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History, history

Bananarama: the original girlband on reuniting in their 50s

Original?

Ahem.

25 thoughts on “History, history”

  1. You must understand that the Telegraph is written these days by teenagers. Thus they have never heard of the Supremes, Gladys Knight and the Pips, or even the (wait for it) … Beverley Sisters 🙂

  2. @TPF
    Nor the Andrews Sisters, and there was a trio girlband, whose name escapes me but one was confined to a wheelchair, earlier that that.

  3. Not a good idea.

    Alright for a gig or a short nostalgia tour but you really can’t go home again and although they don’t seem–on the limited basis of the article’s photo –to have run to fat yet they are no longer what once they were.

    An equal temper of sexual hearts perhaps but the world has moved on to wrestle with newer oars and the baths of the Western stars are already full of paddling, piddling pensioners who just don’t want to quit. Even when they should.

  4. I was surprised by the success of Bananarama back in the day. They did a lot of covers, and rather sloppily to my ear. Perhaps that was the joke and I didn’t get it.
    I was very surprised to learn that one of them married Dave Stewart. He has much more musical street cred. I was not surprised to learn that another married Andrew Ridgeley.

  5. Siobhan Fahey is madder than a box of squirrels, and I have no difficulty imagining that she is/was extremely entertaining in the sack.

    “Butcha are, Marcie, ya are stuck behind that guitar!”

    Great stuff.

  6. There’s a lot of demand for 80s bands to play live, enabling the bands to keep on making a decent living and the fans a chance to relive the good old days, until the joints start aching.

    The ‘rama girls don’t look any less presentable to me now than they appeared in their heyday. The hot dark-haired one still looks bloody good for any age.

    As I get older, I find the company of the under-30s increasingly hard to tolerate. I’m not sure the enhanced skin tone and bendiness of the younger woman is really worth the mindless self-absorbed prattling. A nifty 50 in prime running order is much better.

  7. Solid Steve 2: Squirrels of The Patriots

    The kindest thing we can say is those Bananas are overripe. If you’re an Alison Moyet or a Kate Bush, it doesn’t matter how crumpled and dog-eared you get, people still want to hear your voice.

    But girl bands age like milk.

  8. Solid Steve 2: Squirrels of The Patriots

    Roué – +1

    Ms Fahey’s drunk dominatrix goth-witch from Outer Space in that Shakespeare’s Sister video made a big impression on me.

  9. Ahem – links to one of better Guardian articles. (Some of the narratives are a bit cringe-inducing but the author shows a genuine affection for his subject).

  10. Back in the 80’s I had a flat in a street off Haverstock Hill, Hampstead. One of the Bananas had one opposite but a couple floors lower. The views were, at times… startling. Particularly through the bathroom window when the top sash was lowered. But it took standing on a chair.

  11. Bananarama? They had what, 3 singles of note? Weren’t exactly great singers even then. You might as well go and see Hipsway or Belouis Some live.

    And voices go downhill. There’s some that still have it, but a lot don’t. If you go and see them, you’re still a tragic, overweight divorcee.

  12. BoM4 – better to gig with the past it chubby tragics to Bananarama, Metallica or Stone Roses than hang out with the kids….

    Saw Stone Roses a couple of years ago: whatever is left of Ian Brown’s voice needed considerable back-up and Mani looked like he was about to have a stroke after the first hour, but it was still great.

    BiS – commendable perving dedication!

  13. “Saw Stone Roses a couple of years ago: whatever is left of Ian Brown’s voice needed considerable back-up and Mani looked like he was about to have a stroke after the first hour, but it was still great.”

    I went to one of the Heaton Park reunion gigs in 2012, was the best gig I’ve ever been to, absolute class. Ian Brown can’t sing, granted, never could, but the rest of them can still play, John Squire particularly.

  14. @BiS Reminds me of the (very) old joke about a little old lady who phones 999 because there’s a naked man outside her bedroom. Plod arrives and peers through the curtains:

    PC: Sorry, madam, I can’t see anyone.
    LOL: Not from there, silly – but if you climb on top of the wardrobe and look through these binoculars …

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