Welcome once again to this week's instalment of The Story of Pop: 1998. Now it's at this point we should tell you that the UK charts of 25 years ago was full and plenty with girl groups, so here comes our first of two encounters with one of that year's biggest... Artist: All Saints Song: … Continue reading The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 2)
Howdy! Firstly before we start a quick Happy Easter to you all. Secondly - time for this week's Pop Essays, as we revisit another lost gem of a track from the mists of pop time. This week: one of the greatest songs you've probably never heard by the greatest pop production team of the 00s... … Continue reading Pop Essays #13: Frank, ‘Never Left A Girl’
Welcome to this week's Pop Essays, my series of blogs shining light on the golden nuggets of pop's yesteryear that fell through the cracks but I am now resurrecting like some gilt edged Phoenix. I'll desist with this fictional bird analogy now, and move onto this week's essay, and a favourite pop love of mine: … Continue reading Pop Essays #4: Girls Can’t Catch, ‘Echo’
ARTIST: Four of Diamonds SONG: Blind SO ALEX, WHY IS THIS YOUR SONG OF THE WEEK? When we last had the Four of Diamonds girls as our #SongoftheWeek back in June last year with their still brilliant debut 'Name On It', we mentioned they were our new favourite girl group. Fast forward six months and … Continue reading #SongoftheWeek: Four of Diamonds – ‘Blind’
Nostalgia. It's a powerful - and underestimated - thing isn't it? How a smell, a taste, a sound or an image can bring thousands of memories flooding back. The best nostalgia trips thrive on an assault of all these senses. For whilst a few thousand people were descending on Hylands Park in my home city … Continue reading Spice Up London: the 90s girl power pop exhibition that’s giving you everything
ARTIST: Four of Diamonds feat. Burna Boy SONG: Name On It SO ALEX, WHY IS THIS YOUR SONG OF THE WEEK? It's been a while since I've been able to utter the words 'I have a new favourite girl group' (last approximate use was c. 2010). Now the drought of its usage is over, for … Continue reading #SongoftheWeek: Four of Diamonds feat. Burna Boy – ‘Name On It’
I've spoken many a time on this here blog before about my formative experiences with being introduced to music. And with the return this week of All Saints, the sassier, streetwise and grittier alternative to many of their 90s and 00s pop contemporaries, now seems like a good time to breach this very subject again. … Continue reading They’re moving, they’re coming: my thoughts on the glorious return of All Saints
Alex's Blog (still Crazy, still Stupid)... 