Conference marvin::uk_music

It terrifies me.

    You just don't appreciate good music.

hmmm...Take that.  They rank up there with the great composers and musicians...
Paganini, Stravinsky, Lennon/McCartney, Gary bl**dy Barlow.  I think not...

    Sorry - didnt quite follow the basenote - When u say the new CD is out
    in May, I guess you mean an album, and the single came out last week?
    
    Sorry - I dont keep in touch with the charts. I am very old.  Or I will
    be tomorrow.
    
    mikef

I particularly liked the big wooly hat that the ugly one (heh, like that
narrows it down) wears in the video.  The black car was cool too.

The song sucked tho'.  Think they should have stayed with the teeny-bop
image.

Guy

p.s. I particularly liked a description of East 17 I read last week:

"what Take That would have been if you'd put them behind the bike
sheds with some Stussy clothes, an Afrika Bambataa record and 200 silk cut"

Lots of bare midriff in the new E17 video, but again they should have left
the professional dancers out because they show up what a bunch of hoofers
E17 really are.

But I digress.

    Surely all this statistic proves is that single sales are reaching
    all-time lows, and any significant sale of a single is going to stand
    out a mile?  As for it selling so much in the first week of release,
    isn't this just a marketting ploy by their label (like EMI do with Iron
    Maiden singles for instance)?
    
    Give take that 2/3 years tops and you'll be finding their records
    alongside Bros, NKOTB and all those other Teeny-bopper bands in the
    shop window of Oxfam.
    
    Ant.

My sister probably bought half a dozen of them.  Sad.

Chris.

    The reason, IMO, that Take That's latest ditty sold so outstandingly
    quickly was mainly due to the fact that the TV music shows and 
    radio stations have been playing the song constantly since TT first
    performed the song at the Brits whenever that was. All the little
    girlies that adore TT have had the song thrust down their throats
    for weeks and obviously rushed out in their droves to buy it as 
    soon as it was released last week. I remember the same thing happening
    in 1983(?) with Is There Something I Should Know by Duran Duran.
    
    Actually it's one of their better songs but considering past form
    that isn't saying much.
    
    Jane.

    Okay so I take it that I'm in a minority here in the Take that stakes,
    but as far as how long they'll last I think they'll be around for a
    good while yet.  the comparisons with Bros and NKYTB are inevitable,
    but those bands had a shelf life of a couple of years, Take That have
    been around since early 1992 in the charts, which gives them three
    years already, their popularity is growing and not just among teeny
    boppers ,the majority of my friends at University were fans, including
    the guys!!.  They are going some way to lose their teeny bopper image,
    which isn't all together a bad thing, but I think they do deserve some
    credit for the fact that they write their own stuff, they choreograph
    all their own routines, they have a say in the production and very
    often produce  their own records.
             They design their own stage shows (which are brilliant) and
    they design their own costumes etc...
    
    Yeah they are a teeny band but I think there's a bit more to them than
    that, it's a comparison they hate but the Beatles started off in the
    same situation, (I can't imagine bearded thirty something's sitting
    around wondering what Paul and John *really* meant when they wrote Love
    Love me do...etc.  And no,even I would say the Beatles  are far
    superior.
    
    Andrea .
              

Well, I reckon Take That are a glorified dance troupe.  The boy Barlow does all 
the work, and the rest of them prance about, and go "Yeah", or "babe" every 6 
or 7 bars.  When the little weasely one was given the responsibility to sing a 
song, he made a complete mess of it, proving that he can't sing any better than 
your average pi$$ed student, and the ugliest one (the one with the furry hat 
and coat, and the idiotic walk, in the new video) made a hash out of his song 
when he got the chance, putting on a dreadful American accent.

I've got nothing against the lad on the piano, but he's never going to get any 
credibility unless the rest of them wise up, or he leaves.  Then we'll see how 
cohesive and talented the rest of them are, while he goes onto a much stronger 
fan-base a la George Michael.  Mind you, Wet Wet Wet seem to have survived so 
far, but this may be something to do with the fact that all of them have some 
musical ability, play instruments and contribute <meaningfully, unlike the 
extras in Take That> to the songs.

Cripes, I sound like I really hate them, don't I!  Maybe I'm getting old, at 
last.  It was never like this in my day....Abba....Quo....Queen....Jam....etc.

   
    > They are going some way to lose their teeny bopper image,
   
    Not far enough if you ask me. Blowing up a few cows on stage 
    might go some way though.
    
    barry. 
              

>Cripes, I sound like I really hate them, don't I!  Maybe I'm getting old, at 

No Matt, you sound as if you can't take your eyes off them!

g

    While I agree with Matt's appraisal of the band, I also think that .9
    was very objective; it gives Take That credit for what they're good at,
    and no more. 
    
    I still have this niggly sensation that the human race is going
    backwards - culturally, at least. If we do a quick comparison between the
    cultural interests of your working class teenager in 1965 and 1995, it
    would probably look something like this:
    
    		1965				1995	 	
    
    MUSIC       The Beatles                     Take That
    CINEMA	On The Waterfront		Pulp Fiction
    BOOKS       The Outsider                    Mills & Boon ;-)
    
    To think that the Rolling Stones were considered the height of teenage
    decadence in the early-mid sixties. If you bought an early Stones
    album today, you'd probably be looked upon as a semi-intellectual ;-)
    
    OK, this is all subject to debate, and everyone's free to
    read/watch/listen to whatever they want, but I do find it stunning that
    so many people seem to latch onto whatever happens to be the latest
    media favorite, and make no attempt to listen to anything outside of
    the top 40. And as a previous note stated, if we're bombarded with Take
    That/East 17 almost to the exclusion of anything else then, sure, they
    will dominate the charts as described in the base note.
    
    These two bands are enjoying exactly the same sort of success here in
    Italy. I recently saw East 17 play live (well, sort of!) on Italian TV,
    and there were teenage girls screaming, crying and throwing clothes on
    the stage. 
    
    However, I had to hand it to the keyboard player, who also appears to
    be the group's spokesman (by virtue of his being able to string two
    sentences together.). While all these girls were generally
    going haywire, the TV presenter said to him: The Beatles v. The Rolling
    Stones, Duran Duran v. Spandau Ballet, and now Take That v. East 17. Do
    you feel you're part of a certain British tradition?". Grinning all
    over his face, the guy answered: "Yeah, the tradition continues...it's
    just that the bands get worse!!"
    
    So at least they don't take themselves too seriously...
    
    Dom

re .12

eh?  What're you suggesting then?  %^{

>eh?  What're you suggesting then?  %^{

Oh, ONLY that you've obviously studied them in some depth in order to give 
such a full appreciation of them - yes?

grahame (if I did those smiley things there'd probably be some here)

    
    I think we all know how we like to study things that we hate! ;^)
    
    Poul
    

    Well, I've failed to covert any of you but I will say that it's really
    easy to dismiss a teeny band (as I did for two years) and it was only
    after a watched a Live in concert that I started to take an interest.
    
    Basically, they come as a package, would the stage shows be as good
    without the dancing, probably not, Mark (the little one who murdered a
    song) has somehow improved hs voice considerably after hearing him sing
    the song live in Berlin (on the Telly of course!) Gary would still be
    writing songs but the harmony which all five create (especially when
    they sing acapella as I've heard them many times in concert) makes them
    special.  I've always rated bands by how good they are without the
    comfort of the recording studio and these guys are fine without the
    "technology" so many bands rely on.
    
    Thankyou and goodnight!!
    
    Andrea.      

re. my "interest" in Take Tw*t

For the last 3 years, I've lived with 6 (youngish) women (at different times, 
and for different reasons), and most of them have been mad enough on take that 
for me to be 'educated' to some extent.  At present, our lounge has a large 
picture of the ugly one, with a furry hat on.  We have managed to balance this 
by sticking a 5ft Bjork poster next to it, and peppering the wall with Pamela 
Anderson and Julia Sawalha posters, but the only thing visitors comment on is 
the picture of Robbie Williams.

Also, my mate's kid sister is crazy about Take That (this week, anyway), so 
we're constantly being bombarded by their songs, hence my slight 
knowledge/experience of their <ahem> musical output.

They're good friends of Andi Peters, I've heard... ;^o

    >They're good friends of Andi Peters, I've heard... ;^o
    
    They're not Welsh by any chance, are they Matt? I'm being serious: 
    "Robbie Williams" sounds rather Welsh, and I'm living abroad so I've no
    idea.
    
    Dom

    Don't get me wrong, I quite like TT. And East 17 for that matter.

re Dom

I bleedin well hope not!  No, they're from Manchester, I think.  Land of Terry 
Christian and Coronation Street.  Nuff said.

I'm having trouble keeping up with all this teeny stuff;

>At present, our lounge has a large picture of the ugly one, with a furry hat on

OK, I'm with you ...

>We have managed to balance this  by sticking a 5ft Bjork poster next to it

Yeeess ....

>and peppering the wall with Pamela Anderson and Julia Sawalha posters

who?  and who?

Can somebody enlighten me as to who these luminaries of western culture are?

Thx,

Guy

p.s. Matt, 6 women in 3 years?  Do you think they're trying to tell you
something? (joke, honest)

Guy,

Pamela Anderson = Blonde Bimbo from TVs "Baywatch"/Babewatch/Wristwatch/etc.

Julia Sawahla   = Gorgeous girlie who used to be in Kids TV prog "Press Gang", 
		  but now plays the dowdy "Saffy/Saffron" in "Absolutely 
		  Fabulous".

GIFs available!

>Julia Sawahla   = Gorgeous girlie who used to be in Kids TV prog "Press Gang", 

Ah, I see.  In my generation this was either Valerie Singleton or Tiger in
the "Double Deckers" (woman/girl youngsters fancy but aren't quite sure why).

I now declare this topic well and truly derailed.

Guy

[whisper] where are the GIFs then?

mail me and I'll tell you!

<snigger>

p.s. Julia Sawahla was also in Martin F**kwit, or whatever it was called.

    
    Re TT & Manchester,
    
    one of the lads - don't know which - is from Stoke-on-Trent ie . he's a
    "Pottherb", the others are from somewhere south of Manchester I
    think...
    
    Graham

    Pottherb?????

    useless info:
    
    Robbie is a Stoke Lad, Gary is from Froadsham in Cheshire, Mark is from
    Oldham, Jason is  from Wythenshaw (manchester) and Howard is from Ashton
    (well near there anyway) and a fine part of the world it is too

    Don't suppose you know when their birthdays are, do you Andrea?

    Jane.

Someone in here buys Smash Hits/Look In, I suspect...

    No the official fan club mag actually.....
    

    I'm impressed that she admits it!

    >>     <<< Note 1286.27 by ARRODS::WHITEHEADJ "Shades of Scarlett" >>>

    >>  Pottherb?????
    
    I spelt this phonetically - not at all sure it actually has a spelling
    at all really -it's what people who live near to, but not in The
    Potteries (Stoke On Trent) call those unfortunates who are born and
    live there %^)
    
    Graham

    >>Froadsham
    Frodsham
    
    >>Wythenshaw
    Wythenshawe
    
    >>Ashton
    -in-Makerfield or -under-Lyne?
    >> and a fine part of the world it is too
    No it's not. Both of them are particularly horrible parts of
    Lancashire. IMO.
    
    Now go and update your factfile.
    
    Phil Gill.

    Under Lyne, Frodsham was a bit of a Typo I'm afraid and I stand
    corrected on Wythenshawe.
    
    Any part of Lancashire is a fine part of the world when you're exiled
    so do excuse me. (and I've probably made a spelling mistake in this but
    no-one taught me to spell at Uni, just how to use a spell check.)
    
    Thanks,
    
    Andrea.

Re LookIn,

is that rag still going then?  Blimey.

Anyway, they`re not Northerners, they`re Southern gits.

Chris.

    Isn't Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside?

    >>Isn't Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside?
    
    The one I'm talking about isn't, and I suspect the one that Andrea is
    talking about isn't either.
    
    Phil Gill.

    You've got to give TT some credit: more lively discussion in one day in
    this conference than I've seen since the happy, hippy days of Bob Green
    and Trevor Warwick.
    
    Piers

    A bit of bad news for all you Take That admirers!, they have just
    signed a four album deal with RCA and have just   signed with their
    manager for another 5 years (oh happy day!!) and the whole deal is
    valued at 20 million.
    
    Looks like they'll be around for a little while yet!
                                                      
    Andrea.

Great.  That means that when they dry up, they'll put even more crap out, which 
the kiddies will buy, and we'll be subjected to it on the radio.  Thank god 
Steve Wright's gone from R1 - at least that's one less TT-fan-DJ around.

    Re .42. Oh goody!

Calm yerselves, girls.

    I'm trying to but it's not easy when faced with complete gorgeousness,
    oh by the way they've also been approached to appear in Baywatch, their
    effort to break into America, where they're about to release Pray (I do
    believe) and major major excitement is that their new CD BAck for Good
    is released on the 1st of May - and guess who's got a copy on order!!
    

    Sorry , as if anyone cares, I meant to say new CD "Nobody else" which
    contains Back for Good  and Sure.

>>>I'm trying to but it's not easy when faced with complete gorgeousness

Well, thanks!  Have we met?


;^)

    I'm sure I would have remembered such an occasion.
    

    Need some support Andrea???  Count me in on your side - TT wait for
    me-hee!!!!
    
    I'm very much a believer that Gary is a damn good musician and am also
    of the view (as someone previously mentioned) that he could go further. 
    Who'd a thought George Michael would be where he is after starting out
    in Wham!?  Unfortunately Gary does have that entorage (SP?) always in
    his shadow but one day he may get rid of them (and finally make his way
    beack to me!).
    
    A firm TT fan

    I wish!

    CHEFS::ELKINL
    
    You're the on that likes "Bugs" aren't you? Explains a lot.
    
    Phil Gill.

    At last the girls are coming through for The That, I've just got
    tickets to see them in August (major hysterical screaming), I still think
    that Gary wouldn't have the same appeal without the backing of the
    others ( not just because I like Robbie, Jay and Mark )
    
    Andrea.                      

Does no-one else find it err...interesting....the way that women get excited 
over male bands, mainly because they fancy the blokes, but men don't tend to 
give a monkeys about female bands/singers.  It looks, to me, that there's a 
difference between the music habits of men and women.  Blokes seem to listen to 
music because they like the sound of it, and women (some, anyway) listen to it 
because the singer showed his bum at Wembley etc.  Personally, I think Kylie 
Minogue is gorgeous, but I don't rush out and buy her records, because they're 
crap.  She's better to look at than to listen to.  Some of Eternal are pretty 
smart, too, but they sound appalling.

    Good point. I used to pant over Kate Bush and Debbie Harry, but bought
    their albums because I liked the music, not because I thought they were
    cracking totty. By the same analogy, there are loads of attractive
    female musicians who leave me cold musically, and whose albums I wont
    be buying.
    
    Must be an XX chromosome thing.
    
    Balders

    Where are they playing in August and are tickets still on sale.  I have
    a buddy of mine whom I promised I would one day take to see them.
    
    Gary's the only one I'll drool over - it does help that he has talent
    as well as a pretty face.
    
    And yes, I am the one who likes Bugs - like I said, it's easy viewing.
    
     

    They're on a Earls Court for five nights and in Manchester. The London
    gigs are the 21,22,23 (which I'm going to) 25 and 26th.  Tickets were
    open to the public today but it's a nightmare getting through (I got
    mine through the fan club)  The number to call is 0171 396 4502.
    
    Good luck, I'm trying to get some more for all the "closet" fans who've
    taken the rise out of me and my friends for months but are now crying
    cause they can't go!!
    
    Andrea.

Matt,

As someone who like the Wildhearts suggesting other groups aren't worthing
of attention is a bit dubious.  Take That at least spawned a load of copy-cat
groups who were crap and I think the George Michael comparisons are valid.
Afterall, they're ONLY a pop group and aren't trying to be anything else.

On the sex selling records do you think a band like Sleeper would have sold
any if the megababe fronting the band was male?  I think not.

    Gary is also cross-eyed,bring back Clarence from Daktari oh and cheetah
    on backing vocals.
    
    GB@?ZZZZZZZ

re .59

John, I don't understand the Wildhearts reference.  Please explain.

re copycat bands.  I think you'll find that Take That were actually a copy-cat 
"band" of New Kids On The Block.  At the beginning of TT's career, they were 
actually marketed as the British NKOTB.  They are not original, so why 
shouldn't other bands jump on the bandwagon?

re Sleeper.  Of course they would sell records.  They haven't exactly sold 
millions, but you don't need a babe as a front-person to sell records.  Blur, 
Suede, Pulp, Manics, etc. etc.  They all sell bucket loads, because people like 
their music.  Like I said, I think that "Inbetweener" is an excellent song, and 
I would buy it even if Louise Wener was as ugly as Justine Freichman.

Take That in safari suits. Ummmmm, yuck!

Matt,

The Wildhearts reference was due to the thing they did on TOTP which admittedly
was a B-side, but didn't exactly do their cause of global domination any
good.  I for one didn't rush out to investigate them any further at the
Our Price listening stand!  I'd rather listen to Gazza's record.

I agree that That Take aren't original but there's not much around that is
(if there ever was).  Boy groups will be around for ever and TT are more on
a par with Duran Duran & Spandau Ballet than Bay City Rollers/Osmonds in
quality.

I personally hate the distinction that's made between 'serious' bands and
those that are 'commercial'.  Most bands are in it to make money.  Some do
making music they want to, others make music they know will sell.  TT were
definately, the latter kind earlier in their career but now? Who knows.
I would also put Elastica in the latter section as well, but the WildHearts
are probably in it the former.

    The problem with Take That type groups is ever their expanding egos and
    changing images(hairdos,except Gary Munster).I saw the lads being
    interviewed on some program recently and they were talking about song-
    writing,Jason Jaffa I think said he thought that Gary was a great
    writer in fact he proceeded to increase in stupidity as he stated that
    he thought Gary was one of the best songwriters in the world.
    The rest of the group were all nodding doggly in approval as were 
    probably 300k screaming pre-teeny pop lovers,but let's be honest I
    would try like mad to write stupid love songs every 5mins if my head
    was square and I got close-ups of my schnozel every time I looked
    straight ahead.
    
    GB@perfectbutforabiscuittinforahead.
    
    
    
    

    Not many people compare East 17 to Take That but I have noticed that it's
    only ever Tony Mortimer (the one who's actually got some hair and 
    pretended to play piano on Stay Another Day) who is interviewed. Can't
    the others talk?

    I can't see why there is such a backlash against Gary Barlow, he
    actually is a pretty good and ever improving songwriter.  He admits his
    early stuff was 'conveyor belt' hits , let's have a number one lads,
    but I think and so do 650,000 people that Back for Good is a class
    song.  It is nearly always the case that success (especially chart
    success) equals rubbish songs, and bands who are considered 'trendy'
    and serious musicians- who sell far fewer records are automatically to
    be taken seriously.  Am I the only one who thought Park Life etc was okay
    but not all that??  I actually like to listen to Take That, not all of
    there records but a majority,  and as Robby says on Quality v Success
    why not be greedy and have both??
    
    Andrea.
                                                                    

> and as Robby says on Quality v Success

    I thought it was spelt Robbie.

    Jane$POF

    Thank a million Andrea for the concert details - you have literally
    made my day - the other half conveniently "forgot" to tell me that the
    tickets were on sale today.  He just got complete ear ache and probably
    won't talk to me for the next zillion years.
    
    You're a star!
    
    Lizzie

My sister got in a right strop last friday when she spent all day 'phoning
the ticket line, and when she finally got through just before 6pm she was
told "sorry, we're closing now".  Ha!

Chris.

    well,  I'm on the holding system at the moment waiting to book my
    tickets - I can hardly contain myself!
    
    Lizzie

re .69 (fnar)

You're persisting with this "sister" business then, Chris?

    
    re:.59 (Sleeper)
    
    Dunno much 'bout the band, but their music speaks more than the singer
    from what I've heard.  The fact that she is fairly damn gorgeous
    doesn't have much effect when you listen to 'em, although one of the
    attractions of the music is her voice.
    
    Chris.

>You're persisting with this "sister" business then, Chris?

hey, don't diss me daddio, or I'll send her & her biker boots round
to give you a seeing to!  (fnar)

Chris.

promises....

   "Promises, never mean anything you make them seem , so what you gonna
    promise me this time???"Little Take that Ditty there, sure you're not a
    closet fan??
    
    Andrea.

I was thinking more along the lines of;

"You give me promises, bad vibed promises knocking at my door, You give me 
promises, bad vibed promises hit me no more"

Little Little Angels ditty...!

    This topic is turning into "Smash Hits".
              
    Phil Gill.

How do you know what Smash Hits is like?  Closet reader, eh?

>My sister probably bought half a dozen of them.  Sad.

yeah, I did actually. You must admit it's a really cool song though.I've 
already reserved my copy of the new album!

     Love, Julie (Chris' little sister)

    So, did anyone buy the new TT album yesterday and is prepared to write
    a full review for those of us who are unable to purchase it ourselves?

    Jane.

Our kid will probably oblige, when she comes 'round later to send abusive
e-mails to various people...

Chris.

    > So, did anyone buy the new TT album yesterday 
    
    Jane,
    
    Funnily enough, no.
    
    

Chris Evans said it was crap.  Mind you, he's ginger.

    Yes I bought it but haven't had a chance to listen to it all, heard
    about four of them though and it does sound pretty promising, will
    listen to it several times tonight though and so will be able to give
    you a crap/brill report (one of the ones I heard yesterday was a
    definate "grow on you" rather than like but the other three were pretty
    good!!)
    
    Andrea.

> but the other three were pretty good

    But that's not an objective view, because you're a seasoned TT fan.
    

>>>But that's not an objective view, because you're a seasoned TT fan.

Who else do you expect to get a review from?  I'm certainly not about to rush 
out and buy it...

    Yes a seasoned fan but I don't like everything they have written, on
    the last two CD's there are tracks I never listen to cause I think
    they're crap and will say so, but I must admit I am slightly biased,
    but then again if I gave a copy to Matt (for instance) to listen to he
    would say it was all crap cause he hates TT as much as I hate the music
    he seems to like.
    
    Andrea.

    Bring the CD in tomorrow then and I'll give it a quick listen and a
    review. I can handle it!

    Jolly good!
    

    
    Which building are you in? I'm not certain I want to be seen in the
    same building as a TT album :-)
    
    R.

    Andrea and I are both in the London office. Sure you don't want
    to spend a day in London to Take That and Party one lunchtime?
    
    Jane.

    
    Is it true about the new "Take Yon" Album being limited edition, with
    the first extremely unbelievably lucky 500 "Take Yon" Worshipers receiving 
    a "Take Yon" stick on Goatee beard and entry to a prize draw to win a
    pair of Jason Orange's Y fronts (Toffee hammer included)....??


    Intrigued of Skeggy.

    I got my album yesterday - haven't had the chance to listen to it much
    although I did think the 4th or 5th song (can't remember which number)
    is a pretty good ballad.  I don't think many can deny Gary isn't bad at
    writing ballads

HAHAHAHAHA!  What a load of ballads.

    Grow up

It's not me who's buying the Take That albums.

    Now now, caaalm down!!
    
    I had the cahnce to listen to the new one about six times yesterday and
    I'd give it about 7 out of 10.  The ballads I agree with Liz are great,
    I really like the song that Howard sings, and the title track is good
    as well.  There are a couple of naff album fillers but on the whole I
    though it was pretty good, completely different from the last two (no
    Robbie happy singy one!!-shame) but I liked it- apart from the really
    crap Suaturday to Sunday and the third one I can't remember what it's
    called but naff is the word.  So there
    
    Andrea    (re-cycled teenager- or trying to be anyway)
             

    Well, I've listened to the new album (thanks Andrea for lending me your
    oh so precious copy of it) and the results of the 6th floor jury as are
    follows: It's an awful album. Pathetic little love songs, all saying
    much the same thing and far too many instances of Gary Barlow singing (?)
    "oh yeah yeah" in almost every song. Most songs don't even deserve to 
    be listened to even once, the only songs that are bearable are the 
    recent No 1, Back for Good, and the last track The Day After Tomorrow
    but that's not such a strong song anyway. Most tracks seem to have a 
    dance/soul/rap feel to them, something I don't like at all.

    Diehard TT fans will love it. I don't.

    Jane.

so who's on the 6th floor jury then?  Some of them have some pretty iffy
musical tastes anyway!

Chris.

    The 6th floor jury comprised me and me alone. YUPPY::ASHLEYSMITH 
    declined to take part.

>    The 6th floor jury comprised me and me alone. YUPPY::ASHLEYSMITH 
>    declined to take part.

hmm, not *strictly* a jury then...

Chris.

PS go and ask Shaun how his hangover is (and intestines, for that matter)

> hmm, not *strictly* a jury then...

    From the dictionary:

    Jury: a group selected to decide the winners in a contest

    I have more than one persona.

    Jane.

reminds me when I was at school, when the teachers disapproved of us
hanging around in groups of more than one...

Chris.

    Thanks Jane, I'm really hurt now... (die hard TT fan that I am I can
    take it)
    
    Funnily enough,this is no big surprise, I think this CD will produce about 3
    more singles before the guys bring out another, (they've already pulled
    2 from it.) I agree with the last track- little Markie - definatley  the
    Xmas no 1, and much better than Babe.  15 weeks to go till the Big
    Day!!
    
    Andrea
    
    
    
    
    

just 15 weeks 'til Christmas?!

Chris.

    No,!!!  23rd August, great night, great concert

    You mean the Mission are playing and no-one told me about it? :-)

That would be scary, TT supported by The Mission!

Chris.

    Well, I'm going to see the "That" on August 26. It took me three days
    to get tickets though.
    Anyway, about this album, I think it's really good.It's a bit too quiet
    and sensible for me though.That's probably why you old fogies at
    Digital like it!
    I agree that the song Saturday to Sunday is pretty naff but Hangin' on
    to your love is pretty good.Sure is dead funky too. 
    The cover is a bit weird but generally speaking, the album's the best
    one yet, a lot more mature than "Take That And Party".I like that one
    coz it's a laugh.
    
                Lurve, Julie (Chris' sister again)

    Old Fogey?? Not sure about that one...
    
    Andrea 

re .110

You're still keeping up this pretence, I see Chris...  Just come out of the 
closet, man!

"Hello, my name's Chris, and I'm a Take T*at fan."
<applause>

Yeah, Take That'd fit in really well with my Black Sabbath and Motorhead
collection, wouldn't it!

Chris.

I think that having Kate Bush next to Black Sab, or Kim Wilde near
ZZ Top, is about as much contrast as I want, thanks!

Chris.

    Well if you want a beginners guide to The That no worries, we'll get
    you well hooked, and make to proud to admit it, took me a year to stand
    up and be counted but the relief once I did was great.
    
    There is help available...
    
    Andrea

I've already been subjected to TT by my sister for several years now
and I'm still not a convert!  I'm just wondering what the next "fad"
will be...

Chris.

    I've got Extreme Noise Terror next to Earth Wind & Fire and Tony
    Bennett snuggles up quite nicely next to Blackfoot thank you. Is
    that contrast or am I just ill?
    
    barry.

    > Is that contrast or am I just ill?
    
    barry
    
    The latter, I'm afraid.

    Well as Jan reliably informed me this morning, not only have Take That
    got the number 1 CD, their other two have re-entered the charts,
    possiblt a Digital surge of people persuaded and enlightened by my why
    I love them arguments, cheers guys!!
    
    Andrea.

    ps.. can we run a competition for the number of spelling mistakes in
    one mail, I meant to say Jane by the way!!
    
    Andrea.

    >>ps.. can we run a competition for the number of spelling mistakes in
    >>one mail
    
    Pointless. None of us would stand a chance. You'd win hands-down every
    time.
    
    Phil Gill.

    Fare enuff!!!
    
    Andrea.
    
    

    Just for a laugh, if anybody watches Stars In Their Eyes, this weekend
    there's some young lad who's going to say "tonight Matthew I'm going to
    be Mark Owen" , the pinnacle of Markies career to date I'm sure, and a
    fine rendition of Babe in the offing.
    
    Andrea

    Does Stars in their Eyes clash with Eurovision? (8pm BBC1)

    I'm not sure, I think it's a 7.30 LWT offering but we've lined up
    video  recorders to tape them both - I've got really sad friends as
    well!!
    
    A.   

    Did you know Take That dolls are down to 11.99 in Woolies. I expect
    you'll all be rushing out to buy them now! In the Stortford branch
    they've not got any "Howard's" left - bummer eh?
    Oh by the way, my brother has got absolutely no taste in music, he
    can't appreciate good music when he hears it (ie Take That).
    I don't think I'll bother watching "Stars In Their Eyes" coz I can't
    stand Mark.
    lurve Jules XXXXXXXX

    The git won as well.
    
    Charley.

    
    Yeah - I actually fell off my seat laughing when he burst into tears -
    	
    	

    Awwww... Bless him ...
    
    Course he's bound to win the final..all those TT fans ringing in..
    
    Andrea.

Oi!  Andrea!  I hear you've been moaning to Mick about me...

Oh well, it's nice to hear you're getting a bit wound up about it though!

    Not so much a moan as a complete despair that I am a lone (well nearly
    lone) voice in the wilderness, luckily I've got my Take That posters
    around my desk to remind me just what's important when a potential wind
    up situation occurs.
    
    Andrea. (what else has Mick been saying??)

>>>what else has Mick been saying??

Oh, I'll save all that for future discussions....

8-)

I'm sure all readers of this note want to know that TT are at No 1 in both the 
Singles and Album charts (do they still call them that?!) in Switzerland.

Maybe they've got enough to retire now?

g

    Just something I read in the TT mag out yesterday I thought you 'fans'
    might appreciate: Marks car was recently broken into, and they wanted
    his stereo which contained a recording of Nobody Else (at the time
    unreleased), they obviously weren't fans though cause they threw the
    tape back into the car once they ejected it and saw it was TT.
    
    Have they got bad taste or were they just very stupid???(answers on a
    post card please)
    
    Any other Euro updates??
    
    Andrea.

    Enough to retire...not on the percentages they get!  
    
    mikef

    
    ...I particularly liked the clause in their contract which halfs the
    royalties paid to them in any month in which the Record Company
    advertises their albums/singles etc....
    
    i can just see the the guys at the record company now :- it's May 28th,
    royalties look like hitting the 100k mark so take ourt an advert in a
    music mag. and recoup the costs from the 5ok royalties we've just
    saved....
    
    Hmmmm, 'recoup' that was another good word from the Music Biz program,
    covered a multitude of possibilities, all weighted heavily in the
    favour of the company....
    
    G.

    Just when you thought it was safe, a quick update:: there's a new
    single out at the end of this month (possibly the beginning of July
    anyway) and last reports was that it was "Saturday to Sunday" which I can
    guarantee the majority of you will hate.. What's the betting it'll be
    in at numero uno. I won't be buying it cause it's on the LP but I must
    admit I don't really like the song anyway (God that was painful to
    confess) If it is this one then it's very boppy and was infact written
    by Barlow, Owen and Donald.  If it's not this one then it's one I
    dislike even more and that one's called Hate It...  you have been
    warned..
    
    Andrea (who's saving up to buy  her TT bodyspray when it's on sale.)

>    confess) If it is this one then it's very boppy and was infact written
>    by Barlow, Owen and Donald.  If it's not this one then it's one I

    Connell,

    I thought you were on first name terms with them.

    Whitehead.

    'old yer 'orses....

> (who's saving up to buy  her TT bodyspray when it's on sale.)

    Bodyspray? Oh you're joking.

    err no actually, it is real and happening in Germany and about to hit
    the stores here.   Of course I should have said Gary, Markie and Howie
    but I'm in great danger of making some noters sick, especially after my
    Richard Marx comment.
    
    Andrea.

    Oh great, now everyone can smell like Howard's beard.

<sob>    <whimper>    <bawl>

Emigration is now becoming a serious prospect...

    re .142
    
    Howard's beard, or another, more pungent, part of his anatomy?
    
    Balders

    
    I notice in the press that the one who smiles alot is 
    leaving ("we're going to carry on as a foursome"). This 
    normally means the beginning of the end of a band.
         
    I thought the only one with any talent was Mr Barlow,
    what talent, if any does the cheeky chappie have ???
    
    Pj

Boo, and indeed, Hoo.  I'm so unhappy.  <ahem>

Judging by past performance, the cheeky chappie in question, is as talented as 
the fat one's arse.

    Every news story on every tv and radio channel, not to mention all
    the papers, were going on about Robbie Williams leaving Take That
    this morning. It seemed to be considered much more important than
    real news.
    
    Robbie will probably release a solo single, it will do moderately
    well as the die-hard TT fans will buy it out of loyalty and not
    judge it on it's own merits.
    
    I give the rest of the band six months before Gary, who does seem
    to have some talent, goes off alone and becomes a megastar.
    
    I wonder what the *real* reason was for Robbie leaving.
                                                  
    Jane.

I predict that he'll join up with some other rejected pop "stars", such as the 
white one from Eternal, Andrew Ridgely, half of Bad Boys Inc, and a couple of 
ex-members of the Village People.  And I'm sure they're all 100% heterosexual 
as well.....that's what Andi Peters and Dale Winton said, anyway.

    Err...this news wasn't on my radio this morning...
    
    Mikef

re .149

Ah, a radio 4 listener...8-)

That's where I went, to get away from it!

    I could have sworn I heard it on Radio 4. 

All I heard was Nick Ross whittering on about some garbage.  Russ and Jonno won 
the day, in the end.

    It may well have been on R4, I was preoccupied with my neighbours
    wheelie bin that I managed to drive into and send flying...
    
    mikef

    Well I', back from my holiday and my sickness and yes Jane I am
    absolutely gutted, Robbie has left as he said because he could not
    stand the constraints and pressure of being a member of Take That any
    longer, the touring and the media pressure was too much.  there does
    seem to be  bit of a rift within the band though, cause he said that he
    would be willing to stay to do the tour and the other members said no
    cause he wasn't commited to the band and couldn't be relied on.
    
    The new single which I incorrectly reported as Saturday to Sunday is
    out on Monday and it is actually one of my faves from the CD, sung by
    Howard written by Gary and is about Take That basically, which is quite
    prolific as I have to agree, I feel that this is the beginning of the
    end, not for the reasons said before- I think had they stayed as a unit
    they could have gone on from  strength to strength, but because the
    band is now beginning to feel the pressure. 
    
    On a positive note (if I can possibly think of one) the new CD only has
    Robbie singing about ten lines so musically they don't need to cut any
    songs, but I am  really really sad about this.
    
    Watch the new four man Take That on TOTP tonight........
    
    Andrea 
                                           

    re .156
    
    �stand the constraints and pressure of being a member of Take That any
    �longer, the touring and the media pressure was too much.  there does
    
    I heard that he couldn't cope with not being allowed to get drunk,
    stoned and jump all the groupies like any other pop star.
    
    Balders

    Along those lines, constraints of Take That meant he wasn't allowed to
    be caught in situations like that..

    or read his poetry?
    
    mikef

    re .159
    
    His what ?! Poetry. Bleargghh. I dread to think.
    
    Balders

re .156 ....continuing a theme...

It's okay, Andrea.  We're here for you...it'll all be okay...he was 
the (second) ugliest one anyway...

The worst thing about this business is that some idiots have started calling 
them the flamin "Fab Four".  Call me Mr.Nostalgia, but I thought the Beatles 
were rather more "Fab" than these cheeky chappies.

Nevertheless, we share in your depression, Andrea, and may Wigan go on and win 
the superleague as some form of compensation.  

    Well I've had the weekend to think about it and have had many
    discussions with fellow Thatters and I'm okay now, thanks for your
    support people...  after seeing them on Steve Wright I really really
    love them to bits and have just renewed my fan club membership and
    we've got extra tickets to see them so I'm going twice to earls Court
    now... and yes my world wil be complete when Wigan win the
    super-league.
    
    Andrea (feeling very positive )

I must say that I nearly hurled when one of them said "Thanks, we really needed 
that", after the crowd applauded something stupid.

    Did I hear on the radio that there is a copy band called Fake That? 
    The one who plays Robbie has just been thrown out...
    
    mikef

    yes there's a picture of them in todays Mirror, but it's really
    difficult to see who is supposed to be who (they're not really lookey
    likey)
    
    Andrea

re .164

HAHAHAHAHA!

    I've just bought the new single and the front cover is really cute,
    it's got pictures of the lads (including the dark hair one who left)
    when they're about five or six but I can't quite decide on two of them
    who is who - so jane when you come down for a ciggie, call by and see
    if you can identify them with your objective view..
    
    (Just thought I'd tell you there's a new number one on Sunday (ha)..
    
    Andrea (hopeful)

    So are you going to abuse that picture as you did with the other one?
    Cutting out Robbie's face? I'm in Reading for a few weeks, next time
    I'm in London I'll come over and draw the obligatory moustaches
    and monocles on your pictures.
    
    Jane.

    Leave my pictures alone, I have lovingly restored TT to the foursome
    they now are and Robbie is relegated to a little sticker collection at
    the front of my desk, it's bad enough keeping my neighbouring
    colleages to leave them alone... I might have one little Robbie sticker
    you can draw on if I really look though..
    
    Andrea

So what is the new one called? I'm ONLY asking cos there seems tohave been an 
outbreak of something like "you've got to remember where you're coming from" 
on the radio recently, and I'm hoping that's not it so it'll go away.

g

>>>I might have one little Robbie sticker  you can draw on if I really look 
>>>though

Can I have one too, please?


Matt@WLC F4/2

    I'll send you one Matt, I've got a great one of the ugly on with *the*
    hat from the video on as well, the new single is called Never Forget..
    by the way...
    
    Andrea

Thanks, Andrea.  I'll draw a little green beard on him.

btw, in this week's "Wales on Sunday", there was an article about the 
repossession of the house/studio where Take That spend/spent a lot of time.  
There were quotes from the cheeky chappies, as well as the following little gem 
of information that broke my heart (not really).

When the place was repossessed, the Wildhearts were rehearsing in the barn.  
They tearfully helped the owners shift their stuff out, whilst arguing with the 
building society people.  The next day, Bjork was due to arrive, as she wanted 
to rehearse with the Wildhearts.

This may not be particularly significant to most of you, but for me, the 
Wildies and Bjork is a combination made in heaven, and the flamin' Halifax 
screwed it up...  Gits.

>    the new single is called Never Forget..
>    by the way...
    
Oh dear.

As I haven't follwed the lads' career as closely as I might, how does this 
compare to the 'golden days'? (It's hard to imagine they've done anything 
worse than this!

g

    Well I like it..

    Not as good as "Boyzone"
    
    "Don't love me for fun girl,
     Let me be the one girl...tra la la la"
    
    Awesome.
    
    
    CHARLEY

    It goes along the lines of Never (clap your hand over your head whilst
    smiling, looking gorgeous and wearing sandals) Forget where you've come
    here from, Never pretend that it's all real Someday soon this will all
    be someone elses dream Woaaa wo wo wo woa...
    
    Do Do Doooo
    
    Andrea..

His voice is pretty crap though, it must be said.  A born backing-dancer if I 
ever heard one.

    
    Plenty of  Rumours flying around at the moment.. About the FAG Four...
    Allegedly of course....But after there performance on the Steve Wright
    show the other night...Lets leave it at allegedly shall we...
    
    Neil.. 

    re .179 Nothing has been proved, a bunch of rumours put around by the
    gay boys who would *like* to believe it's all true, mainly cause Take
    That before they hit the schools could only get gigs in gay clubs and
    so built up a large gay following, I still find it amazing that a band
    in the spotlight as much as they are if they are all raving queens not
    having been outed or at least snapped by the press...
    
    I'm not saying they're all straight, I don't know.. but I can guarantee
    they're not all gay either.. and they went in at number 1 again - happy
    days.. (I don't get the reference to the Steve Wright Show either-
    what did they do/say to infer their sexuality??)
    
    Andrea

    Oh by the way Matt, I've sent you a couple of stickers (ha ha ha.. )
    
    Andrea 

    You spoil him, Andrea, you really do.

    Reviews for their gigs in Manchester are excellent, despite the
    ansence of Mr W. Of course whether you want it or not I'll be putting
    my concert review in soon.. (counting the days..)
    
    Andrea            

    Andrea,
    
    According to the papers today, the one-who-left-Take-That as he is now
    known will be starring in Andrew Lloyd Webbers "Joseph & The
    Technicolour Dreamcoat". So expect it to be sold out with TT fans
    applying in their droves for tickets....

    what paper was it in?...what paper was it in...when? ..i want a ticket..
    
    Andrea (getting excited now cause she didn't know that fact)
    

    Latest new reports say that Robbie was FIRED from Take That.
    A lawyers statement was issued to the Press saying he was kicked out
    because of his wild behaviour, not towing the TT management line and
    drug(?) abuse.
    TT lawyers have countered with a legal response.
    Phil.L� 

> not towing the TT management line and drug(?) abuse.

Toke that!  HAHRHARHAHRAHRAHRHAHRHAHRARHHAAAAA!

Guy

re .181

Might I take this opportunity to publicly thank Andrea for the splendid collage 
she sent me, which even included a little picture of Robbie with his bleached 
hair.  It caused much amusement in our household, and is now adorning our 
lounge wall, between Claudia Schiffer and Elisabeth Hurley.  I'm sure they 
don't know what to do with themselves...

    You're very welcome Matt, glad you liked my creation. RE Robbie being
    sacked, not too sure about this, I've seen the statement and TT have
    refused to get drawn into the media crap. Robbie is reportedly suing
    the Daily Star for reports of drug abuse, saying he is not a druggie..
    
    If Robbie was behaving in the way it is reported, then I'm not
    surprised he was sacked..

Is it true that TT are going to butcher "Another brick in the wall" and "Smells 
like teen spirit"?

I'm not making this up, but the person who told me might have been.

Also, Gary Barlow is to release a solo Xmas single....the beginning of the end?

    ANother brick in the wall and smells like teen spirit yes it's very
    very true, cause Jason is huge Pink Floyd Fam, HAven't heard anything
    about a Barlow solo single, why would he do that??
    
    Andrea

re ABITW and SLTS

This is an extremely unwise move.  They're really asking for trouble, there.
I don't care whether they like the songs; you don't get Floyd doing cover 
versions of Mahler etc.  Covers like this are all very well in the rehearsal 
studio or live arena, but putting them on vinyl means that they'll stand there 
forever.  Oh dear.

re Gary Barlow

I heard the story on r1.  Makes sense to me;  all the others usually do is hum 
along in the background and take a wedge of the dosh at the end of the day.  
Good for him.

    THey're not recording them, they're part of the live show.. still don't
    believe the Gary story cause he gets the majority share of royalties
    for any song he writes and part of the reason they sell as well is they
    do is cause they've got Mark, Jay and Howard in the background, I've
    said it before , they come as a package.
    
    Andrea

I'd guess that he was "testing the water"... think about it...

    Sad humour warning ...
    
    If drug rumours were true, the band name is rather appropriate  :->>
    
    Robbie :- I'll Take that, oh and that, and that, that looks nice etc. etc.
    
    
    	Apologies to Andrea,                           
    
    	Euan
    
    PS and Yes, I could be a headline writer for the Sun !
    

    re 194 I suppose I'm just in denial..
    
    Andrea

    note 187 and 197 in this topic bear an uncanny similarity. some may
    say, the latter borders on plagiarism.
    
    Stuart

    der der der der der der der der!

Bugger.  Knew I'd seen it before...

    One of my colleagues (I use the term loosely) has written this little
    poem for me when he was bored and he has given me permission to
    reproduce it...
    
    ODE To ROBBIE
    
    You've been thrown out coz of beer and drugs
    You've made the others look like mugs
    So squeaky clean and very pretty
    It's making me write this ditty
    
    You're the only one with any spunk
    evn though Mark is a bit of a hunk
    Damon says be like Blur
    Get P*ssed and stoned do a dare
    Not like Take That "we don't wash our hair"
    
    Robbie you've made the break
    don't go back for goodness sake
    you've had good fun, made loads of cash
    now spend it all on beer and hash
    
    
    Mick Beanse, a complete TT supporter honest. (hope you like it)

    On the topic of TOTP last night, I didn't think they were appalling at
    all, at least they ahve the guts to produce a live vid, not many other
    band would coz they can't hack it live,  I thought they were wonderful
    and teh stage looks fantastic, only two days to go now, and I've
    managed to sort out a bit of stewarding at Earls Court next week..
    
    Andrea

    Of course, you are completely unbiased though Andrea !!!!
    
    As far as my ears could tell that droning, lisping Howard (?) fella
    needed the rest of the group/choir to carry him through the dirge(not
    tune) as he cannot sing for toffee !!!!! 
    
    Live vid ???? They cut into the song(?) after it had started. Gary
    Barlow looked bored out of his chubby little skull. etc etc
    
    Hoorah_for_Robbie_popping_up_to_introduce_Oasis(shame about the song
    !!)_Stretch. 

    oh mi god oh mi god oh mi god, todays the day I don my bright yellow
    jacket and go and stand in Earls Court very near to the stage and
    pretend to be a 'crowd control person' instead of a mentol TT fan,
    
    It's Take That week folks, full concert review included when I get a
    chance to watch it properly on Wednesday.. (bet you all can't wait)
    
    Andrea (who's soooo excited) 

My sad housemate will be there tonight as well.  If I fax you a picture of her, 
can you throw her out before the band come on please?

    I'll be throwing anybody out who disrupts my view or enjoyment in
    anyway, also it could turn into a bit of a nightmare with girlies
    fainting,(not me of course) and with over enthusiastic 14 year olds
    trying to reach their idols on stage,.. should be in for an
    interesting night...
    
    Andrea  (really really excited now)

So are you going to get me some memorabilia like Graham did?

Matt$inthemarketforaTTkeyring.

    I thought my sticker collection would have sufficed, but when I go on
    Wednesady I'll see what I can pinch...
    
    Andrea

    I'm putting a review in at lunch by the way, just to warn you all,
    
    Andrea (who's hearing is seriously damaged after last nights screaming)
    

    I see that Robbie reckons that he still loves the other members of the
    band, etc, etc. However they were really clean cut and he is like
    Lemmy. Yeah, right Robbie. We believe you. So when his equivalent to
    Ace of Spades coming out then?

    I dread to think... he's Lemmy to their Andy Pandy?? not what I've
    heard..
    
    Andrea

    He alledges that they only drink Camomille Tea. I guess that drinking
    Diet Pepsi would appear "dangerous" when compared with Camomille
    Tea.
    
    Robbie is a bit of a geezer tho'. He upset lots of daft young
    schoolgirls this morning by smoking in public. Wow, Lemmy must be quaking 
    in his boots at the prospect of this lad.
    
    Stuart

    Any TT fan worth their salt will know that Robbie has smoked for years,
    just never in public before, what a rebel... he's still funny though
    and I've taped the Big B to watch when I get in..(sad but true)
    
    Andrea
    
    

    I think that I prefer Robbie as the cheeky chappy luvable bloke that he
    was,  He's not as rebelious as he thinks otherwise.
    
    a) he would never have gotten involved with TT
    b) Wouldn't keep going on about how rebelious he was,  he'd just do it
    as a way of life and not think anything of it
    
    
    I just feel that he isn't being true to himself these days and sooner
    or later his mum he will realise this and revert back to his real self.
    
    Nigel
    

    Agreed...
    
    Andrea.

    TT have finally made a break into the US Market with BAck For Good,
    they've also released their "debut" CD (quite a laff really considering
    they're onto CD four over here) and it's a bit of a compliation of the
    last two CD's.  Back for Good charted above Michael Jackson and the
    lads are over there soon to do the promo's...it's also brought them
    thier first Aussie number 1.
    
    Andrea

    
    perhaps this is what Robbie is really up to ! He hasn't left, just
    taken a 3 month sabbatical to tour the world and buy lots of TT
    records... This coupled with the extra exposure that his 'leaving' has
    gained them in the press should ensure Top 10 albums and No. 1 singles
    worldwide %^)
    
    G.

    It's official, Robbie is a talentless Richard.
    
    
    Tim.

    I must say he wasn't missed at all the other night, it actually looked
    better with just the four of them and the harmonies were great..sorry
    Bob and all that but it hasn't had quite the expected impact..
    
    Andrea 

    Well two concerts down and one to go, last night was totally excellent,
    I made a complete fool of myself and have only just got my voice back, I
    couldn't resist the offer to do another steward night on Monday then
    I'll put my TT scarf away for a few months and just watch the videos
    (which I may well be a part of cause they were filming the new Live IN
    Concert one last night.. slightly embarrasing should I have been
    caught screaming..oh well)
    
    Andrea

    I've just bought (and read) the Robbie interview for face magazine, -
    extracts have been appearing in the papers for the past couple of days. 
    
    It's quite an eye opener, especially the details of how he left TT,
    they sacked him after he'd been for lunch and he just got up and walked
    out..weird and it puts a slightly differing version on it from what
    we've been told up to now., him saying "oh you want me to go then? Well
    can I take a melon??" got in the car and hasn't spoken to them since..
    
    Very informative..
    
    Andrea
                                                                  

    Been a bit quiet on the old TT front in here so you'll be glad to know
    I've got a few updates..TT have successfully toured OZ and Japan, went
    down a storm, both Back for good and Never Forget went to number 1 and
    Japan went a bit mental cause TT are huge over there..
    
    They then went onto the states where I have been informed they have
    reached number 2 with Back for Good before they'd set foot in the
    country, they're signed to Arista records and are all over promoting..
    
    Not too sure whether they can save the country at large in knocking
    Robson and Jerome off the Xmas number 1 spot, the song it was rumoured
    they would release - Day After Tomorrow is one of the best on the new
    album..but maybe not cause they won't be around to promote it..
    
    THe lads are also hitting back at Robbie a bit more now as well saying
    they don't know what he's talking about..and admitting he was sacked..
    
    Keep you all posted whether you like it or not...at least you can all
    plan your holidays around release dates..
    
    Andrea 
          

    >> Not too sure whether they can save the country at large in knocking
    >> Robson and Jerome off the Xmas number 1 spot, the song it was rumoured
    >> they would release - Day After Tomorrow is one of the best on the new
    >> album..but maybe not cause they won't be around to promote it..
    
    It'll make no difference how good it is, the Crimble No. 1 will be the
    'The Beatles' - it will also (IMO) be the biggest selling single of all
    time.
    
    G.

    When's it being released?? WHen does the anthology start cause I need
    to buy my blank tapes..Has anyone heard it yet, is it an early or a
    later Beatles creation..(hope it's late Beatles cause it's far superior
    stuff)  That could be the reason why  TT may not do an Xmas
    song..don't want top blot their copy book and against a *decent* Beatles
    song I agree, Beatles hands down but I hope it's not another Baby it's
    you..
                                                                    
    Andrea..

    The anthology starts on 26th November. Runs for 6 weeks, I think.

    
    the single - 'free as a bird' - is released on December 4th (my
    Birthday just in case you've all forgotten !)
    
    the track is a 'new' Beatles song with lyrics/vocals by Lennon. However
    what non of the remaining Fab 4 realised at the time they worked on it
    in the studio, was that John Lennon played it on the 'Imagine'
    video/film/whateva... so it's not exactly new. The beatles version is
    supposed to be quite different tho'...
    
    G.

    It's my birthday on the 5th...I've had the Imagine film on video for 4
    years now..I'll have to listen to it again, do you know where it
    appears but I know the film running order better that a Take That video
    (well nearly) I think I'll put in on tonight and listern carefully..
    
    How old are you then??
    
    Andrea

    DOn't ask him...
    
    mikef

    
    old enuff to have been at a Tremeloes & Love Affair gig in 66/67 and
    to recognise where the Brit Pack rip their ideas off from &^)...
    
    but young enuff to appreciate the good stuff that's beginning to come
    out now.... Roxette, Boys Own, Mr. Blobby etc...
    
    G.

    BTW, I don't remember John Lennon doing 'Free as a Bird' in the Imagine
    film, I just got this info from an article about the Beatles in the
    Independent Magazine a couple of weeks ago.
    
    G.

    He's older than me!
    
    mikef

    Err...not much...
    
    m

    Don't worry Mikey, "not much" is always enough.
    
    Balders

    Oddly enough, I've never had that problem....
    
    ;-)
    
    Mikef

    Take That won 8 awards at the smash hits party (incase you didn't know)
    including Best British group, best group in the world, best single,
    best video, most gorgeous bloke (Markie) , best Haircut (Markie), they
    were lovely as well..got my fix for Christmas and got their new vid
    for my Birthday as well.. and their annual..and their Pray perfume..and
    a Mark Owen birthday card..and a TT filofax...-how well my friends know
    me- they all read the annual before I got my hands on it anyway...
    
    Andrea$swoon 

    It seems they forgot to give the Erik Estrada award for most radiant white
    smile in the business to the Bee Gee looking midget (don't know his name) 
    in Take That. At least he gets my vote.
    
    Christophe

    Correction, Take That actually won 10 awards..worst band and Howard
    got worst haircut..Robbie Williams also picked up an award for being
    "the saddest loser in 1995..."  Ho hum..

    Graham,
    
    happy birthday for Monday by the way, lots of take that songs..
    
    Andrea

    Happy Birthday to you too Andrea !
    
    I was given the latest Ozrics album (i can never remember their
    titles!), KLF 'White Room' album, Steve Miller's 'Wide River' and Blind
    Melon's 'Soup'; Oh, and a brilliant Jerry Garcia shirt and some Church
    promo material - piccies, Press releases etc....
    
    Fortunately nobody gave me a 'Take That' record %^)
    
    G. 

    How deep is your Love???
    
    Andrea

    New single out at end of Feb..a fine Bee Gees cover
    
    Andrea

    
    The only good Bee Gees cover is an airtight plastic bag over them
    and a soundproof room for me.
    
    Richard.

Saw some American thrashy band cover "Back for Good" on MTV last night.
It made my day.

+Mark+

    Any idea who?? There's about 3 or 4 covers going around at the moment
    including a German folk band..
    
    Just shows you can't keep a good song down..:)
    
    Andrea	                              

    According to reports at the weekend, the subject of Andreas dreams are
    splitting up after their next tour. A great loss to the music industry
    and period of mourning will ensue.
    
    Stuart

    Very sad news indeed..needless to say I'm pretty gutted but not that
    surprised.  I just hope they call it a day after one more tour and not
    (as some reports were saying) the day after the record is released.
    
    Andrea

    Don't tell me - the fat one wants to pursue a solo career? Never mind
    Andrea, think what you'll save on piano lessons.
    
    Phil Gill.

    Gary (who has changed considerably - see the Brits..) will continue a
    solo career..  It's not confirmed yet though.  I want to hear them say
    it and to see another concert
    
    
    Andrea

    
    T.A.F.K.A.T.T.A.P.

    Errr  sorry????
    
    Andrea

    Sorry to sound so cynical Andrea, but that is the best news I have
    heard in quite a while. Brightened my Monday morning right up.
    
    
       			Stretch.

    But why, why do they offend you so much?? They never claim to be
    anything they're not.  They are the best at what they do..and will
    always be..
    
    Andrea

    Still nothing confirmed by the record company, TT management or the
    lads themselves. They have also just signed a four record deal with RCA
    so they're not too happy at todays news either.
    
    Andrea

 >>   lads themselves. They have also just signed a four record deal with RCA
 >>   so they're not too happy at todays news either.
    
    don't expect to see much from them for the next 4 or 5 years then,
    it'll _take that_ long to get through the courts - just like the Stone
    Roses vs record Company case did.
    
    Graham 

    Andrea,
       Why do they offend me so much? How long have you got? I strongly
    suggest that we agree to differ on our musical viewpoints before I end
    up "going off on one" (ask Mr Stratford what that can entail).
    
    			Stretch.

    Sounds scarey, so let's leave it..still think it's a bit sad
    though..leave em alone.
    
    Andrea

    Stretch,
    
    >(ask Mr Stratford what that can entail).
    
    Er, perhaps you could tell me what that entails?
    
    Stuart

   >> They are the best at what they do
    
    And what exactly is that? Can you define it for me?
    
    Phil Gill.

    They keep our Andrea happy, so they can't be that bad, can they?
    
    Goldy.

    They are fun, they write and sing easy to listen to songs that are not
    too taxing on the ear.  Their stage shows are fantastic, they put on a
    show rather than a concert..They have never claimed to be serious rock
    musicians, they have fun, they give the fans what they want and manage
    to have the odd number one every now and then.
    
    They don't slag off other bands, they don't slag off other artists,
    they just get on with what they do..
    
    Andrea

    And from my side of the fence I will cite one "they are...". Rhymes
    with kite!
    
    			Stretch.

    So going back to my original question, are you saying that they are
    - and always will be - the best in the world at all those things you
    mention in .262? If you are, then you are several more sandwiches short
    of a picnic than I thought you were.
    
    Phil Gill.

    Hey Phil,
       
    	Nice ending to your question given your p_name!
    
    
    				Stretch.	

    Cheeky git..I just can't be bothered.  They are a good teeny
    band..image, music, showmanship and they do as they are told..the next
    one will be along,  but *I* will always like Take That.. the first and
    probably the last time I have been crazy over a band....
    
    Andrea

    AND your p_name reminds me....Bee Gees covers....I mean!!!

    And the TT cover of "How Deep is Your Love" sounds almost exactly
    the same as the BeeGee's version.
    
    Goldy.

    Ah, that's more like it Andrea. Teeny band? Undeniable. Best in the
    world (at being a teeny band)? Possibly. 
    
    >>*I* will always like Take That
    
    There's no doubt about it.
    
    >> Nice ending to your question given your p_name!
    
    Oh OK, I'll rephrase that:
    
    .... If you are, then you are several more sandwiches short of a picnic 
    than I thought you were. Join the club.
    
    Phil Gill.

    What a sad boring bunch of music snobs you are.
    
    You'll be telling us you like Nick Cave and PJ Harvey next.
    
    Take That is good 'pop' music, nothing more nothing less.

    See..told you..
    
    Andrea

be nice to Andrea, she can't help it if she's daft.

Chris.

    UKARCHIVING,
        There is a good N.Cave + Peej track on his new album. Music snobs?
    Most of us leave Andrea to her own tastes without resorting to an
    avalanche of derision. Today however a good number of us are happy and
    one of us is sad. Instead of letting things lie a far more enjoyable,
    for the most, flurry of noting has started. Most of the notes in this
    string have been of the "Sorry for you, Andrea. Happy for my ears "
    variety. It's only Monday after all!
    
    			Stretch. 

    I'm with Andrea on this one, now that evens it out a bit doesn't it!
    
    re. >>There is a good N.Cave + Peej track on his new album.<<
    
    Is that a hidden track? I've only heard the track they're both on, the
    one that features the baleful caterwauling.
    
    Peter DeValk

    News just in::
    
    My dad rang and he said that the news reports says they will spilt at
    the end of the year (after a tour and new CD ), the plot does thicken
    however cause he's also said that the "Manchester based group"
    presumably TT have denied reports they are about to split (as per SKY
    News)  I'll just have to wait till I get home..
    
    Andrea

>they will spilt at

won't that be rather messy?

Chris.

    UKARCHIVING,
       If ye cannae read properly I seriously doubt your hearing ability!
    
    			Stretch.

                     <<< Note 1286.277 by CHEFS::CROSSA >>>
                 -< Sooner or later I'm still a happy chappy! >-
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Historically, something always comes along to fill the void left 
by the last pre-puberty favourites. Who knows.. the next lot could
be even less to your liking.

Stuart


    

    Mr Panes,
       They are already doing it!
    
    			Stretch.

    Andrea,
       You will be pleased to know that since this all kicked off I have
    had "Never Forget" rattling around my brain! Bloody Choirs and all! I
    suppose Karma may be at the root of this.
    
    			Stretch. 

    Jolly good, keep on humming cause they may be around for a bit longer
    (hopefully!!!)
    
    Andrea

    Press conference this afternoon, loads of rubbish on telly and radio
    last night...I just wish they'd put us all out of our misery..
    
    Andrea

    Andrea,
   >> .I just wish they'd put us all out of our misery..
    
       As in the horses /broken legs/gun scenario? I could not agree more!
    
    		
    			StretcH.

    I find it hard to believe I'm writing this but I'd rather TTAP stuck
    together than we have to endure the other pretenders to the throne of
    best teeny band such as Boyzone etc., but particularly Upside Down who
    I would like to nuke on site for being so pre-packaged and so B****Y
    awful with it.
    
    	Euan

    In a statement issued by the band at a press conference today it was
    announced that Take That are to split after the release of 'How Deep is
    Your Love'.
    
    Gary Barlow will release a solo single shortly.
    Mark Owen   will become a Radio 1 DJ
    Howard Donald will appear in a girlie magazine
    Jason Orange will be signing on.

    
    I liked the headli someone sent in to Radio this morning :-
    
    "The future is bright, but not Orange, Barlow, Owen and Donald"
    
    Still, It's a sad tim when a band who are undeniably the best at what
    they do (whether or not you like it is another question) split up,
    especially when you relaise what it leaves us with. East 17, Boyzone,
    Upside Down....
    
    G.

    Ackchewelly I am more of an E17 kinda guy! Hence all the vitriol and
    gloating these past two days.
    
    			Stretch.

    
    Never mind Andrea, look on the bright side in 25 yrs 
    you'll have the anthology to look forward to. 8-)
    
    Pj
    

    Pj,
      Unless they reform and become a cabaret band!
    
    			Stretch.

    
    ... don't you need several hours worth of recordings for an anthology ?
    
    G.
    
    BTW, aren't East 17 the ones who can't use a mirror properly....
    

    >  BTW, aren't East 17 the ones who can't use a mirror properly....
    
    Or a razor, or a comb......
    
    Euan
    

    Yeah .... so.... They could still stomp Take That into the ground if it
    came to fisticuffs!!!
    
    			Stretch.

hmm, someone a few notes back had a very valid point; if the demise of Take 
That opens the door for the dregs of the music industry like Upside Down et al 
to achieve a similarly high profile, then even I hope they don't break up 
after all!

Chris.

    
    Stretch,
    
    Like the the cabaret reference.. can't think of who you mean,
    21 yrs this year.. more hits than the Beatles etc.
    
    Pj

    I got really drunk last night, I've got a hangover and I'm really
    upset.  They will be on the Brits next week though..
    
    Andrea

    I don't want to upset Andrea, but I don't think Take That splitting up
    is gonna make much difference with any of the other bands around. 
    Someone else will appear to take their teen crown.  remember how upset
    we all were when the Bay City Rollers split (well, ok, you know...). 
    Ten years ago it was Wham, give it a couple of years and it will be
    someone else.  Its all part of rocks rich tapestry....
    
    
    mikef
    

 >>   I got really drunk last night, I've got a hangover and I'm really
>>    upset. 
    
    sound like a typical Saturday or Sunday morning to me %^)
    
    G.

Andrea,

Why not perk yourself up by looking at page of today's Daily Mirror.


Stuart

    Did I read that Noel gallagher has written a song for Robbie Williams?
    
    Mikef

    
    Oh no, not another actor trying to muscle in on the music business....

    Question is..... What did Robbie know that gave him the foresight to
    jump ship first?
    
    			Stretch.

    Robbie didn't jump he was pushed!!
    
    Andrea

    Hangovers can make some people awful tetchy. Eh, Andrea?
    
    			Stretch.

    Yes, we discussed it last night.  Not why Robbie left byut why he chose
    this weekend to go on telly and talk about it, he could have done this
    at any point during the last 7 months.  His court case hasn't gone
    ahead yet (Feb 26th) and he has made no further plans but suddenly
    there he is, slagging em off..all will be revealed in time I suppose
    but some major things have gone on behind the scenes..especially
    considering the speed of the announcement.  If TT had planned for
    months, why did they make bookings so far into the future and only last
    week denied and laughed off a split?? 
    
    Yes I am tetchy and I'm not sure it's just the hangover.  I need to
    find a new hobby now and something which has been a big part of my life
    for the last three years has gone.  I know I now have to just get 
    a life but it's still difficult.
    
    Andrea

    At 24, you must be the oldest teeny(twenties?)-bopper in the country
    Andrea.
    
    Phil Gill.

    Well, I'm not alone.  I worked at some of the concerts in summer and
    was amazed myself at the age of fans there, not just on the one night
    but on all the nights I was there.  The fans who started to like them
    when they were 14, 15 five years ago are now 19,20.  I was 21 when I
    started to like them..  I think the oldest fan I have heard of is a 79
    year old granny!!  I'm still a youngster by comparison.
    
    Andrea

    How do you think us Fall fans feel, 18 years later...
    
    mind you, I haven't seen many grannies at Fall gigs.  they usually stay
    in the bar supping stout I guess.
    
    Mikef

    
    ditto with Rush, the long hair has  gone but I've still got the same
    denim, Afghan and Luftwaffe coats %^)
    
    G. 

    Saddest letter has to go to the woman who asked that TT stay together
    for a month or so, until her baby is born, so she can take it to the
    concert!
                      Stretch.
    
    P.S Andrea - (Without being cynical) There are loads of bands around.
    Try not to pin your flag to just one mast.

    Yeah, and I've got a wide and varied CD collection.  I do listen to
    other bands, but I've never followed or taken an interest in them
    before as a band, just listened to the music...
    
    
    Take That were different, it started off liking the music and then grew
    from there really..
    
    I'm not pregnant by the way.
    
    Andrea
                       

I'd agree with not confining yourself to one band... I go to gigs by loads of 
different bands, and sure, I might be a bit unhappy if one of them broke up or 
whatever (like when Lee Brilleaux of Dr Feelgood died), but there are still 
others to go out and enjoy...

Chris.

PS I know the Feelgoods are still together, but it's not really the same...

  Robbie Thingy is apparently going to be a guest on Noel Gallagher's
  show on GLR ,Thursday night (22:00 -24:00... I think)

  Stuart
   

    More depressing news for TT fans. Apparently Fake That have announced
    that they are to split up so you won't even be able to get a substitute
    version of the less than Fab Four. Another bad day and The Samaritans
    will no doubt be installing extra phone lines to cope with the
    multitude of calls that will arise from this news.
    
    Stuart

    Robbie Williams settled out of court with his record company BMG (not
    as daft as he seemed..) it has however, cost him around 500k with
    costs to follow.  Bit of a soft lad for taking it out in the first
    place (which he now regrets.)  
    
    Bad news now for all you "real" music fans is that he's back in the
    studio and in your face (God help us..) rumoured to be recording 
    single written by Noel Gallagher. He'll also be in direct competition
    with Gary Barlow...who he slags off in the papers today and much more
    of that to come I should imagine.  
    
    Take That's final single was released yesterday and yes I've got my
    copy..could knock Oasis off the number one slot????
    
    
    Andrea 
    
    
          

    re-1
    
    I think Noel denied last week that he had written a song for Robbie.
    
    Are Oasis No 1 then?  (Mr out of touch....)
    
    Mikef

    Noel was qouted in the NME last week as saying the songwriting, along
    with the rumour that he "helped to break up TT", were "jokes"
    
    			Stretch. 

    Hmmm..how come whenever I'm in HMV, the people I see buying Take That
    singles are middle aged/older business type men?  Never younger girls?  
    Makes you think.
    
    mikef

They're all sugar daddies, buying records for their young mistresses.

Balders

    
    Or trying to con the youngsters into thinking they're trendy...
    
    "hello little girl, want to come back to my place and listen to my 
    take that CD?"
    
    

    >They're all sugar daddies, buying records for their young mistresses.
    
    or just daddies, buying records for their children, since TT fans can't
    afford to buy luxury items such as CDs with their pocket money.
    
    Christophe   

    They could just like them...there were a few husband and wife teams
    when I worked at the concert..the husbands looked a bit shamefaced
    before the lads came on but you should have seen em get on down to
    Relight my Fire.  It could be dads of course though..
    
    Andrea$my dad never bought be nowt by TT

    I guess I should have checked to see if any of them were carrying bags
    from supermarkets full of oranges.
    
    The single was moving off the shelves quite quickly tho..
    
    mikef

    Apparantly it's outselling Oasis 5-1..
    
    Andrea

    
    That'll be all the nostalgic parents who remembered the original
    
    
    
    Ian

    >> It could be dads of course though...
    
    It's got a great beat.
    
    Phil Gill.

    
    Personally, for a 'farewell to faithfull fans, this is the end' type of
    single I think it's pretty mediocre... I mean why not actually write
    something ? .... or is this the real reason they're splitting up,
    because they can't anymore ?
    
    Graham$cynical_as_ever

    To be honest I feel the same...the whole thing seems very
    rushed..but TT have a few problems:  there are records on their last
    album they could have released..very good ones infact but in doing so
    they tie themselves in with Robbie Williams and as such have to pay him
    royalties. 
    
    Gary has not run out of ideas, he has already written his next album,
    and as such couldn't release anything from those songs (he's been
    writing since he was 14 so it's nowt new) .
    
    A cover version would finish everything off nicely, no royalty rows, no
    nicking Gary's stuff, easy to sing, a sure fire seller, go out with a
    number one (which they would have got anyway) and move on..
    
    I don't know the reason behind their split, I think it's untimely but
    they are still one of the most popular groups in the UK and could ahve
    remained as such..I certainly don't think it's cause they were worried
    about their "rivals"..
    
    Andrea
                                             

    Presumably tho' this won't be their last single. After all, they have a
    tour and a 'greatest hits' lp to promote so I guess they'll release
    something new then.
    
    Stuart

    There's no tour..this really is it..  The greatest hots will vitually
    sell itself..this is the end!!!  SOB!!
    
    Andrea

    re-1
    
    >>The greatest hots
    
    Thank you for sharing...
    
    Mikef

    The final 8th number 1 for Take That..crumbs of comfort there
    then..Greatest Hits out later this month.
    
    Andrea

    
    What I really like about this song is the video, they all get pushed 
    off the edge of a cliff at the end.  Superb!
    
    (I wonder which one bounced the highest?)
    
    
    
    
    I.

    Got my letter from the fan club on Monday...a souvenir brochure is on
    the way and I've been given the opportunity to transfer my existing
    membership over to one of the four lads.  Therefore I will soon be  a
    member of the Gary Barlow fan club...my friend's going for Mark.
    
    Andrea

    Latest news, Nigel Martin Smith and the lads have blamed Rob for the
    split at this time, said it was very difficult for them to carry on and
    none of them really wanted to with all the crap and hassle he was
    spreading.  I suppose they also though it was only a matter of time
    before the press (NOT the fans) turned against them and decided to quit  
    whilst the going was good.  
    
    The greatest hits is realeased next week.
    
    Andrea

    re -1
    
    And what crap was he spreading?
    
    Stuart

    Basically he is feeling very sorry for himself, and maintaning his
    distance from the band, the music, the band members - apart form Mark
    and the management.  He has made statements about the fans, the Take
    That regime, the arguments, the whole thing really.  He was also
    laying it on a bit thick about him getting the sack.  None of it was
    good for the group, and the mud-slinging would have only got worse
    especially when he lost his court case which Robbie was bound to do.
    
    I suppose it's shattering illusions, or it's just a very bitter young
    lad who's made a mess of it really..either way they decided not to get
    invloved.
                                                       
    Andrea

    Records recorded under the name "Take That" perhaps? (easy jibe)
    
    Ref Splitting 'cos of what Robbie was saying - If that is a valid
    excuse for giving up on loads of dosh etc they are stupider than I first
    thought!!!
    
    			Stretch.

    A sad day for me, anyone who saw telly this morning will know that
    today, in Amsterdam it all ends.      Still the Geatest hits is at
    number one and the new book looks pretty good as well.  Can't wait for
    pay day!!!!
    
    
    Andrea

    Andrea,
    
    I thought it had all ended. Christ, talk about lingering on...
    
    Stuart

    Amsterdam eh? I thought they had a problem with Robbie and HIS (ahem)
    extra curricular activities!!! 
    
    
    			Stretch.

    
    Today is the last ever perforance by Take That....  
    
    SOB!!!
          
    Andrea

           <<< MARVIN::DISK$GENERAL:[NOTES$LIBRARY]UK_MUSIC.NOTE;3 >>>
                          -< The UK Music Conference >-
================================================================================
Note 1286.341                  Take that and Party                    341 of 341
CHEFS::CONNELLA "I Took That and Partied"             6 lines   4-APR-1996 14:44
                          -< Thankyou and goodnight >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Today is the last ever perforance by Take That....  
    
    SOB!!!
          
    Andrea
    
Until they have a reunion tour....

    Stuff that dreams are made of...
    
    Andrea

    
    I think nightmares would be nearer the mark.

    
    well after I let 5 goals in on Saturday, Chelsea got knocked out off 
    the cup and then the wife pissed off with the kiddie, I was feeling a tad 
    cheesed off this week.
    
    ~But the news that TT are splitting up today has brightened up my
    weekend.
    
    Pj 

    There is a guy working at Stones Restaurant in Avebury who looks a lot
    like Robbie...well, a bit anyway, dyed blondish hair, thick
    eyebrows....I asked if it was a comedown after being in a famous band,
    and I nearly got a face full of brocolli quiche, so I guess he is
    sensitive...
    
    Mikef (who was the only person at Glastonbury last year who had no idea
    who Robbie Williams was...or what he looked like...I was wondering why
    everyone was pointing at this guy with Noel G and saying 'thats
    Robbie', and I was saying 'Robbie who'....ho hum...)

    Where's this restaurant then??  Only kidding!!   This lad should be okay
    now cause Robbie's hair is now brown again..   
                                                       
    More bad news for Mr Williams according to the papers this am, his
    record company are insisting he waits until Gary and Mark have released
    solo singles before they'll release his..bit tight really but I can't
     feel sorry for him.  He's brought a lot of it on himself. 
    
    A Take That weekend on MTV, made me feel quite sad again.  But it's
    onwards ...
    
    Andrea

    
    Alright.  My curiosity has been piqued.
    
    Does anybody else in this conference, apart from Andrea, really give a
    monkey's about Take That?  I for one couldn't care less what happens to
    them and I'm just wondering what everybody else's feelings are.
    
    
    I.

    I don't really have any strong feeling either way.  They kind of
    passed me by to be honest. I'd never heard of them until they did the
    thing with Lulu, and it wasn't until a year ago that I realised how big
    they were.  Guess my finger is really on the pulse, eh?  I don't think
    I could name any of their records.
    
    
    Sorry
    
    Mikef
    

    Ian, my feelings incorporate the words -  "prejudice", "with",
    "extreme", "terminate". Construct a meaningful sentence from those.
    
    
    			Stretch.

    Don't really like them either, then again I suppose the band was not
    marketed to appeal to balding thirtysomething engineers.
    
    Christophe

    I suppose in the overall scheme of things, no it's not all that
    important to people who didn't follow the band. 
    
    It was important enought to make the early evening news on both the BBC
    and ITV, and the late news on ITV. It has made the majority of papers,
    including the Torygraph, and has featured in numerous TV talk shows.
    It's not just restricted to Teeny boppers, it was obviously of national
    interest cause they are arguably the most famous band in the UK at the
    moment.      
    
    As far as this conference goes, I suppose there's no more or less
    interest than there is in any of the bands discussed here, but maybe
    certain people can read about a band they've heard of for once....
    
    Not really a case of liking them or not, just news...
    
    Andrea
                                                          

    	Idol gesture from a wife obsessed by Take That
            
    	A housewife has persuaded her husband to pack up their home and
    	move almost 200 miles to Manchester so she can be nearer disbanded 
    	pop idols, Take That.
    
    	Sheila Deary, 37, has already turned her existing council home in
    	High Wycombe, Buckingshire into a shrine and makes regular weekend
    	trips to camp out on the doorstep of Mark Owen - her favourite
    	member of the band. During a six-year obsession, she also changed
    	her name to include each of theirs.
    
    	Her husband Miles, a labourer, said: "I feel I lived with the band
    	for so long that moving in next door wouldn't make much
    	difference."   
    
    Perhap a visit to Safeways to buy a life might be a more appropriate
    move....	

    Nurse! The medication! 

    >> makes regular weekend trips to camp out on the doorstep of Mark Owen
    
    I bet he loves that. Sad cow.
    
    Phil Gill.

    She was featured on local news london Tonight last night, she was
    indeed a sad cow, she has changed her name to something like Betty
    Jason Howard Mark Robbie Gary Barlow Donald Owen Williams Orange Smith. 
    
    She's also had TT tatooed in various areas.  I felt quite sane after
    seeing that, and I'm sure Mark Owen is overjoyed to find her on his
    doorstep with her Take that cake she baked for him.
    
    I wouldn't mind some of her posters though...
    
    
    Andrea

    
    Never mind about TT there're history....
    
    Did you know its been 21yrs since a band that have had more hits than
    the Beatles where formed in Guildford. 
    
    Pj

    re .352
    
    I'd say the large number of replies here is a testament to their
    impact, whatever you think of them...  I must say that they are/were
    totally preferable to any number of bland American soul/rap acts that
    seem to clog up the charts whenever I watch ToTp.
    
    Mikef (touchy coz I don't think I ever slagged off Take That?)
    

    >>Did you know its been 21yrs since a band that have had more hits than
    >>the Beatles where formed in Guildford. 
    
    I did. But The Stranglers became `history' when Cornwell left.
    
    Phil Gill.

    
    I've never been able to understand how a group of people who can sing
    (and that's all they do, apart from the pianist) have managed to have
    such an impact on so many people.  Are the general public really so
    lost that they need icons like this to make life meaningful?
    
    
    discuss.

    Maybe I'm from Wiltshire or something, but isn't pop music simply about
    giving lots of people the chance to be happy and dance about a bit.
    Take That for quite a while, were the best people at doing simply that.
    Take That have never denied any of 'you lot' the chance to hear new
    records, or harp on about PJ Harvey etc. 

    
    Fair enough.  What puzzles me is the slavish devotion that people seem
    to have for these bands.  Think back to the beatles, I wasn't born when
    they were around but if you hear any reference to British music of that
    era, you only really ever hear about the Beatles.  I don't see any
    documentary makers rushing to film a history of the Troggs or the
    Animals nor do they release anthologies of their songs.  My point is,
    these bands seem to tap into some kind of mesmeric worship when there
    are comparable musical acts about who never get that sort of
    recognition.
    
    
    I.

    Oh Ian, you're just jealous cos you don't have young girls
    hero-worshiping you and camping out on your doorstep.
    
    Goldy.

    >> I don't see any documentary makers rushing to film a history of the 
    >> Troggs or the Animals nor do they release anthologies of their songs.
    
    Both of these bands featured in the recent C4 series (Best of British?
    Something like that) with a programme about each of them. Both have more 
    compilation albums released than you could shake a stick at.
    
    Phil Gill.

    Mikef,
    >> preferable to any number of bland American soul/rap 
    
    I can agree with you on the soul comment, but to deride such an evolving
    form of music like rap as *bland* is a bit of a "vague" and sweeping
    generalisation!! 
    
    Pj - Ref Guildford - We should have seen that one coming!!! Oh and I
    agree with the comment about losing it as soon as Hugh left (but you
    could see that coming)
    
    
    UKARCHIVING - Stop being so bloody nice about it all!!! What are you?
    the U.N of UK_MUSIC or something????
    
    
    			Stretch.

    Re:  why are bands idolised?? Not sure really... but idolisation isn't
    just limited to pop music. The number of men (and women) who live and
    breathe for football , especially for certain stars - getting their name
    changed to theirs, buying their ten greatest goals etc..is comparable.
    
    People will always look to those they see as more glamorous, or who
    they admire, or who they want to be in some cases.  It's not unique to
    teenage girls.    As far as take That go I'm not sure as to why they
    created such the following they have.  I can only base it on my
    experience.  Anyone who knows me personally will I think say I'm down
    to earth, level headed.   Yet I am caught up in the whole thing..maybe
    it's my way of clinging on to youth (deep eh) or maybe it was an
    opportunity to oggle men, have fun and see the best live shows ever. AS
    Mr Archiving says, it was a chance to listen to pop music, dance around
    a lot, act like a kid again.. Soppy as it sounds they come across as
    really funny blokes as well, regardless of what they're like in person
    I don't care.  They were good clean fun....
    
    Not sure really, at the end of the day..I've never done this before and
    never will again probably.  Certainly they are the last "boy band" who
    were my age, if not older than me. I can't see me crying over the next
    16 year old that comes along, don't forget when TT first made it big I
    was still a teenager. 
    
    
    Andrea

    re-1
    
    Stretch - ok, maybe I should have said 'the bland LA rap that gets in
    the charts', and thats from a 'rap fan' - come round and check out my
    Public Enemy collection...
    
    Mikef

    >> They were good clean fun....
    
    And there, Andrea, (at least for me) lies the problem.
    
    Phil Gill.

    >>>> They were good clean fun....
     
    eeerrr.... they relied heavily on titilation/suggestiveness/innuendo
    to get hormone drenced girls (and boys) to buy the "product". Good
    clean fun my bottom! I know they are not R Kelly but.......
    
    
    			Stretch.

    
    re .364
    
    yes, yes, but the point I'm making is that none of these bands appear
    to be remembered with such fervour as the beatles when they weren't
    necessarily the best band of their time.  I predict a similar bandwagon
    for Oasis who appear to be riding on the crest of a public opinion wave
    while still managing to be overwhelmingly average.
    
    
    As for Andrea's suggestion that people hold footballers in high regard
    as well, you're right.  But why?
    
    
    I.

    Oh it's all something to do with needing SOMETHING to idolise in our
    tedious lives. Whether it's Take That, Manchester United or a religious
    deity seems to be pretty much of a random distribution. I suppose. Me?
    I luuurve a pint and a joint.                 
    
    Phil Gill.

    Seems that 'the split' has become too much for the band with one of
    them turning to Bhuddism to console himself, according to that reliable
    source of information The Daily Star. Apparently Mark (?) wandered into
    soem Cumbrian Bhuddist teaching temple, chanted a couple of time "I
    must be more successful than Doughnut", picked up a couple of leaflets
    and impersonated Arnie Schwarzenegger, saying "I'll be back". 
    
    The Star made this headline news with a mock-up of his head as to how
    he would look if he had shaved it.
    
    Stuart

    One of them - Gary? - is kicking off his solo career by headling some
    big festival in the U.S. in Summer.  
    
    Mikef

    >> big festival in the U.S. in Summer.  
    
       lets be thankful it's not in the UK ! 
    
    G.

    I dunno, him on the same bill as say, The Sex Pistols at The Phoenix is an 
    interesting idea...
    
    Stuart	

    Not major news in the star, Mark has been attending that centre for
    months.  He is not about to shave his head...
    
    
    Can't believe the news about Gary, I will be very dissapointed if he
    does his first gig in the states.
    
    Andrea
    

    re-1
    
    I dunno if its his first gig, but it was on the Ch 4 Teletext music
    page last night (pg 620 or thereabouts).
    
    Mikef$no_life_reading_teletext

    Stratto - >> The Star made this headline news with a mock-up of his
                 head as to how he would look if he had shaved it.
    
    Still reading the "quality press" then!!
    
    
    Andrea - >>I will be very dissapointed if he
               does his first gig in the states.
    
    But they repaid their loyal UK fanbase by doing their last gig in the 'Dam ?
    
    
    			Stretch.

    
    
    Supersperm
    
    > Stratto - >> The Star made this headline news with a mock-up of his
    >              head as to how he would look if he had shaved it.
    >
    >    Still reading the "quality press" then!!
     
    Unfortunately not. This was the lead in the GMTV round-up and therefore
    your comment should have been about watching "quality TV". 
    
    hth
             
    Stuart
              

    re Last one (or two) I am miffed about their last concert.  I
    would have thought at least a UK concert would have been apropriate. 
    I don't , however, think that Robbie Williams had any intention of
    getting back and doing the final concert.  I reckon he would have died
    if they'd turned round and said  "okay then Bob let's do it". He knew
    what the answer would be but has attempted to look like the good guy
    now for all the fans (me included) who really would have loved to see
    it happen - very clever really.  
    
    I think Mr Barlow should think hard about where he wanted to establish
    himself.  Yes he already has a fan base in the UK, but he wasn't the
    most popular member of Take That, and if he runs off to the US, he won't
    make make many friends over here.
    
    ..IMO..not happy at all about this news..
    
    Andrea  
                                   

    Andrea,
    
    Does it really matter that Doughnut wasn't the most popular member of
    TT? Didn't he write all the songs (well aside from the crap cover
    versions)? If he did, you will probably find that he will be the most
    successful of them in any solo career. 
    
    As for Robbie Williams, the most newsworthy comments about him centre
    around his desperate attempts to play for Port Vale in a testimonial
    later this season for their vice-captain.
    
    Stuart 

    Yes I agree he will be, he can write songs after all.  What I'm saying
    is that he won't necessarily have it handed to him on a plate. He will
    have to re-establish himself to a new audience (ala George Michael) and
    I think the place to do that is here..  (not just cause he was always
    my fave and I can't wait to see him in concert)                
    
    
    Andrea

    Did TT hit it off in the States? If they were just starting to crack it
    then it makes a great deal of sense to start a solo career off over
    there, keeping a reasonably new fanbase happy with the next phase of
    his career. After all, the US is deluged with solo artists and he needs
    to remind them of his existence to maintain their interest.
    
    He has a 'solid' fan base over here who are probably wetting their 
    knickers waiting for anything from any member of TT on the solo front 
    and will buy the product irrespective of the time or quality.
    
    Stuart
    

    
    George Michael han't exactly had to establish himself with a new
    audience though, has he ? After a couple of years of battling it out with
    the Music Biz over artistic freedom (quite rightly in my opinion),
    he went right back to doing the same formulae music I thuoght he was
    trying to escape from. Nothing ground breaking, nothing new, and
    nothing that is going to alienate a single one of his loyal fans.
    
    If anyone from Take That does anything in the near future, I'd expect
    it to sound pretty much like TT but without the harmonies and without
    the dancing - ie. 3 or 4 budding George Michaels. %^#
    
    Graham

    Graham(e), (sorry)
    
       I am about to be lambasted for defending Mr Michael here but....
    
    A) I do not agree with his contractual disagreement with his employers
    as you do. He knew what he was letting himself in for at the time. Or
    perhaps his lawyers knew/should have made him more aware. 
    
    B) Four G.Michaels from the remnents of TT. I think not. Slight
    problems with lyrical ability and voices. Oh and sex appeal as well.
    *None* of them are in his league IMHO (fire away Stratto!!)
    
    
    
    		Stretch.

    I think its more a case that. although he may have known what he was
    letting himself in for, it was either that or nothing.  I'd like to
    think that it was a slightly noble fight on behalf of all artistes...
    
    I seem to recall from that Music Prog on BBC2 that everything is tilted
    in favour of the Publishing Company, and it seems almost impossible for
    the artiste to make any money!  If you see what I mean...
    
    M

    >I'd like to think that it was a slightly noble fight on behalf of all
    >artistes...
    
    That's a slightly innocent way of looking at it. Lets face it George
    Michael only cared about George Micheal. He didn't give two hoots about
    any other artist, any comments to the contrary should be viewed as
    media posturing and a way of making himself and his cause more noble
    than they actually were.
    
    Stuart

    I only said ' I'd like to think...'
    
    Mikef 

    >> it was a slightly noble fight on behalf of all artistes...
    
    I am not going to beat you about the head with this mike, However "he"
    did try to portray himself as some rebel overthrowing the shackles of
    oppression foisted upon him by the evil music biz. That is what I have
    a problem accepting when viewing his lost case.
    
    
    			Stretch.

    I don't disagree with you at all...
    
    Mikef$beatenhead
    

    Good news!!!!   Gary Barlow single out around the 23rd of June. I'm
    starting to feel a bit better..
    
    Andrea

    >good news!!!!
    
    
    Are you sure?
    
    
    
    I.

    Absolutely positive...  
    
    Andrea

    
    See a doctor...

    Little update for the Thatters out there (and yes they do exist).  Gary
    Barlow's single is to now be released early July (around the 7th or
    8th) and is called Forever Love.  Mark is also rumoured to be in the
    recording studio but nothing confirmed and no release dates as yet. 
    
    Howard is writing still following the single he wrote for Nigel Martin
    Smiths latest discovery 'Kavannah'.  Jason is training for a Marathon -
    don't know which one.  Robbie Williams is still bumming around and
    can't do anything until Gary and Mark have had their singles released. 
    
    Gary Barlow is expected to be touring before Christmas.  
    
    That's about all for now....
    
    Andrea

I heard rumours that Robbie is playing the chainsaw for Metallica, Gary has 
become a hippie and was last seen in Heathrow clutching a ticket for Northern 
India, and Jason's new band, `Jason Bastard and the Bastards', are supporting 
the Sex Pistols.  I'm not sure if they're true, though.

Chris.

Oh yeah, nearly forgot, and of the other two, one has run off with the husband 
of a conservative MP in south London and is emigrating to a country which 
endorses gay marriages, and the other has become a monk.

Chris.

    Cheers Chris, I'll update my factfile -:)
    
    Andrea

>    -:)
    
Aargh, Andrea, you've grown a nose on your forehead!

Chris.

    re .-1
    
    That's not a nose!
    

    Mark Owen presents Top of the Pops, this Friday at 7.30 .
    
    Gary Barlow single has had a fair bit of airplay this weekend too.  Not
    happy with it at all, he's trying to be Elton John and has produced a
    song that isn't befitting his talent.  No matter what you think of
    him/his ex-band, he could write some catchy pop songs and some great
    Ballads - Back for good being one of the best.  This latest offerring
    is nowt special.  I've heard it about four times and I still couldn't
    tell my sister how it went.  I hope he's not going to move away from
    what he's best at - pop music- and try and get a bit above himself too
    soon. 
    
    It might grow on me, I'll probably buy it cause it's not *that* bad,
    but I hope it isn't all there is to come.  I think the media reaction
    (or lack of it) is a refection of the song as well..it's all a bit
    quiet - considering the reaction to Back for Good and some of the
    other slowies he's written on albums.  
    
    Dissapointed really...but hopeful.
    
    Andrea 
                                         

    Andrea
    
    Did you hear Robbie's new single on Chris Evans this morning?
    It's a cover of George Michael's Freedom 90 now unsurprisingly called
    Freedom 96, it is actually quite good, very uplifting and better than
    Barlow's extremely poor attempt.
    
    dickie.

    
    I agree with .402 it was surprisingly good.  The words are very apt 
    and I can't wait to see the video.  His voice suits this song superbly. 
    
    Gary Barlow's Elton John attempt is sick inducing.  Hopefully Robbie
    will trash him in their first head to head.

    
    Alos he managed to get in a plug for 'Oatcakes' - the first time I've
    heard this North Staffordshire delicacy mentioned on the radio !
    
    G.

    Oatcakes!  I miss oatcakes....
    
    m

    Ahh yes, walking home down London Road in Stoke at 6 in the morning still
    a bit pissed, as the oatcake shops opened, inviting me to taste their
    delicious wares, mmmm.
    
    dickie$Stoke-sick again.
    
    PS I was at one stage 'walking out' with Robbie Williams' ex-girlfriend
    from his later schooldays

    
    this could be the start of a new business 'Oatcakes by post' !
    
    G.

    Yes I did hear it and I think it's great - the video is pretty good as
    well - lots of mad Robbie expresions!!  Oatcakes first appeared on the
    Everything Changes video, each member of the band gave an interview in
    their fave place.  Robbie went to Port Vale football club and
    introduced us all to the Oatcake which he was eating as he spoke.  
    
    Hopefully he will knock Gary off the no 1 (if he gets there) I think my
    feelings about Gary's single are plain from a few notes back.
    
    Andrea

    Oh yeah, and he's changed it to Stick around, stick around,,  instead
    of stick aorund yeah..  very funny on radio 1 this morning.
    
    Andrea

    
    I saw the video this morning while I was waiting for the garage nazis
    to finish with me car.  It's pretty samey stuff with our Rob "larking"
    about in the sea and down an alley somewhere.  He looks like a
    psychopath on the closeup shots though....
    
    
    
    I.

    I read somehting about Robbie last night, but I can't remember what it
    was....Somehting about performing in a free Capital Radio show soon?
    
    Sorry.
    
    m

    He's on the Capital Radio show, Clapham common on the 28th of July. 
    Can't remember everyone who is on there, Shed Seven, The Lighthouse Family,
    East 17..but big news about Rob.  Might even take a tube ride down
    there. 
    
    Andrea                     

    Andrea,
    
    >> Might even take a tube ride down
    
    Do I detect a slight turnaround in your opinion RE:Blobbie or are you
    going down there with a large gun!?!?!?
    
    
    
    			Stretch.

    Don't know really, he's been a soft lad but he's still Robbie ( puke_). 
    
    This trip would be more out of curiosity than anything, especially
    after the interview Gary Barlow gave on radio on Monday night.  I still
    think he's been a bit of a dickhead, but lets see if he can actually
    put his money where his mouth is and actually do something worthwhile
    (by his standards). 
    
    Shed Seven are also a bit of a fave at the moment.
    
    Andrea  

    from the Daily Mirror:  (not necessarily my opinion!!!)
    
    Pop idol Robbie Williams was reeling last night after being hit with  a
    �1 milloin lawsuit.  The singer who failed to reach number 1 with his
    debut single Freedom this week, is being sued by his former manager
    Nigel Martin Smith.   Nigel who masterminded Take That's success, says
    Robbie already owes him �88,000.  He also claims Robbie's contract
    entitles him to further slices of the stars Take That earnings.  Nigel
    is also demanding the star coughs up the court costs and pays  him
    damages .  Should Robbie lose his total bill will top 1 million experts
    warn. 
    
    Nigels writ, lodged with the High Court on Tuesday, ia a shattering
    blow  for the star who threw a Freedom party in June.  At the bash.
    Robbie said he would like to run over Nigel with a fork lift truck.  It
    appears the singer may have opened his mouth too soon.  
    
    Nigel claims Robbie owes him over �31,000 from TT royalty check worth
    �135,000+ And he wants a further cut for an advance givne to Robbie for
    the greatest hits album.  The writ also stakes the managers claim to
    20% of Robs "relevant" earnings until 2001, falling to 10% until 2006.
    Robbie has already blown his TT fortune, much of it on a legal battle
    with RCA.  Things looked up when he joined Chrysalis for a 2 million
    deal.  Robbie says "I've been a millionaire three times and lost it
    three times because of legal bills." 
    
    Chrysalis was convinced Robbie would become a huge solo star.  Now some
    executives fear they have backed the wrong horse..  "Robbie has lost a
    lot of TT fans" an insider said.  A source close to Nigel said "Robbies
    been getting away with murder recently because he knows neither Nigel or
    the band would attack him in public, but Nigels patience has run out
    and he want his day in court." 
    
    
    Well well well.....
    
    
    Andrea

    
    I bet the lawyers are queuing up to offer their services on this one
    regardless of who wins they're the ones who'll get rich.
    
    G.
    

    re 415.
    
    "If a fork lift truck kills the both of us"
    
    "There is a light .." a good next singles choice for the boy Robbie?
    
    Des
    

    It is one year ago today that Take That held their press conference to
    announce they were splitting.  I think an evening of TT records and
    wine is in order.  Time flies eh?
    
    Andrea

    
    >> I think an evening of TT records and wine is in order.
    
    I'm with you on that Andrea, I'll celebrate anything %^)
    
    G.

    Are you buying the wine then.. if I supply the music??
    
    Andrea

    This sounds eerily reminiscent of this time last year, when I returned
    home from a Digital do at 2 in the morning in an advanced state of
    refreshment to find my 2 flatmates and 2 other female friends in an
    state even more advanced than mine, in tears, playing the Take That
    game, oblivious to the noise complaints from the neighbours as DJ
    Another-Pissed-Girl span a selection of Take That singles, b sides, remixes
    and album tracks.
    
    Good night though.
    
    dickie.

    
    Andrea, It sounds like I'd have got the better end of the deal - me up
    heare with a case of wine, you 150 miles away with your Take That
    records %^)
    
    I hope the evening wasn't to sad for you....
    
    G.

    Twas a fine tribute to a great band.. I got very drunk in the pub then
    went back and wtached my greatest hits video, read my annual then went
    to bed cause I couldn't see properly.
    
    Hope you enjoyed your wine Graham, I think I drank enough for both of
    us any way!!
    
    Andrea

    I can recommend a cheeky little number in Tesco's at the moment. �3.99
    reduced to an affordable �2.99.
        
    Hth,
    Chris

    No thanks, I buy all my music at ASDA !
    
    G.

    I'll get me coat....