatening
injuries, Cheryl broke three vertebrae in her spine and
Jay was paralysed. The trauma, she says, compelled
her to walk away from it all.
“I knew I had to get away from it because it was so
negative at that point. And I think it’s like a survival
instinct, literally, where you’re just like, ‘I’ve got to get
out of here’,” she admits. “There’s all this bickering
going on. We’re all nearly dead. We all nearly died
for music. And then there’s all this infighting. It’s like,
‘This is inhuman, I’ve got to get out of here’.”
Her departure coincided with the release of the
band’s planned comeback You and Your Heart So
Blue and, although they continued to push the track,
Mike and Cheryl were still recovering from the after-
effects of the crash and returning to work plagued
their experience of the next chapter in Bucks Fizz
history. Even now, Mike admits the memories of the
period get in the way of him enjoying the music: “I
don’t like that song. We did the video of that after the
accident and I just have horrible, horrible memories
of it. That’s why I hate that song.”
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FEATURE: THE FIZZ
The single stalled at No. 43 in the charts and its
follow-up – a cover of John Parr’s Meat Loaf-penned
rock anthem Magical – fared even worse, peaking at
just 57. But all wasn’t lost and, the following year, the
group returned with New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)
and earned their first Top 10 hit in three years. It
remains a band favourite to this day: “That should
have been No. 1, in my opinion,” insists Cheryl, “and
it was a new beginning, because Jay had left and
Shelley had joined.”
Shelley Preston joined the line-up mid-way through
the promotion of You and Your Heart So Blue and, with
New Beginning a hit, things seemed to be back on
track for Bucks Fizz. However, the song remains their
final Top 40 single to date and, looking back on the
‘Writing on the Wall’ era, Mike admits: “I didn’t like the
album at all. I hated it. It was all starting to fall apart
for some reason. It just wasn’t blending right.”
Across the 10-tracks, he is only credited for lead
vocals on one recording – The Company You Keep –
and Cheryl suggests the project was too rushed while
Mike continued his recovery from the crash.
“Mike was really very slow – not just in the studio,
but in his whole life. Everything about him... He took
68
decades really to get better after the coach crash and
so it was easier to just put Bobby in, do a vocal and
then put some backing vocals on,” she admits. “He
did some good stuff – like Heart of Stone, he did a
great vocal on that, and I Hear Talk – but I think the
later stuff was too Bobby heavy. The big successes of
Bucks Fizz were the two boy, two girl thing. That really
worked well.”
It also marked the end of the band’s relationship
with longtime collaborator Hill who, according to
Cheryl, “was well into his cocaine by then and got a
bit bored,” and it’s interesting to hear Jay’s take on
the era, having witnessed the band introduce a new
member in her place.
“I saw them trying to dress Shelley, who was much
younger and looked like she’d just come out of theatre
school, like me,” she says. They tried to dress her like
me and she continued to try and dress like me quite
a bit. But there’s a difference between trying to wear
very little clothing – to try and attract interest – and
actually having a reason for it, or it being linked for
some reason to the song. And I always come from
the story of the song, not, ‘Let’s just wear the least
amount of costume’.
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 “It sounds like I’m being a real b**ch here, but the
reality was, I knew what I brought to the band. And
I could see in a second that Shelley couldn’t bring
that to the band. Or maybe they wouldn’t even let her
because she was the new girl. And so I think it was
very hard for her. Because I knew her influence on the
band would be very slight, comparatively. And I knew
what kind of a den she was going into.”
The latest incarnation of the group was short-
lived and, four years after joining, Shelley departed,
followed by Cheryl in ‘93 and Mike in ‘96 – leaving
Bobby as the sole original member of Bucks Fizz,
under which name he continued performing under
various iterations. A brief 2004 reunion saw Cheryl,
Mike, Shelley and Bobby perform a series of dates
across the UK as part of the ‘Here and Now’ tours
as The Original Bucks Fizz – a name that the former
three continued to use for live shows for five years
until Jay returned to the group for the first time in
almost 35 years.
The reunion came about after she agreed to
appear alongside her bandmates – and Shelley –
on the makeover TV show ‘Pop Goes The Band’,
which aired in March 2009. The next month,
Shelley announced her departure from the group
and, shortly afterwards, Jay stepped in. Reflecting In Bucks Fizz, Cheryl performed few lead vocals
on her return to the fold, she admits: “There wasn’t and, despite tracks like Rules of the Game and Tears
a day, if I was completely honest, when I didn’t miss on the Ballroom Floor remaining fan-favourites, she’s
being in the band. “quite happy” to take a backseat, candidly admitting:
“There’s something that unites you, which is an “I don’t like my vocal – I think I sound different. And
experience – good and bad – and no one else can then I hear myself and I don’t like it.”
bring you that. Not even your husband or your However, there’s one exception: “I’m very, very
partner or even your daughter. It’s something that happy to sing lead vocal on Amen. I’m very proud
connects you. We experienced something that was of my daughter for writing it.”
very special, very magical. We travelled all over the Kyla, aka LAKY, who also penned Storm – plus
world together [...] I felt like I missed a part of my festive staple So Christmas – has written a track for
home, which was literally the band and our life in the new record, which “brings in lines from old Bucks
that kind of bubble.” Fizz songs,” Cheryl says, singing a taster: ‘The radio
Now, the group are back in the studio with is playing better run for your life...’
legendary producer Mike Stock, who’s been working As things wind down, we take a moment to look
on tracks for The Fizz’s fourth album, the follow-up to back on the group’s impressive discography as they
2020’s ‘Smoke & Mirrors’, which scored the band their share their personal favourites from down the years.
latest Top 40 album and saw the group hit the Top Cheryl admits she’s “actually pretty proud of all of
10 on the UK Sales chart. Cheryl, Mike and Jay are them,” but, when pushed, she goes for a deep cut:
in agreement that the new material is their best yet “Twentieth Century Hero – what a great song that is.
and, while details remain under wraps, they confirm What a great song.” For Mike, Now Those Days Are
10 tracks have been recorded, including a yet-to-be- Gone is a pivotal moment in their history – although
revealed Paul McCartney cover. he wishes he’d pushed to sing lead on Golden Days
While the group gets the final say on what makes – whereas, for Jay, it’s her contribution to the creative
the album, Stock masterminds the project and is direction of each era that she’s most proud of, because
taking the group in a “new direction” with “a few “if you haven’t got that bit down, you’ve only got half
different flavours”. And when it comes to hearing the the package”.
final album, Cheryl’s equally looking forward to the “Cheryl said to me a few months ago, ‘I wish I had
end result – because neither she, Mike or Jay knows your vision,’ and I said to her, ‘I wish I had your ear
which tracks they’ll end up singing lead vocals on, for harmonies’,” she laughs. “But within the band, we
“because he records us all, one after the other”. have various things covered and that’s why it works.
“When we heard the last album, ‘Smoke & Mirrors’, It still works today.”
he sent through The World We Left Behind and I went, With that, we raise a toast to 40 years of Fizz
‘Oh, I’m singing the lead on it!’ And yet we’d all done a and avidly await the next chapter in the group’s
vocal, but he chose to make that one my lead vocal.” sparkling legacy.

69
FEATURE: RETRO REVIVAL

ONES TO
WATCH
The future of pop is looking to the past as the genres that
defined music’s greatest decades are coming back into
fashion and taking the charts by storm all over again.

Words: Ross Mondon

Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen the likes

of ABBA and Elton John re-emerge at the top
of their game, with records that remain as fresh
and relevant now as they did in decades gone by.
Meanwhile, a new wave of pop superstars –
Lil Nas X, The Weeknd, Years & Years, to name a few
– are celebrating their influences with a sound that
pays homage to the records that soundtracked their
lives, infused with a unique flair all of their own.
The result is a world where the idea of ‘genre’ is a
thing of the past and artists are taking more risks,
diversifying the charts and opening up new realms
of possibility for the future of pop music.
As we look to the next 12 months, we’re
celebrating the artists set to break through
into the mainstream and uncovering the retro
influences that inform their sound.

70 RETROPOP
Bronze Avery
Orlando-born up and comer Bronze Avery
might defy genres, but he ticks all the boxes
when it comes to pop perfection.
The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is
influenced by everyone from George Michael
to the Pussycat Dolls, with touches of chart
favourites Charli XCX and Banks for a sound
that’s nostalgic yet new.
Emerging onto the music scene back in 2017
with debut single Leave Together, the musician
has continued to quote his ethos through tracks
like Boys and Only You and soars to new heights
on his latest work.
Integral to his art is his identity and, whilst
coming out as gay to his family was an accident,
he’s become a figurehead for the LGBTQ+
community, through both his music and his
online presence.
Having built a devoted queer following with his
early releases, Bronze Avery – with his energetic,
hypnotic tunes and meaningful lyrics – is sure to
ascend to new heights over the coming months.

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FEATURE: RETRO REVIVAL

Zella Day
Flying high on the success of her latest EP,
’Where Does the Devil Hide’, Zella Day’s sound
sits somewhere between Stevie Nicks and
Dusty Springfield, infusing classic influences
with a modern twist through recent hits
Golden and Dance for Love.
Zella’s earliest musical influences came from
her parents’ record collection, including Bob
Dylan and Fleetwood Mac, both of which she
channels in her career today, which infuses a
unique blend of dreamy folk ballads and disco
dancehall numbers.
After self-releasing her debut album,
‘Powered by Love’, Zella landed a major label
deal, but shortly afterwards she was released
from the contract and soon found herself
rediscovering her artistic identity.
The Arizona-born star may be compared
with contemporaries like Lorde and Lana Del
Rey, but she sits in her own lane, with charisma,
unapologetic traits and sounds sure to spark
global interest.
Now, she looks to round off an extended run
of standalone releases with her third full-length
project, and we can’t wait to see what she’s
cooked up this time.

Photo ©
Neil Krug

72 RETROPOP
Michael Medrano
Michael Medrano’s rise through the pop ranks may
have been a slow-burn, but his infectious blend
of disco, pop, and rock has won the attention of
legions of fans worldwide.
Arriving on the music scene with his debut track,
Be There, back in 2016, he really made an impact
with his addictive, electro-pop jam, Fluids, three
years later and is ready to cause a stir and hit the
top of the emerging talents list with his long-awaited
debut album.
With influences ranging from classic disco to
Katy Perry, Michael (aka disco dad, aka stache
papi – both nicknames given to him by his fans) is
continuing to push the boundaries. From a joyous
celebration of sexuality to pop escapism that takes
listeners away from reality, Michael is taking the
reins on his own unique style.
If recent singles Personal Heaven and I Don’t
Wanna Talk About Love are anything to go by, don’t
be surprised when he rockets into the charts soon.
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FEATURE: RETRO REVIVAL
Agnes
Agnes is leading the disco revival with her latest
album, ‘Magic Still Exists’.
With comparisons to stalwarts such as
Grace Jones, Róisín Murphy and Kylie Minogue,
the Stockholm-based star has gone from her first
steps at 16 to worldwide attention, having scored
a global mega-hit with Release Me back in 2009
A decade since her last album, Agnes’ latest record
births a new era of “spiritual disco,” inspired by classic
artists like Sun Ra and Sylvester, with her own pop
sensibilities thrown into the mix.
74
At 11 tracks, the LP is a dancefloor masterpiece,
with Agnes calling her foray into disco “both
tempting and necessary”.
“Disco is freedom, to express oneself and not
be ashamed,” she says. “But the music was also
something I needed to do to grow spiritually and
strengthen myself. It was an opportunity to take
what I have within me, multiply it and play with it.”
Whilst riding high off the back of her triumphant
comeback, we are already looking to the future as
Agnes becomes one to watch under the shimmering
lights of retro dance-pop.
RETROPOP
BAYLI
The latest artist to rise from the New York
smoke, BAYLI continues to surprise the world
as her career goes from strength to strength.
Originally making her musical debut as part
of the classic rock band The Skins, BAYLI has
routed from one genre to the next as she gathers
every inch of life into her artistry.
Mentored by Rick Rubin and influenced by jazz
singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, BAYLI moved
away from the scope of music she grew up with
and stepped out as a solo artist with her debut
release, Sushi For Breakfast.
A series of standalone tracks followed –
including Boys Lie and Not Safe – before she
teased her debut EP, ’Stories From New York’,
with the heartfelt single, 16.
The collection is steeped in ‘90s R&B influences,
from Aaliyah and TLC to Mary J. Blige, and
showcases her love for the icons of the genre.
Now, she’s looking to the future and, with
growing attention from BBC Radio 1 and
the backing of hundreds of thousands of
fans worldwide, BAYLI is sure to keep up the
momentum during the next phase.

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FEATURE: RETRO REVIVAL

Yola
Bristol-born and raised Yola’s parents might have
discouraged her from music, but after picking up
another two Grammy nominations, she shows no
sign of slowing down.
Spending most of her early career singing with
Duke Dumont and Massive Attack, and forming
bands with the local musicians, Yola went from
her first solo EP, ’Orphan Offering’, in 2016 to
her most acclaimed work to date with her
latest album, ’Stand for Myself’.
Whilst Yola’s buzz is beginning to cause a stir
in the UK, the American music scene has enjoyed
years of disco and soul from the international
powerhouse, whose debut LP, ‘Walk Through Fire’,
saw her nominated for Best New Artist at the 62nd
Grammy Awards.
Now, the Nashville based singer-
songwriter is ready for world
dominance thanks to her timeless
blend of harmonic soul and classic
pop that’s proven a sure-fire hit.
From humble beginnings
to global recognition, Yola is
ready to reclaim her identity
and share the wonders of her
work with millions.
Photo © Joesph Ross Smith

76 RETROPOP
Tom Aspaul
A dazzling debut to his name, writing credits
for Louise, Little Boots and Kylie, and a pair of
collaborations with Kim Wilde, Tom Aspaul is
the full package.
After studying for a degree in Architecture and
a master’s at Central Saint Martins, Tom pursued
his passion for music and made his debut with a
SoundCloud demo under the moniker Indiana.
Shortly afterwards, he signed to Little Boots’ label,
On Repeat Records, launched a successful songwriting
career and began recording his own music – leading to
his long-awaited debut LP, ‘Black Country Disco’.
Paying homage to the area he grew up in and
inspired by ‘70s/’80s disco, the ten-track project is
packed with sass and confidence, rounded off with
a futuristic flair.
Not only does he offer up a piece of his heart with
his music, but Tom also finds himself on the UK’s
Eurovision Song Contest jury and has become a
figurehead for the LGBTQ+ community in pop.
With a much-teased second album on the cards,
Tom’s star is sure to shine bright throughout the next
phase of his glittering career.

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FEATURE: RETRO REVIVAL

Photo © Koury Angelo

Darin
Sweden’s King of Pop Darin marks a new
chapter as he prepares to release his first
English-language album in almost a decade.
Born and raised in Stockholm under a musical
Kurdish family, Darin pursued his dreams at age
14 and shot to fame as a finalist on Sweden’s
‘Idol’ TV series, after which he became one of
the country’s best-selling artists.
Now, he’s back with a refreshed sound, with
disco-pop summer hit, Can’t Stay Away, and
his latest tender ballad, Holding Me More, an
indication of what’s to come from his next LP.
The new project is the latest to be released
under his own label, Dex Music, with a euphoric
new sound celebrating the music that he loves
the most.
With inspirations such as Madonna, Michael
Jackson and Sade, Darin’s work is classic yet
modern and a breath of fresh air to the charts.
With a new direction and approach that “very
much represents the person I am today,” Darin’s
latest offering looks to be his most authentic yet.

78 RETROPOP
 PROFILE: AIMÉE

Dublin-born powerhouse Aimée looks set

to dominate the charts with her intoxicating
brand of pop nostalgia.
After scoring a string of Top 40 hits in her
homeland and making waves with Shut Up And
Dance, her collaboration with Grammy–nominated
DJ Sonny Alvin, the singer-songwriter has her eye
on the global stage as she launches into the next
era of her career.
Ahead of a year of new music and a return to
the live stage, Aimée gets candid on her love of the
‘90s, shares the music that made her into the pop
star she is today, and offers a teaser of the tracks
she’s been cooking up in the studio.

What’s your first musical memory?

Singing Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On on my
fireplace to my family every night before bed.

What was the soundtrack to your childhood?

Five – Keep on Movin’

What’s the first album you bought?

Britney Spears – ‘...Baby One More Time’

What’s the first song you ever performed?

In front of a crowd that wasn’t just my family?
Mariah Carey’s Hero

When did you realise you wanted to be a pop star?

I don’t ever remember a time in my life NOT wanting
to be one!

When did you begin writing music?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid. As soon as I
started to learn how to write I was writing songs on
napkins, beer mats, diaries etc. I used to want to be
an author, so I was always writing.

Which song do you wish you’d written/was yours?

Christina Aguilera – Beautiful

Which musical era would you choose to return to?

Late ‘90s / early ‘00s – when NSYNC and the
Backstreet Boys were at their prime!

Which artists inspire your sound?

I take inspiration from too many to name. But my
biggest ones right now would be: Britney Spears,
Destiny’s Child and Ariana Grande.

Tell us about your new single Just a Phase...

Just a Phase is the single three-year-old me and
26-year-old me would just die to perform to. It’s a fun,
sexy, uplifting nod to my favourite era of music: ‘90s/
early 00s pop.

What can we expect from your upcoming releases?

Energy! My next few singles are just so full of life and
energy. I just want to bring the fun back to pop music.

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FEATURE: LITTLE BOOTS

DIY
DISCO
From LA hot tub parties with Carly Rae Jepsen to the
“fish and chip glamour” of Blackpool, Little Boots conjures
magic from the mundane on her shimmering new album...

Words: Connor Gotto

“I wrote that song for Carly Rae Jepsen. I don’t

know if she didn’t want it because she didn’t
like it… or because I got really drunk at her house
one night,” says Little Boots – aka Victoria Hesketh
– about her new track Crying on the Inside.
The singer is dialling in from Blackpool, her
hometown and the inspiration for her fourth studio
album, due this spring.
She tries to move things on, but I quickly revert her
attention to her time in Los Angeles.
“It was my first or second night there,” she says, when
a friend invited her to the Call Me Maybe singer’s home
for the gathering – “it wasn’t a big party or anything” –
and Carly was writing tracks for her next album.
“She was talking about how much she loves
Fleetwood Mac. I was like, ‘Yeah, you should totally
do Fleetwood Mac.’ Carly doing Dreams would be
epic” recalls Victoria.
However, things went awry: “I proceeded to just
drink all the wine. I was in the hot tub telling her we
should be best friends forever. Then at some point, I
passed out on a beanbag and woke up in a real daze.”
The next morning, a fresh-faced Carly headed
out for a hike and Victoria “woke up with the worst
hangover and wine headache” and fled before she
returned. Days later, she wrote Crying on the Inside,
“thinking about the idea of Carly doing Fleetwood
Mac,” and sent the demo to her friend to pass on to
All photos ©
Patrick Balls her team – but she never heard back.

82 RETROPOP
83
FEATURE: LITTLE BOOTS
It’s the only track on the album that originated
outside of the project and almost didn’t make it onto
the final tracklist; but when she shared a rough cut
with her followers on Patreon, “who are just like my
sounding board for everything,” she was urged to
reconsider.
Victoria joined the platform back in May 2020
as she began work on her fourth full-length record,
following a Kickstarter campaign to fund the 10th
Anniversary edition of her debut album ‘Hands’,
which raised more than £55,000 – a leap from its
initial £10,000 goal. The subscription site allows
fans to invest as little as £5 per month and follow
the creation of the album, with exclusive behind the
scenes content, monthly rewards, livestream gigs,
and more.
For the pop stalwart, it’s been a game-changer –
particularly during a time when regular streams of
income from touring and DJing were off the cards –
and has opened her eyes to a new way of funding
her music.
“I always had to go on tour to make money –
whether it was DJing, festivals or whatever,” she
muses. “I love going on tour, but there were times
where I found myself flying across the world to do
one DJ show. Patreon really changed the game for
me because I have these guys’ financial support.
“They’ve completely funded the album, so I can
afford things that I wouldn’t be able to afford normally.
Because I know that money comes from those guys
and it’s pretty consistent, I can relax in a way.”
84
But Victoria is sure to keep her Patreons up to date
with how their money is spent: “They are an amazing
sounding board! I’ve literally got my own focus group
of my megafans, who are always up for telling me what
they think. And, more often than not, they’re right.”
The process isn’t too dissimilar to the creation of
Little Boots’ first album in 2009; in the early days of
social media, she took to YouTube with live versions
of tracks like Meddle and Stuck on Repeat from her
parents’ house, before they were officially released.
The return to her roots isn’t only reflected in her
music, but it’s also intrinsic to the identity of the
project as a whole, which is centred on the “fish
and chip glamour” of her hometown: Blackpool.
“I spend more time up here than I ever have done. But
I really appreciate it in my old age,” she laughs. “When
I was younger, I just thought it was such a dive and it’s
miserable. But I think that’s where I get inspiration.
“On a bleak northern night where the gales are
blowing, you put all your glad rags on and don’t even
wear a coat. You just go out and have a great time.
It’s transformative, and that musical fantasy can lift
you above whatever mundane circumstances you
might find yourself in.”
The seaside hotspot serves as the backdrop for
the Silver Balloons music video, which sees Victoria
– appropriately dressed in a variety of silver looks,
including a metallic jumpsuit and sequined dress
– explore local attractions from the Pleasure Beach
theme park to Palma Cafe, via North Pier and the
iconic Blackpool Tower.
It ends with the singer, standing alone on the beach
as the tide comes into the shore and the sun sets,
letting go of a bunch of silver balloons and watching
them float high into the sky – symbolising dreams
and plans that fell to the wayside as the world shut
down some 18 months prior.
But returning to her hometown gave Victoria hope:
“You can kind of put your magic glasses on and take
them off and you can see everything in two ways…
I always saw the magic.”
Returning to the North West of England was a
conscious move to avoid being trapped in a small
London flat and forced Victoria into a self-sufficient
way of working she’d not explored in over a decade.
Not only is she the sole credited writer on the majority
of the record, but she also took on production duties.
“When I started out, I didn’t have any producers to
work with,” says Victoria. “I didn’t do any co-writing,
I just messed around in my mum’s garage on my
keyboard – and I somehow got away from that…”
“I’ve literally got my own focus group
of my megafans, who are always up
for telling me what they think.”
RETROPOP
 That organic approach is reflected in the lyrics
throughout the record, which sees Victoria find
inspiration in everything from the “blurry faces” she
once knew from east London house parties (Back to
Mine), to playing mixtapes over the phone with her
high school boyfriend (Landline).
Creatively, she’s never been short of inspiration;
when her deal with 679 and Atlantic Records fell
through, Victoria dusted herself off and launched her
sophomore LP, the acclaimed ‘Nocturnes’, indulging
her love of dance music through ‘90s house and ‘70s
disco influences, via her label On Repeat Records.
Its follow-up, ‘Working Girl’, loosely inspired by the
1989 movie of the same name and her reinvention as
her own boss, saw the singer channel the everyday
realities of running a company into electronic pop
gems like Business Pleasure, Get Things Done and
Help Too, and a stylised new look that modernised
‘80s power dressing. It was a conceptual triumph.
For Victoria, writing the album was the easy part,
but overcoming her anxiety as a producer was an
ongoing struggle that lasted until the moment she
presented the 11 demos to her management.
“When I handed the demos in, I was like, ‘When
I’m finished writing, we honestly have to go into the
studio and re-record all of these with, you know,
a proper producer’,” she recalls. “And my manager
was like, ‘What are you talking about? I think these
are the most produced demos we’ve ever heard.
Why would you re-record them?’”
Having heard the album midway through
the mixing process, I’m shocked that Victoria
a) produced such spectacular demos and b) was
ready to axe them and re-record the entire album.
“Why?” I ask.
“I always had a bit of a confidence crisis when it
came to production,” she sighs. “I just thought I wasn’t
good enough, or I didn’t know what I was doing…
But I proved myself wrong on this record.
“I was quite shocked that I actually got them to
this releasable level without the validation of an older
white man. I feel quite invincible now because I’m like,
‘Wow, I can just produce it, I don’t need anyone else,
I could just keep making records.’ It’s given me a lot
of confidence.”
It’s that confidence that spurred Victoria to
book a pair of one-woman shows back in October,
during which she mastered keyboards, synthesizers,
sitars and dug out her trusty Yamaha Tenori-on
– the Japanese looped electronic instrument she
frequently played in her early shows – to debut
new tracks and reworked classics. The gigs went
down a storm.
If that confidence boost wasn’t enough, being
recruited to join ABBA’s ‘Voyage’ band was an even
bigger honour – even if, as Victoria admits, she wasn’t
entirely sure what she was signing up for.
Recalling the phone call from James Righton –
ex-Klaxons keyboard player and husband of Keira
Knightley, who was asked to select musicians by
co-executive producer Johan Renck – she admits the
idea of joining her favourite band was mind-blowing
– not least of all because the group themselves won’t
actually be performing.
“When he first told me about it, I was like, ‘So,
ABBA are back – but they’re not, they’re holograms...
but they’re not holograms? There’s new music and
they’re touring, but it stays in one place…’,” she laughs,
admitting the whole situation is “quite mental,” even
for an “ABBA nut” like herself.
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FEATURE: LITTLE BOOTS
She debated whether or not to audition for the gig –
it would mean blocking out five days per week for the
majority of 2022, including time she’d normally spend
promoting her latest Little Boots record.
“I kind of was like, ‘Well I’m gonna audition and just
see and, you know, probably everyone’s gonna be so
s**t hot that I won’t get it’,” she admits, “even though
I drove myself insane by doing nothing but playing
ABBA for three weeks beforehand!”
But nothing could have prepared Victoria
for coming face-to-face with her idols – Benny
Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus – who were involved
in the production from the very beginning.
“Benny and Björn walked in straight away and
were amazing,” she beams, “but I didn’t think they’d
be there from the start! There’s a 10 piece band – and,
like I’m a good player – but I don’t do things like this
all the time. I normally just play my own music.
“They just walked in like, ‘[Swedish accent] Hello,
I’m Benny, this is Björn’ and I was just like [gasps].
And he said, ‘Shall we start with Voulez-Vous?
4-3-2-1’.”
The rest is history; the auditions were supposed
to be followed by a day of callbacks but, satisfied
with what they’d heard, the duo settled on the
line-up almost immediately.
Victoria says: “It sounded absolutely magic.
Everyone had goosebumps. Straight off the bat, it
was first thing in the morning and it was absolutely
incredible… There was no doubt in my mind after the
audition – I had to do it.”
The shows open May 27, with seven performances
over five days per week at the specially-built ABBA
Arena in Stratford, east London.
While busy rehearsing for her new gig, however,
Victoria remains in charge of her solo career and is
actively seeking out ways to revolutionise the way she
creates and distributes her music with fans, looking
towards NFTs as the next step in her tech-savvy
approach to creativity. NFTs – or non-fungible tokens
– are unique, non-interchangeable units of data
stored on a digital ledger known as the blockchain,
which are both tamper-proof and serve as proofs of
ownership – like certificates of authenticity.
The format has seen a surge in popularity over the
past 12 months, with artists turning to decentralised
platforms to share their art – and Victoria believes
they have the power to overhaul the music industry.
The benefits are clear: “As an independent artist
that’s been through the major label system, that
gets delivered my royalty statement nine years
later that’s completely made up... This is completely
transformative!
“You could literally have all rights written into
songs – as smart contracts – and every time those
songs are played, everybody involved is written in
and gets paid out directly and transparently.
And that is game-changing.
“The potential of that could completely overhaul
major labels, the whole music industry,” she insists,
86
as we discuss ways of integrating NFTs into her
current campaign, such as advanced sales of singles.
It’s an idea she proposed on Twitter and, although
Victoria insists she’ll continue to release music on
traditional formats, her post attracted a strong
backlash. “Apparently I’m personally responsible for
climate change,” she says, brushing off the criticism.
It leads to a debate into the environmental
issues related to NFTs, which are at least partially
responsible for the millions of tons of carbon dioxide
being released into the atmosphere.
As always, Victoria looks at the “bigger picture”:
“In the ‘80s, we had huge computers that took so
much power – now you can do 1,000 times more
on your phone. It’s very, very early days...
“I do believe everybody wants to make this
environmentally friendly and I do believe that will
come in time, but I think it’s exciting to be in it at
this point.”
Her optimism is refreshing and, if there’s one
thing to take from Little Boots’ fourth album, it’s
her rose-tinted outlook. It comes to a head on
Tomorrow’s Yesterdays, which sees Victoria
confront the vicious cycle of day-to-day living
and vow to take the reins on her life.
“You could literally have all rights
written into songs - as smart contracts -
and every time those songs are played,
everybody involved gets paid out
directly and transparently. And
that is game-changing.”
‘Hand me the keys it’s my turn to drive / I’ve been
a passenger all my life / And out of sight isn’t always
out of mind,’ she sings.
“I wanted to write an album that you could just as
easily dance around your kitchen to, go out and drive
around in the car to,” she says of her current sound.
“As a DJ, I’ve been really trying hard to marry the pop
songwriting world with the DJ world and do a lot of
house tracks... but I just felt like I didn’t want to try
and be something I’m not.
“I wanted to be myself for this record and not worry
if you could play it in a club or if it would get on a
Spotify playlist – I’m just going to do me.”
But fans of classic Little Boots bangers like Remedy
and Shake needn’t worry: “The plan is to do a whole
remix record, which I think will be great.”
It would be easy for Victoria to slow down as she
takes residence with ABBA for the next year, but with
a new album and a string of festival dates booked
for the summer, Little Boots might just be in for her
biggest year yet.
RETROPOP
87
REVIEWS: ALBUMS

REVIEWS Dive deep into the latest studio albums, expanded reissues
and audio-visual content as we give our verdict on the
best up-and-coming releases.

DAVID BOWIE
Toy:Box
Released: January 8
Parlophone
David Bowie’s “ghost album”
‘Toy’ comes back to life thanks
to this carefully-curated box set
encompassing the ‘lost’ era.
Producer and longtime Bowie
collaborator Tony Visconti has
described the album as being
“some of David’s finest work” and
the project offers a unique lens on
the musician’s own interpretations
of his recordings.
Following his iconic Glastonbury
set in 2000, Bowie entered the His selections are choice and, The album was first issued as
studio to record new takes on songs given the concept, it’s only natural part of the ‘Brilliant Adventure
he’d first cut early in his career, to yearn for more, as Bowie hones (1992-2001)’ box set, but the
from 1964-1971, with a view to in on specific moments from ‘Toy:Box’ release expands
release the collection in his formative years which were further across three discs,
as short a time frame as possible. inspiring him at that time. featuring alternate takes and
While a commercial release was But instead of a cohesive body stripped-back recordings from
ultimately shelved, it sees Bowie of work, ‘Toy’ exists more as a the original sessions.
reconnect with some of his finest soundboard for what would be The brilliance, of course, is
early recordings, with freakbeat to come, as it was laid to one side that he not only left behind an
single Can’t Help Thinking About while the icon set to work on his unreleased album after his death,
Me bringing all the energy of his next original album, ‘Heathen’, but also a full expanded edition to
Available on 3CD
live shows onto the record. released the following year. be enjoyed for years to come. and 6 x 10” LP

92 RETROPOP
JLS
2.0
Released: December 3
BMG
It’s a decade since JLS released
their fourth album ‘Evolution’ and,
after taking time away to work on
solo projects, the boys return with
their revitalised comeback ‘2.0’.
The boyband, which shot to fame
as runners-up on ‘The X Factor’ in
2008 – pipped only to the title by
Alexandra Burke – turns to musical
heavyweights Wayne Hector, TMS
and Lost Boy to bring their winning
formula of R&B-influenced pop
bang up to date.
To introduce their new direction,
the group reunites with Steve
Mac – the producer behind their
No. 1 debut single Beat Again –
who teams up with Ed Sheeran
especially to write Eternal Love,
the first single from the new
album.
It’s a promising sign of things
to come and the album is packed
with cool midtempos in the vein of
classic singles Everybody In Love
and One Shot sure to appease
fans who’ve stuck around since the
group’s original chart domination.
Fear not, JLS soon turn on the
heat with a selection of uptempos,
which prove instant highlights
and will undoubtedly be playlist
staples come the summer.
Love Immortal is laden with
beats and is a sure-fire hit for
the club circuit, while Tango is
brimming with an infectious
energy that defies you to
dance along.
The vocals are rich and
harmonies tight on the boys’
comeback which, after years
apart from one another, sees Available on CD,
LP and cassette,
them return to the charts closer including limited
than ever and ready to dominate edition coloured
and solo member
airwaves all over again. editions

MATT GOSS Lead single Somewhere To Fall

The Beautiful Unknown
Released: February 4
Lewisham Records
Bros frontman Matt Goss returns to
the sounds that made him famous
with his long-awaited comeback
‘The Beautiful Unknown’.
The singer-songwriter has spent
the best part of the past decade
wowing audiences with his hit
residency show on the Las Vegas
strip, but now he’s ready to hit the
road and the charts once again
with an all-out celebration of
pop music.
Born from a period in which
Matt admits he’d fallen out of love
with his career, the album takes a
deep look inside the man behind
the music, tackling subjects such
as grief, love, loss and infidelity.
While the subject matter might
sound like something from Adele’s
latest selection of heartbreak-
inspired slow-jams, Matt turns the
energy up with earworm hooks
and anthemic choruses harkening
Available on
CD and LP back to his boyband days.
is an instant radio hit, while the
mid-tempo jam Unbreakable
is a defiant, self-empowerment
anthem to pull him through his
darkest days.
Alongside straightforward
pop, Matt explores new sounds;
The Joke, with its funky bassline
and swing edge, is a damning
assessment of a one-sided
relationship, while Feeling High
is a stellar electro-pop moment
that holds up alongside his
very best.
‘The Beautiful Unknown’
closes with a faithful cover of
one of Matt’s favourite songs –
Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 ballad
Landslide – and serves as a
thank you from the musician to
the artists that have inspired him
since his childhood, through his
career today.
The result is a current, varied
collection that, through exploring
various musical avenues, paints
a portrait of Matt Goss – the pop
star – as he stands today.

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REVIEWS: ALBUMS
GORILLAZ
Gorillaz
(20th Anniversary Super
Deluxe Vinyl Boxset)
Released: December 10
Parlophone
Celebrating 20 years since the
release of their self-titled breakout
album, Gorillaz have collated all
of their releases from the classic
era into one expansive box set.
‘Gorillaz (20th Anniversary
Super Deluxe Vinyl Boxset)’
features eight discs pressed on
black vinyl, covering the original
album alongside an impressive
array of bonus content, including
demos, B-sides, the ‘Laika Come
Home’ remix album, and live
recordings.
More than two decades since
the release of international hit
Clint Eastwood featuring Del the
Funky Homosapien, the original
LP sounds as fresh and inspired
94
as ever, but the real bonus is
the wealth of extra material,
documenting the record from
its inception through its global
success with the virtual group’s
Available as an
live shows. 8LP vinyl box set
BELINDA CARLISLE
Live Your Life Be Free
(30th Anniversary
Box Set)
Released: December 10
Demon
Belinda Carlisle’s feelgood fourth
album is brought back to life
thanks to a comprehensive new
vinyl box set celebrating the era.
Celebrating its 30th
anniversary, the 3LP ‘Live Your
Life Be Free’ collection includes the
original album, along with B-sides,
single versions and remixes,
clocking in at 25 tracks in total.
Leading the pack is the album’s
title song – The Go-Go’s star’s
stellar Rick Nowles-penned
anthem – alongside singles
Do You Feel Like I Feel?, Half the
World, and Little Black Book.
But there’s more to this classic
era than just its singles and the
Available on black box set tells the story of a turbulent
3LP and limited
edition green 3LP period in the singer’s career.
Clocking in at 60 tracks in total,
the collection balances old and
new with the ‘Live at the Forum,
2001’ and ‘Demoz’ discs both
previously unreleased.
While the collection is
impressive, it’s disappointing
that the celebratory edition is
limited to vinyl – and with a
significant price tag, it’s sure to
rule some out from enjoying
what’s on offer.
So, although conceptually
stunning, with the
records housed in a
folio style hardback
book with blackbinding with
silver hot foiled Gorillaz logo,
and packaged with a cache of
27 pages of original drawings
and storyboards, plus two
Polaroid-style mugshots, a wider
release across formats would
undoubtedly be a welcome
bonus down the line.
Riding high off the success of her
previous effort ‘Runaway Horses’,
Belinda’s return to the studio was
an altogether different experience
as she struggled to earn the
backing of her US record label.
“The album does have its
moments, but that time period
was a difficult one for everybody
involved. I didn’t have a lot of record
company support in America, and
I felt like I was grasping at straws,”
she is quoted as saying.
It’s detailed in extensive liner
notes, courtesy of Justin Kantor,
who goes behind the scenes of the
project and dissects its 11 tracks
in impressive detail, alongside a
glossy selection of photographs
from sessions for the album.
The latest addition to the
singer’s Decades reissue
campaign is a welcome reminder
of yet another stellar album and
an impressive chapter in her
unfaltering legacy.
RETROPOP
TEARS FOR FEARS
The Tipping Point
Released: February 25
Concord Records
It’s been 18 years since Tears For
Fears released their last album,
‘Everybody Loves a Happy Ending’,
but Roland Orzabal and Curt
Smith pick up right where they
left off with ‘The Tipping Point’.
Preceded by its lead single and
title track, the album feeds into
the history of the band, which
celebrates its 40th anniversary
this year, referencing the pair’s
journey to create the record along
with key musical moments from
their storied career.
Leading the pack, the song,
The Tipping Point, harkens
back to two of their biggest hits:
Head Over Heels and Everybody
Wants to Rule the World.
It’s a welcome return from the
group whose songs soundtracked
much of the ‘80s, but ‘The Tipping
Point’ is far more than an exercise in
nostalgia, spanning pop, rock and
trip influences for a sonic journey
from their teenage beginnings
through to the present day.
Opener No Small Thing begins
as an acoustic ditty before building
into a big band moment, while My
Demons is a Muse-style, stadium-
sized rocker, showcasing a different
side to the band.
Some songs are personal to the
duo, detailing Roland’s heartbreak
following the death of his first wife
Carol (The Tipping Point) and
creative conflicts with their former
management (Master Plan), while
others speak to global issues
such as the Black Lives Matter led approach to writing has
movement (Rivers of Mercy). always resulted in magic.
Their musical views may be very With new music and a world Available on CD
– including deluxe
different, but the common ground tour to look forward to, the and super deluxe
between Curt’s singer-songwriter future of Tears For Fears looks editions – and LP,
including coloured
sensibilities and Roland’s rhythm- reassuringly bright. variants

STARSAILOR In the new liner notes, James

Love Is Here
(20th Anniversary Edition)
Released: January 28
Parlophone
Post-Britpop outfit Starsailor
revisit their debut album ‘Love
Is Here’ for an expanded reissue
celebrating its 20th anniversary
Originally released in 2001,
the record was a critical and
commercial hit, peaking at No. 2
in the UK charts and spawning
the hit singles Alcoholic and
Good Soul.
Two decades on and the group
are revisiting the collection with
a new reissue of the LP, which
features the original album with
a bonus disc full of covers, demos,
session recordings, rarities, five
brand-new 20th Anniversary
Edition tracks and newly written
liner notes by the band.
The new tracklist includes
re-recordings of Good Souls,
Alcoholic, Fever, Way To Fall
and the title track, offering “new
Available on
2LP and 2CD arrangements and new sounds”.
Walsh writes: “With the new tracks
we didn’t want to simply re-record
the same versions so we worked on
new arrangements and new sounds.
“Way To Fall is much more
understated & gentle than
the original but it works really
well & Good Souls evokes the
powerful song it’s turned into after
numerous big live performances
where it’s had to take on a
larger life than the subtle studio
recording on ‘Love Is Here’.”
Other bonus tracks include a
demo version of Coming Down,
a 2006 acoustic performance of
From A Whisper To A Scream,
plus three cover versions.
It’s a curious approach to
an expanded reissue, offering
retrospective revisions rather than
alternates and outtakes from the
original recording sessions, but one
that allows the band to explore the
music with a fresh perspective.
Still, the lack of archival content
is somewhat disappointing – for
the 25th Anniversary, perhaps?

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REVIEWS: DVDS
ALBUMS

SAINT ETIENNE Extras include: z Escalade (2021): New Saint

I’ve Been Trying to Tell You
Released: December 6
BFI
The 2021 short film ‘I’ve Been
Trying To Tell You’, directed by
Alasdair McLellan, created to
accompany Saint Etienne’s 10th
studio album of the same name.
z Her Winter Coat (2021): New
Saint Etienne music video
directed by Alasdair McLellan
z Hello Holly (2021): New Saint
Etienne music video directed by
Alasdair McLellan
z Trailers
Etienne music video directed by
Alasdair McLellan
z Bob Stanley and Alasdair
McLellan in conversation (2021)
z First pressing only: Booklet with
new writing on the film by Jason
Wood and unreleased images
from Alasdair McLellan

DEPECHE MODE
101
Released: December 3
Sony
Newly-upgraded reissue
of Depeche Mode’s ‘101’
documentary concert film and live
album, chronicling the 101st and
final performance of the band’s
‘Music For The Masses’ world tour,
recorded live at the Pasadena
Rose Bowl on June 18, 1988.
Deluxe edition extras include:

z 48-page behind-the-scenes story

of the day photo book
z A 20” x 30” replica of original US
theatrical release movie poster
z A 16-page Anton Corbijn Photo
Mode book as featured in the
original album release
z A double CD of the original 20
track 101 concert release
z Access to 4K videos of the film
and bonus performances plus
24-bit audios of the 101 concert

96 RETROPOP
CLIFF RICHARD
The Great 80 Tour
Released: December 6
Spirit
Filmed on October 27, 2021,
Sir Cliff hits the stage at
London’s Royal Albert Hall
to celebrate his return to live
music with a selection of his
greatest hits, some from his
latest album, and a few long-
forgotten deep-cuts from his
storied career.
The film was beamed to
cinema screens across the
UK earlier this year and, in
a statement, Cliff said of the
tour – which was originally
due to run in 2020 but was
pushed back – “I shall begin
the tour aged 80 and will be
81 when in cinemas – what a
great way to celebrate.”
Bonus features include
exclusive footage of Sir Cliff
in rehearsals.

97