Girls Aloud: Celebrating 5 Years of Excellence

[oscillations.]

Let's discuss the highs, the lows, fondest memories. Let us rhapsodize about the Greatest Girl Group Who Ever Lived.

Background:

Formation

Girls Aloud were formed on November 30, 2002, in front of millions of viewers on the ITV1 programme Popstars: The Rivals. The concept of the programme, hosted by Big Brother presenter Davina McCall, was to produce a boyband and a girlband who would be 'rivals' and compete for the 2002 Christmas number one single. Following the initial success of Hear'Say (winners of the original Popstars show), several thousand applicants attended auditions across the UK in hope of being selected. Ten men and ten women were chosen as finalists by judges Pete Waterman, Louis Walsh and Geri Halliwell. However, two of these were disqualified before the live shows began: Hazel Kaneswaren was found to be too old to participate[4] whilst Nicola Ward refused to sign the contract, claiming the pay the group would receive was too poor.[5] Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts, who had made it into the final fifteen but not the final ten, were chosen as their replacements.

During October and November, the finalists took to the stage participating in weekly Saturday night live performances (alternating week-by-week between the girls and boys). Each week the contestant polling the fewest phone votes was eliminated, until the final line-ups of the groups emerged. The five girls who made it into the group were (in order) Cheryl Tweedy, Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, Kimberley Walsh and Sarah Harding; Javine Hylton missed out on a place in the group, despite previous expectations that she would be placed in the line-up. The group were named Girls Aloud and were originally managed by Walsh until 2005 when Hilary Shaw replaced him. The runners-up, a boy band called One True Voice, were managed by Pete Waterman.

The two groups competed for the number one position in the Christmas week UK singles chart. Girls Aloud won the battle with their single "Sound of the Underground" (produced by Brian Higgins and Xenomania) which stayed at number one for four weeks. Disney Channel viewers later voted this as best single of 2002–2003 at the Disney Channel Kids Awards.[6] Originally tipped to be more successful than the girls, One True Voice released just two singles before disbanding in the summer of 2003.




And then, in 2003 they took over the world. Er, the British Isles and select continental and Australian territories at least. But they conquered the metaphysical domain of brilliant radio pop in a way no other act has this decade.

[jazklash]

May 8, 2008 10:06:03 GMT -5 oscillations. said:

And then, in 2003 they took over the world. Er, the British Isles and select continental and Australian territories at least.

Sorry if it seems like I'm raining on your parade. But the question is, commercially speaking, even in the British Isles, they're not really this great dominant juggernaut. Pretty successful, yes. But even compared to the Sugababes, they pale.
And as for the "select continental and Australian territories"... don't delude yourself. Outside of Britain and Eire (and even in this here latter, I have some doubts), Girls Aloud are as much of a cult band in that still-not-that-recognized market niche known as Anglophiles as any average shaggy-haired, skinny-looking, Camden-friendly indie/guitar band.

[oscillations.]

Just move on and discuss the greatness of the band.
The Girls are huge in legacy and presence, which is more important than #s. I think you know what I meant anyway.

[CammyCan]

God, this thread scared me. I thought they were calling it quits or something from the title lol.

Commercial success outside the UK or not, they still rock my world.

[jen]

Im really proud to be a fan of them and it's incredibly awesome how long all of them are staying together as a group. And it's even more awesome how every single one of their singles have hit top 10, and I certainly hope they keep it that way. I fell in love with them when my freinds introduced me to Sound of the Underground and just loved the whole teen pop sound they were pursuing, which reminded me a lot of the Spice Girls. I noticed recently that they sorta traded in their sound for a more modern and futuristic sound and I think it's really working for them. My favorite album from them would be Chemistry, and IMO, Biology is one of the greatest pop songs ever.

[jazklash]

May 8, 2008 18:28:21 GMT -5 oscillations. said:

I think you know what I meant anyway.

Seems to me like I didn't, after all. And you'll have to admit that, looking at your original phrase, anyone could interpret it as a significance of hard-numbers commercial success. But anyway...

May 8, 2008 18:28:21 GMT -5 oscillations. said:

Just move on and discuss the greatness of the band.
The Girls are huge in legacy and presence, which is more important than #s. I think you know what I meant anyway.

Ooh, I think I'm verily f**ked on this one! :o

You see, my point on this will be better understood if I compare them to the Spice Girls. Let's just say that Girls Aloud are their complete opposite, insomuch as they are purveyors of fine (sometimes great) music, but so far having the same cultural impact or cache as, say, the Mary Jane Girls, Exposé or SWV. On the other hand, the Spice Girls have left an indelible mark, even years after they first (unofficially) split. But anyone with a brain, I'd wager, can see that that impact had everything to with everything... except the music. Which, years down the road, has proved to be as thin and dated as those tight tank tops with phrases like "Here, boys!" or "Would you like a pair of them?"
You see, the average Joe/Jane in Britain certainly knows who Girls Aloud are. I mean, they were "built" live and direct on TV in the first place. But nowadays, you know how many of those Joes and Janes are aware of the Girls existence? I'll tell you how: because one of them became, well, a WAG. And even at that, she's no Posh (again, the Spice Girls! ).

On the other hand, the ones who should actually be given credit for fostering any kind of legacy are Xenomania. They're the real artisans behind the fact that even broadsheet newspaper music critics shower them with 4 or 5 star reviews, correctly assessing the brilliance and boldness of their productions. I mean, Alexis Petridis said it best with this phrase when he reviewed What Will The Neighbours Say: "The results are so spectacular that you rarely notice Girls Aloud's voices, which are in tune, but so devoid of emotion you begin to wonder if English is their first language."
In the end, Xenomania are the real stars, and the Girls are just their favorite instrument of manipulation. It's not for nothing that they confess that the Girls are their lab rats when it comes to try out new stuff.
And speaking of lab rats. Years ago, Timbo said the same about Aaliyah, and the Neptunes ditto for Kelis. But you know what? In both of them, you look at them and you can still feel (or, in Aaliyah's case, looked and could) some sort of personality, attitude and sense of self. Personally, I look at the Girls and... I just see five airbrushed dolls. They don't even entice any "eeuuww" like the Spice Girls did with their outfits or silly proclamations of Girl Power. But at least they had some tangible personality and style, as ridiculous as it might have been. The Girls are... nondescript, really. Try as you might to convince me otherwise, even Nicola seems to blend in with the others.

In a nutshell: Girls Aloud have the music. But they lack all the rest. And that rest is what distinguishes a great band from an IMPORTANT one. Even obscure and/or ignored at the proper time ones (cf: Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Pere Ubu, etc.).

[oscillations.]

Meh, I could wax philosophical about the Girls' perceived lack of persona, but I'm not sure if it is a discussion worth investing in on this format, on this forum.

Instead, for now I'll share how I first came to know the group. In late 2004, New York Magazine (aka MY BIBLE and my most esteemed reference) compiled their yearly picks for the standout music, film, literature, and art & they ranked Xenomania as the best producer and Girls Aloud's "Wake Me Up" as one of the best singles. I immediately downloaded it and found it almost too exciting to bear. I had to put it away for awhile lest I fall dangerously in love with this slice of manufactured pop genius (at this point, I was only starting to transition back into a mindset which could accept mass culture as brilliant in flashes). Anyway, I sort of forgot about them for awhile, until "Biology" was released, which upon release I downloaded and quietly enjoyed alongside "Wake Me Up" and "The Show". It really wasn't until late 2006 that I allowed myself to fully invest in the band and even then it was under the caveat of "appreciating the production" and various other arty excuses. However, by Christmas 2006, I was in possession of all 3 albums and the GH, and could call myself an unabashed FAN, not just a distant, cynical admirer. I was one of the first dozen American fans to order Tangled Up, and I consider it to be tied with Chemistry as their best to date. I'm still in love with this act, and they are one of the few groups who truly excite me with everything they do. Their music legitimizes an entire genre, and reminds me of what pop at its finest can achieve, and that was something I was unable to experience in most of the pop music I tried to champion earlier this decade. Even Kylie and Madonna couldn't quite take the paradigm to such giddy heights. Girls Aloud's music sounds dangerous and urgent, and I think that helps them register so effectively with the listener. Experiencing their music is an adventure of its own accord, and it demands both a sense of a humor and an ear for detail on the part of the consumer. Their music is immediate enough for casual buyers to enjoy and yet complex and self-aware enough to serve as the guiltless ear candy of choice for the indie and elitist sets. So they occupy a unique niche in pop and music culture at the moment, and I hope they maintain this position - they can have it all ways, and be all things to all people.
I've always called them the Thinking Person's Spice Girls, and I'll stand by that description, as it is the one that has won over many of my peers. I've personally herded at least two dozen real life acquaintances into the G.A. fanbase, and I've also influenced many people online to check them out (and 9 times out of 10, "checking them out" translates to a full-fledged love affair with the group). I would love for them to try to crossover to the US market, but I understand their reluctance to do so. I don't want them to have to compromise their dignity or artistry to get a single on Z100. It's not worth it.

[freakyflybry2]

I like a lot of their songs... but for me, they've been very inconsistent, as one single I'll really like, and the next I think is rather meh.

1. Call The Shots
2. I'll Stand By You
3. See The Day
4. Long Hot Summer
5. Sexy! No No No

Those are my favourites, but I never seem to be in the majority when it comes to Girls Aloud.

[oscillations.]

LOL 3 out of your 5 (the middle 3) are considered their weakest singles by most. In fact, it's odd that you have S!NNN on there, considering it is the antithesis of your other, safer choices.

[unicorns]

What an awesome group. I actually own imports of their What Will The Neighbors Say? and Chemistry albums. And the latter is actually the Christmas edition! LOL. Anyway, these are my top five favorite singles from them:

1. The Show
2. I'll Stand By You
3. See The Day
4. Life Got Cold
5. Something Kinda Oooh or Sexy! No No No...

[Mic Technique]

May 10, 2008 14:05:49 GMT -5 @freakyflybry2 said:

1. Call The Shots
2. I'll Stand By You
3. See The Day
4. Long Hot Summer
5. Sexy! No No No

What a wack perception of GA lol.

[unicorns]

Bry, not trying to be a bint, but really, "Long Hot Summer"? That's like one of, if not, my least favorite from them.