Bananarama are reforming - WITH SIOBHAN

YUUUUUUUUUUUUM-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Our version of Cruel Summer was better.

fav!

Ours was featured in a movie, so take that you poor man's ABBA.

YES!!!!!

They better not have soccer mom hair.

they look great

I'd rather see Fun Boy Three

R8 =Terry Hall

This news makes me happy.

- Partly motivated to work together again and do this tour because of the death of their friend George Michael.

- Possibly recording new music together prior to the concert dates.

- A likelihood that the tour will be extended if the demand is there - including possible U.S. dates.

They've already done their first live performance as a trio:

A second show was added for London due to overwhelming demand!

My favorite girl group of the 80's. "I heard a rumor...dah de dah..."

Shows are selling out. They just might make it here to the states if they can stay sober long enough.

I hope this sisterhood isn't so tenuous that it falls apart before their tour.

more

it's insane how good they look

hopefully Siobhan's ego won't interfere but somehow I don't think so

Sara and Keren are friends

Love 'em. They stood up to producers Stock, Aikmen, etc. Good for them. My fave: Love in the first degree. Also, second for Robert DeNiro's waiting.

Siobhan needs to stay on those antidepressants. How many times can she smile while answering questions about why she bolted in 1988?

So why is Siobhan doing it really? Why would George Michael's death influence it at all unless she always thought it was a possibility 'some day'.

^ She's more or less broke. Shakespeare's Sister is pretty much dead in the water. The last I heard she was studying to be a yoga instructor (which is what happened to Jacquie, her replacement in 1988).

Siobhan didn't learn a single thing, hmm...still a chip on her shoulder.

Their voices are so mannish you wonder if they were dubbed by teeny-voiced studio singers.

Their whole thing was youth and fluff. I realize they need money, but wouldn't a tour be macabre?

How can you need money after selling 40 million units AND being married to Dave Stewart? Unless she and Johnny Depp have been lifestyle co-conspirators.

Maybe the yoga instructor thing was like Sinead helping vets in the US. IOW, not directly related to $.

Once you get to oldies circuit age, it doesn't matter as much as it did when you were younger. The curtain is kind of going up on _life_ much less your career. Everyone is coming out to take a bow or do an encore, not just entertainers.

curtain is going *down.

According to recent interviews with Dave Stewart (for his recent memoirs), he lost a lot of money with real estate investments over the years. Since he and Siobhan divorced in 1996 I'd imagine whatever settlement she'd gotten is long spent. She had to self-finance and distribute the last Shakespeare's Sister album.

Another new and interesting interview.

They all need the money and are dead broke.

Siobhan raised the bar. Amazing body.

"Deep Sea Skiving" was one of the first albums (ok, cassettes!) I ever bought. I had to get the little record store in my hick town to order it for me. I wore it out, and those are still my favorite Bananarama songs.

I hope they add some US dates. I got to see Keren and Sara back in the late 90s at G.A.Y. while visiting London; it was a fantastic night AND I hooked up with a sexy Sicilian, too! Great memories!

Love it @ R29 but Siobhan already looks bored

Siobhan is ready to bolt.

damn Sara!

I was lucky enough to be seated next to Siobhan for dinner at a wedding reception a few years ago. Shy but so sweet. She's an open book. We talked for hours.

Very jealous of you, R35! Hoping they will bring at least a couple of shows to the U.S.

released 30 years ago!

They do look great, and assuming they have kids and grandkids to support, I'm sure the tour will go forward.

wow, are they touring the USA? They weren't that great live back then but now with autotune, and all those fancy equipment, I'm sure they will sound perfect!

They just had a concert in Dublin...as a duo though

R35, I adore Siobhan! What did you guys talk about? I cannot wait to see them live! I am flying to the UK (from NY) to see them.

TBH, although I have a lot of love for early Bananarama, Siobhan's solo work proves she is a brilliant songwriting. Anyone that doesn't believe me should go listen to Songs from the Red Room or The MGA Sessions, particularly:

A Loaded Gun The Darling Symphony Guilt Edged

She wrote a lovely song about being in Bananarama called A Christmas Number One.

Speaking of songwriting, I don't believe the article and comments above claiming they are broke. All three Bananarama wrote the songs and continue to receive royalties. That's where the money is. Some of their big hits, like Venus, Really Saying Something and Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye were covers, but consider their original compositions:

I Heard a Rumour Cruel Summer Robert de Niro's Waiting I Want You Back I Can't Help it Love in the First Degree The Wild Life

R40, Keren and Sara have done shows for years, I think. The concerts with Siobhan are only a few, 20 maybe?

They always came across as so amateur.

Meh - I don't care why they're forming - if they're broke, it happens. Just as long as they're back out there.

NOW, please please please do not send Sarah to a dance studio to learn how to dance. Watching their videos and seeing Keren and Siobhan cover up for her two left feet were some of the most entertaining parts! It's hilarious - akin to watching a Mariah Carey video and seeing her contort to only show one side of her face ALWAYS.

Sarah has no rhythm and cannot dance. Don't change Sarah! Embrace it!

Reforming and touring 20 years or so after your last tour and hit record can make for a comfortable later life. Get together every couple of years and give the people what they want. Play it right and you can even win over the youngsters.

--The Monkees, minus Mike Nesmith who inherited a fortune from his mother who invented White-Out and apparently hated Davy Jones

Bumping this thread because the girls will be the first musical guests on Graham Norton's new series at the end of September.

They look great, love them! God, they were so cool and carefree and girly but tough at the same time - I wanted to be them so bad in the Cruel Summer video!

I would love to see Banarama live!

I assume none of them got any money from the soundalike version of "Venus" in the American women's razor commercial...

Their Marvel Team-Up with Fun Boy Three on "It Ain't What You Do" was a favorite of mine as a an early fan of both groups. Video is shaky, but a rare live vocal from a tv appearance.

Here they are for the Graham Norton show

Elder gays rejoice! Relieve your youth!

On Graham Norton's show:

Ace of Base did it better. Sorry, girls.

haha @ R51...sure

I wonder if things are all still Good Times with the girls.

Has there been any further talk about the tour expanding beyond the UK dates?

How can anyone not notice how BIG their NOSES are?

They peck a lot of corn off the ground I'm sure.

Are they releasing any new music?

You're late, OP. I created a thread about them a couple of months ago. The TRUE CONFESSIONS album is a true 80s gem.

Touring dates for North America tomorrow!

Los Angeles San Francisco Toronto New York

Bought tickets for the LA show this morning.

Two general admission tickets (the floor seats are standing only) with all the fees included are $98.

Two general admission tickets with the Meet 'n Greet package are $698

Is that the going rate for that sort of thing?

First show on the tour was tonight.

Haven't seen a full set list yet, but in the comments of this video people have said that they performed some Nana tracks that were released post Siobhan flaking out... er... I mean leaving.

I had a feeling this song would be part of the show...

Wow, looks and sounds great!

[quote]On Graham Norton's show: see offsite link on youtube.com

Siobhan looks so good! She was always my favorite even though she’s crazy.

The Guardian : all-killer-no-filler pop carnival, a masterclass in how to effectively present a heritage act

Possible track listing from the current shows:

Nathan Jones

Robert DeNiro's Waiting

Rough Justice

Aie-A-Mwana

Cruel Summer

Trick of the Night

Shy Boy/Boy Trouble

Love Truth & Honesty

Dream Baby

Really Saying Something

Cheers Then

Stay

Preacher Man

I Heard A Rumour

More Than Physical

I Can't Help It

I Want You Back

Venus

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

Ain't What You Do It's The Way That You Do It

Love In The First Degree

Amazing list!

I love Siobahn: she is so cute!

Great! Now if only Army of Lovers would allow La Camilla to come back.

San Francisco. Next Month. Yay.

Oh Look! It's the "Push Up Old Threads" Troll. Again.

First US show is tomorrow night in LA.