Spice Girls April 2000 News

Last week the Spice Girls Official Site announced a contest letting fans guess the album title of their third album release. The three choices that the fans had to choose from were:

leaving 45% voting for "Third Time Around" , 25% "Spice 2000", and 30% "Forever".

Fortunately the Spice Girls have reported that their new album title is "Forever"despite the rumors of it being Third Time Around(similar to Hanson's latest album title This Time Around).

Congratulations goes out to David Koppel, Rosanna Wong, Lucas Paoli Itaborahy, Laura Bainbridge, Daniel Murray, Carlos Rico, Stella Canelas, Gustavo Alves Pezzini, Anjana Sarkhel and Joshua Lim who will all win a signed copy of the Spice Girls new album "Forever".

Once they each had their own distinct look and whether it was posh, sporty, scary or baby, they could never be accused of dressing the same.

Now, in a new spiced up sexy image, they pose as one, in figure hugging black leather and draped in chains. The startling new look will earn Victoria, Emma, Mel B and Mel C legions of new male admirers and could set a new trend for their army of teenage fans.

The sexy make-over is a further ploy to prove the Spice Girls have matured into a sophisticated new style. It comes ahead of the release of their third album on November 6. It is expected to be released around the same autumn date that Mel B - Scary Spice - is set to release her own solo album.

Their first single in nearly two years will be released with a double A-side in October. Holler Holler/Let Love Lead The Way, will be their first since Goodbye in December 1998. Mel C said yesterday: "We are stronger after being apart for a while and we're very happy to have been back together in the studio."

The Spice Girls have sold 35 million albums since making their debut in 1996 and each of the girls has gone on to develop solo careers with Mel B and Mel C making it to number one in their own right.Last Sunday, Posh Spice Victoria came close to number one with her first single Out Of My Mind. Earlier this year Emma teamed up with the group Tin Tin Out to hit the top 10 with What I Am. Mel C has also changed her look in time to resume band duties, replacing her short spiked cut with a more feminine style.

The Spice Girls -- Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, and Melanie Chisholm -- will return with their third, as yet untitled, album in November.

The set, recorded in London, Los Angeles, and Miami over the course of 14 months, will be released on Virgin Records Nov. 6 in the U.K. and the next day in the U.S. The set features production from Rodney Jerkins and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.

Not content to work solely on the group, individual members have embarked on various solo projects since finishing a world tour in support of "Spiceworld" -- which peaked at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 in February 1998. The Melanies each dove into solo projects: Melanie B (formerly "Scary Spice") collaborated with Missy Elliott on the single "I Want You Back," and contributed a song to the "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" soundtrack; and Melanie C (formerly "Sporty Spice") released the solo album "Northern Star."

Bunton, who first shed the "Baby Spice" moniker when she released a cover of Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians' "What I Am" that hit No. 2 on the U.K. singles chart, is working on her solo debut album. Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams became Victoria Beckham after marrying soccer star David Beckham, and released the single "Out Of Your Mind," a collaboration with TrueSteppers.

"We are stronger after being apart for a while and we're very happy to have been back together in the studio," Melanie C said in a statement of the new album. "This strength will show on this new album, which I think is our best yet."

The Spice Girls' debut album, "Spice," topped The Billboard 200 in May 1997, and has sold 7.2 million copies in the U.S., according to Soundscan. "Spice World" has sold 4 million copies.

Posh Spice Victoria Beckham has lost out to rivals Spiller in the race for the coveted number one slot in the British charts.

The 26-year-old Spice Girl had made a determined effort to reach the top with promotional trips to Paignton in Devon, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham and even Ibiza to tap the nightclubbing world.

But the intense publicity campaign for her track Out of Your Mind was no match for Spiller's clubbing anthem Groovejet (If This Ain't Love).

Nevertheless, Beckham claimed to be delighted with the number two spot for the Truesteppers track, on which she shares vocals with Dane Bowers.

"I'm absolutely thrilled at the amount of records sold this week and the support I have had from fans," she said.

She was watching her husband David play for Manchester United against Newcastle at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon and was planning to celebrate her arrival in the charts with a meal out in Manchester.

Spiller - the performing name of an Italian DJ - spent the afternoon performing at BBC Radio 1's One Big Sunday event in Plymouth.

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor wore a T-shirt with the word "Peckham" - as opposed to "Beckham" - written on it and told the crowd: "I'm absolutely thrilled, it's brilliant.

"I'm reassured actually because all week there has been so much toing and froing with press things that I was getting a bit worried that the music was getting lost in it all.

Last week, the singer slammed Beckham's concerted promotion efforts as "underhand".

Speaking to BBC News Online, Ellis-Bextor said the Posh Spice camp had used every trick in the book and had only just stopped short of bulk-buying copies of Out Of Your Mind.

"For someone who is supposedly interested only in the music, she [Beckham] is doing an awful lot of promotion," she observed.

The BBC's Top of the Pops programme resisted the hype, using Spiller and not Beckham on the show.

"But that doesn't mean that I should necessarily have to fall in line with every other magazine and publication and put her on Top of the Pops," he said.

The battle between the two tracks added a rare element of genuine competition to the UK singles chart - which usually sees one new release each week all but guaranteed to go straight in at number one.

Spiller sold 202,591 copies of their single, achieving the highest weekly singles sale of the year so far.

The 180,584 copies of Out Of Your Mind sold would have been enough to clinch the number one slot most weeks, and it is the highest selling number two record this year.

Beckham is the last member of the Spice Girls to release a single without the rest of the group.

Mel C and Mel B have already notched up their own solo number ones as has former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

But Emma Bunton's release with Tin Tin Out failed to make the top slot, held off by Halliwell last November.

Mel B was wearing her new-look long hair extensions at Radio 1’s One Big Sunday at the weekend. Mel's album, ‘Hot’ is out on 2nd October and whilst her single ‘Tell Me’ is about her ex-hubby Jimmy, her new bloke, Max Beesley, has written a track on the album as well.

Mel told Radio 1: "That’s the only song that I didn’t actually co-write. We did that last year. We’ve been mates for four years and our relationship only started in January so when we work together it is very professional. He sent me the song and I listened to it and I said, ‘I like it, I’ll do it.’" But Max wasnaround at the weekend, he was snogging a different ’t diva. Mel told us: "He’s out in Toronto doing a film with Mariah Carey, playing her boyfriend! I’m very confident in our relationship, and then again, whatever happens will happen, I’m sure."

Scary Spice has got some choice collaborations lined up for her new album, ‘Hot’. She's already spoken to Prince about doing a track with him, when she was interviewing him at his house last year, and she's been on the case with some of her other showbiz mates. Mel told Radio 1: "I did about three songs with Sisqo, three songs with Teddy Riley from Blackstreet, two songs with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. I got a real big wish list and I felt so lucky to work with these people - it’s amazing!"

Are we kidding??? No! All you've got to do is to guess the name of our brand new album which we will EXCLUSIVELY reveal to you next week (25 August!) and you could win one of 10 signed albums which we will get hand delivered, straight to you door on the day of release!

All you have to do is to guess which of the following three titles is for real, and which two are just silly things we've made up to tease you!!

Victoria Beckham and Italian DJ Spiller have been involved in a neck-and-neck struggle since both their records were released on Monday.

Posh's Out of Your Mind has sold just 632 more than Spiller's Ibiza anthem Groovejet.

Up-to-the-minute figures show that her debut single with Dane Bowers is on 98,057 copies and Groovejet - vocals by ex-Vogue model Sophie Ellis-Bextor is on 97,425.

And industry insiders say the race could end up the closest since September 1990.

Then the Steve Miller Band's The Joker went head-to-head with Deee-Lite's Groove Is In The Heart. And despite the records selling exactly the same amount, The Joker got to No.1 because it sold more copies in the run-up to the finish line.

The result caused such an uproar that the chart rules were changed so that two records could share the top spot if record sales were tied.

But now there will be no way of knowing if Posh or Spiller has won one of the most fascinating battles in recent years until the end of trading tomorrow. David Roberts, editor of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles, said:
"This is the closest anyone can remember. The last time everybody was talking about who was going to be No.1 was in August 1995, when Blur's Country House pipped Roll With It by Oasis. The difference this time is miniscule - there's a lot of excitment surrounding both songs. Posh clearly wants to join Mel C, Mel B and Geri in terms of solo success. That's her great incentive.But I cannot remember the last time there were so few votes separating the two best-selling records. It's fantastic for the music industry."

Whoever gets the top slot on Sunday will be the eleventh artist to hit the top in as many weeks.

An HMV spokesman said: "Normally by this stage in the week, one contender will have pulled away from the other. A normal week would see there being a few thousand sales in between the top two. This is so close, though, despite Posh going all out to get to No.1 while Spiller has been less conspicuous. There has just been huge interest in both singles."

The spokesman added: "You cannot underestimate the power of Posh and the other Spice Girls.She's definitely not frightened of working for her No.1 and knows how to make the most out of the marketing. You don't usually see this amount of excitement other than at Christmas."

Posh said: "If this song goes in at one, two, three, four or five I will be over the moon. It's the first time I have done anything outside the band and. as far as I am concerned, it's already a hit. I'm happy with the way it's been received by people."

A spokesman for Positiva, Spiller's record label, replied: "Groovejet is a great record. It speaks for itself. "Posh Spice deals in No.1s so we will be happy to get in the top five. But while we are behind at the moment, we are pulling that back. It's such a small defecit."

Posh is still doing all she can to make sure she and Dane are the winners on Sunday. Her road show rolled into Birmingham yesterday for another record-signing session - at which she said she loves Brummie-speak.

The star then defended Becks from people who "say he is thick because of his accent and because he doesn't talk a lot".

As Spice Girl Melanie C.'s new single tops the British charts, "Baby Spice" Emma Bunton has finally revealed some news about her own planned solo album.

Emma's past solo efforts have been limited to a one-off collaboration with Brit band Tin Tin Out and the Mel C.-penned song "(Hey You) Free Up Your Mind" from last year's "Pokemon: The Movie" soundtrack. That's about to change, it seems. Bunton has told BBC's Radio One that she's been working on some 18 solo songs, some with superproducer Rodney Jerkins.

Bunton told the network that the tracks include guitar-driven songs similar to her song with Tin Tin Out, as well as some "dance-y" tunes, ballads, and "R&B, but poppy" material, courtesy of Jerkins. The performer also hinted that she has been writing her own songs and that she was especially fond of writing ballads. The themes, she said, are about her own life experiences. She described one song as a "real girls' anthem about going out."

Meanwhile, "Sporty" Melanie C.'s new single, "I Turn To You," the fourth from her solo album "Northern Star," shot to number one on the U.K. charts this week. "Scary" Mel B. has reportedly just shot a video for her single "Tell Me," which is due out on September 18 in the U.K. The song should appear next year in the U.S., along with her debut solo album, "Hot."

"Posh Spice" Victoria Beckham's first non-Spice Girls track, "Out Of Your Mind," featuring Another Level singer Dane Bowers, is currently being shipped to record stores in Britain. She is also reportedly working on tracks for a full album with producer Jerkins.

Meanwhile, the third album by all four Spice Girls is set to hit stores on November 7 in the USA (or is it still November 21st?).

Mel B has revealed how her role in a new British film brought back memories of being bullied at school.

Mel said the bullying she suffered as a youngster was one of the reasons why she accepted the role of a dowdy fish wife in the Tyneside-based film Fish, which tells the story of a mixed race 14-year-old boy.

"I got bullied," she told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. "I think every kid gets picked on and bullied at school for one reason or another. It didn't leave me scarred and there was no really bad incident. It was just another thing I had to deal with."

Mel was asked to audition for her role by Bruce Goodison, who directed a TV documentary about the singer.

She also spoke of the alleged incident involving her ex-husband Jimmy Gulzar. She said: "Of course it bothers me but I don't make a big thing of it.

"It's more important to to carry on and focus on the more positive things about what I'm doing."

Mel B has told Worldpop that she's delighted with the way her relationship with Max Beesley is progressing but states there's no plans to give Phoenix Chi a baby brother or sister.

'We've only been together since January so it's early days,' she pondered. 'I'm just enjoying myself and taking each step as it comes. He's away doing his film with Mariah Carey so he's pretty busy at the moment and I'm busy. But we've got a good, healthy, happy relationship.'

Max, wrote, produced and mixed Step Inside, a garage track that appears on her debut solo album, Hot. 'I've known Max for about four years,' says Mel recalling their collaboration. 'We weren't together then at all so it was very professional. He's a northern lad so we had a right laugh.'

Melanie's declaration about Max came just hours after it was reported ex-hubby Jimmy Gulzar had been arrested for allegedly punching Mel's younger sister Danielle, while he was looking after Phoenix. She was unable to comment on the incident due to legal reasons but said, 'Y'know, he sees his daughter. We're in contact because of Phoenix.' The proud mum confided Phoenix had already given her album the thumbs up. 'She loves it,' confided Mel. 'She loves anything with a big phat bassline, she does.'

Mel also confirmed to Worldpop that she made Fred Jerkins, producer of Tell Me, late for session with Britney Spears. 'He was supposed to go to another studio to work with Britney but my session kinda ran over,' she explained.

She was however far more candid about her recent meeting with former Spice mate Geri Halliwell 'I saw Geri about three weeks ago,' she recalled. 'A quick 'Hi, how are you and bye'. It was really nice.'

Scary Spice's estranged husband was arrested Monday over a bust-up with her sister as he held the couple's tot.

Hunky dancer Jimmy Gulzar was taken to a police station after former Emmerdale TV actress Danielle Brown claimed she was punched in the head.

The alleged attack happened in North West London as Gulzar - who split with Scary Spice Mel B months after their 1998 marriage - had weekend custody of 18-month-old daughter Phoenix Chi.

Last night his lawyer Helen Pidgeon confirmed the youngster was in his arms at the time.

But she stressed: "Our client categorically denies the allegation and has not been charged." Gulzar claims he came off worst in the row a week ago last Sunday.

Ironically, 19-year-old Danielle had in the past tried to act as mediator in a bid to save her sister's marriage.

Dutch-born Gulzar was taken to Kentish Town police station after yesterday's dramatic arrest in Camden, North London.

He later left with three dark-suited minders and was driven away in a Mercedes. Gulzar was forced to quit the £2.5million mansion he shared with Mel in Little Marlow, Bucks, after their marriage hit the rocks.

It had been the setting for their lavish wedding - featuring two spectacular marquees in the grounds.

But within just eight months the warring couple squared up for a High Court fight over custody of Phoenix Chi.

Eventually they opted for an amicable arrangement, leaving lawyers to thrash out a divorce deal.

Gulzar is currently living at her flat in Hampstead, North London - where new girlfriend Emily Friendship is a regular visitor.

The Spice Girls are a busy bunch at the moment. Melanie C's No.1, Mel B's got a single coming out, Victoria's got her single out with Dane this week, and Emma Bunton is recording an album.

She told Radio 1: "I'm working on my solo album at the moment. I've got about 18 tracks. I'm just sort of listening to see what I like and what I don't like. But it's gone so well, I'm so pleased," she said.

"I've got some guitar stuff on there, like the Tin Tin Out stuff. But I've also worked with Rodney Jerkins, and got a bit of R'n'B but poppy."

"There's loads of different styles on there, which is great. Lots of dancey tracks, lovely ballads. I don't know why, but I love writing ballads. So it'll be a whole album of ballads! I've kind of written about my life and what I've been through. I've done a track, a real girls' anthem, about going out, and it's gonna be fab!"

Hundreds of screaming Posh Spice fans besieged a London record store in a bid to have their copies of her new single signed by the star.

Victoria Beckham was accompanied by soccer ace husband David and former Another Level star Dane Bowers as she arrived at the Virgin Megastore at Piccadilly Circus.

Posh was all smiles as fans lined up to ask the stars to autograph their copy of Out Of Your Mind, a collaboration between Victoria, Bowers and Truesteppers.

Samantha Wilkinson, 14, from Tottenham, yelled: "David, oh my God you are lovely!" while straining to snatch a quick snapshot of the Manchester United star.

Afterwards she said: "You really expect celebrities when they are famous not to be so nice, but they were. They're so normal."

She was joined by friends Laura Kennedy, 18, from Highgate, and Laura Hanna, 15, from Tottenham, who commented: "I am really happy because Posh hugged me."

Thirteen-year-old Cara Martin had travelled over from Armagh in Ireland for the occasion, while the first fans to arrive at the store this morning were two girls from Kirkenes in Norway - Kirsten Tharaldsen and Siv Kirstensen, both 17.

The pair, who were accompanied by English friend Louise Green, 18, from Windsor, had been waiting to meet their idols since 4am.

Posh Spice had a temporary heart tattoo with "I Luv Becks" on her arm when performing her new solo single at an Ibiza nightclub.

Baby Spice showed off two new tattoos, one, a Chinese symbol on her lower back and another saying "Baby" on her tummy.

Posh Spice wowed the crowd in Ibiza as she performed Out Of Your Mind, which hits the shops today.

Victoria was on the Spanish holiday island with baby Brooklyn. She dumped the tot in the arms of her mum Jackie before the special appearance.

Wearing long black hair extentions, Posh also revealed her new look has been inspired by computer games-superhero Lara Croft. Victoria said: "I don't really care what anybody says.

"If people like it, great, but if they don't, that's fine. I wish people would pay more attention to my music rather than what I buy when I go shopping.

"People are more interested in saying I'm talentless. But if that's so, how come I've sold 17 million albums?"

The tattoo was a show of support for her soccer star husband David Beckham, who turned out for Manchester United's 2-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea in the Charity Shield match yesterday.

Victoria also ruled out revelations of her private life in her upcoming debut solo album.

She said: "I'm not prepared to have my lyrics scrutinized. I'm not standing there naked in front of people and that's what lyrics can do to you."

She will be up against band-mate Melanie C for next week's number one chart spot.

Mel yesterday knocked Robbie Williams off the top spot with her latest hit, I Turn To You.

She said: "It's great to get to number one. I know Victoria's going to be breathing down my neck with her single."

Emma was at Radio 1's Big Sunday event in Ipswich, Suffolk, to support band-mate Melanie C as she performed alongside Five.

Soundslike Mel B's first solo album is going to be the spiciest offering yet from the girl group.

Hot, released in October, will carry a Parental Advisory label as it contains some explicit lyrics.

We hear that her duet with ex-Blackstreet singer Chauncey Hannibal has the line: "You promised me you didn't f*** her/I didn't f*** her." No beating about the bush there.

Victoria Beckham made her triumphant Balearic debut at Ibiza club Eden at the weekend with Dane Bowers and True Steppers, and the crowd's enthusiastic response wasn't dampened by the fact that the pair were miming Out Of Your Mind.

With the single in stores today, Posh Spice later told Worldpop her solo album, due next year, is likely to include a duet with a high profile star. 'There are a lot of people that I would like to work with. Nearer to the finishing off my album I'll have some duets on there,' Victoria confirmed, adding any duet partners would most likely be American, to help her quest to crack the tough US market. 'I'd like to do something with a big American artists because I think that often helps when you're bringing something out in America, and America is very important to me.'

'I'd quite like to surprise everyone, I'd like to do something with a big rap artist,' Victoria continued. 'What about Eminem? He's cool but he's a bit scary. I'd be like, 'Hi! Don't cane me!'

She added that the rapper obviously knows of the Spice Girls, name-checking them in his debut single, My Name Is. 'In the song he said he didn't know which Spice Girl he wanted to impregnate and I was actually impregnated myself at the time, so I assumed he didn't mean me!'

Victoria Beckham has revealed she has decided permanently to swap her trademark short hairstyle for longer locks.

The 26-year-old star has told GMTV the hair extensions she has worn to promote her first non-Spice Girls single have been "stuck in" to give her a more flexible look.

Victoria, whose Out of Your Mind single, a collaboration with dance act True Steppers and former Another Level star Dane Bowers, is released on Monday, says she changed her hairstyle after growing tired of her old image.

"I think it was just a bit different really. I was fed up with the short hair. You can never do anything with it."

On a more serious note, she says the recent sabotaging of husband David's car brakes had left her worried for her family's safety.