M People

Diddy

Diddy

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20+ years later, what did we think of them? I know on Moopy it usually descended to a Heather Small Proud Out Now meme, but listening to their Best Of now, they had some crackers.
 
I had a listen the other day. They have a wealth of material and some of their early stuff is really crisp. They did tragically turn to mush, but they have some heady heights. Renaissance and Open Your Heart are my faves.
 
The Best Of is a really case of haves and have nots, but even a bit of their mush was nice. Just For You was giving me some real nostalgic FEELS

AGOG that Search for the Hero was only a #9 hit :o it felt much bigger
 
All their songs KINDA sound the same, but the good ones are very good.

Renaissance obviously their peak. Movin' On Up was good but very overplayed. Can't abide Search For The Hero, but I have a weird sneaking regard for the shameless re-write that is 'Angel Street'.


 
Some of it sounds a tad dated now but definitely a good singles act so a hits compilation or playlist is all anyone would really need these days. I liked them more then than now but they were one of the dance acts who managed properly big hit singles and albums.
 
It's not just their singles that were good. The first 3 albums were exceptional- and there were some good moments on their fourth too.

Proud is horrible though.
 
I still sing "la vida loca" in my head to this today. It's completely involuntary so you can imagine the amusement it gives me.

I loved M People as a youngster, their run of singles from Elegant Slumming was very exciting as I saw each one on The ITV Chart Show and finally got the record. By the time the bonus round of Itchycoo Park came along I guess they had peaked and had very little left. What got dolloped onto the greatest hits just wasn't up to par with the lightning strike singles of before. Just for You, Fastasy Island and Angel St kept face, but the decline was signalled (I wasn't a fan of this album, but Fresco is a great title). If Loleatta Holloway pissed herself laughing at Ride On Time, I imagine Open Your Heart scared the shit out of Olga De Souza.

Really surprised they've never properly came back. It seemed as if the whole thing was relaxed and easy for them. The early burst of singles remain jolly good, naff and almost underrated were it not for the fact Heather's voice requires it that way as the sombre sealife sounds of Search for the Hero is as easy to laugh at as enjoy.
 
My forever fave is Sight For Sore Eyes. but recently very partial to some One Night In Heaven (Master Mix) too. they're so quintessentially 90s, it's iconic.
 
How Can I Love You More also felt like a bigger hit. Perhaps the re-releases just kept it feeling around. Their cover of Someday also works, even if it doesn't overtake the magnificent original. I've never heard the debut album though, only the singles.
 
I think there’s been a falling out, Heather announced on stage at one of those Let’s Rock style festivals that it would be her last performance with the band to what seemed to be their surprise. They originally started out as a collective with guest vocalists so I’m surprised the two guys haven’t gone down that route again but I suppose Heather is so ingrained in people’s minds now it might seem like karaoke if they toured.
 
Their journey from trendy, in-demand underground producer-remixers and cool dance outfit for the clubs, to MOR adult pop Radio 2 fodder, over the course of about 5 years, was quite extraordinary

There was also something about Heather Smalls voice that went from unique and fresh to bland and annoying - maybe it just had a shelf life because it was so distinct

Anyway, their first 3 albums are great and contain some classic 90s dance music. One Night In Heaven remains a bonafide 90s anthem.
 
I also loved Don't Look Any Further until I heard the far superior original, at which point it was rendered utterly redundant.

 
Also they stand out as a genuinely classic British singles act - the 90s was full of them. The sort of mainstream pop act that would do well in singles and release a series of successful albums, some better than others, but very firmly established. Then they release a MASSIVE greatest hits album which does huge business, and it feels like the project is over - they never really regain their glory.

see also Texas, Gabrielle, The Beautiful South, Jamiroquai, Eternal, Lighthouse Family...
 
VoR said:
I also loved Don't Look Any Further until I heard the far superior original, at which point it was rendered utterly redundant.

Click to expand...


same

TLC also had a nice version with the Unpretty remix

 
funky said:
Also they stand out as a genuinely classic British singles act - the 90s was full of them. The sort of mainstream pop act that would do well in singles and release a series of successful albums, some better than others, but very firmly established. Then they release a MASSIVE greatest hits album which does huge business, and it feels like the project is over - they never really regain their glory.

see also Texas, Gabrielle, The Beautiful South, Jamiroquai, Eternal, Lighthouse Family...
Click to expand...
True though the situation of Eternal’s hits set was different to the others. I think they’d have continued to have big success as a three piece but the situation with Kelle had escalated. The Bennetts had said the plan was for a further single from Before The Rain and then move onto the fourth album but once Kelle left the hits set was released to tie things up and they hadn’t really wanted one that early.
 
BoysForSeles said:
True though the situation of Eternal’s hits set was different to the others. I think they’d have continued to have big success as a three piece but the situation with Kelle had escalated. The Bennetts had said the plan was for a further single from Before The Rain and then move onto the fourth album but once Kelle left the hits set was released to tie things up and they hadn’t really wanted one that early.
Click to expand...

Either way the rapid shift to moody American R&B music wasn’t the smartest move to relaunch yourselves as a duo - that Watcha Gonna Do was universally rejected after establishing themselves as a radio friendly soul-pop act. It was quite the fall...
 
I actually miles prefer their version of Don't Look Any Further to the original. It's more soulful and chilling.
 
funky said:
Either way the rapid shift to moody American R&B music wasn’t the smartest move to relaunch yourselves as a duo - that Watcha Gonna Do was universally rejected after establishing themselves as a radio friendly soul-pop act. It was quite the fall...
Click to expand...
True, the duo wasn’t going to work but I doubt that would’ve been the direction or that there’d have been a hits set if Kelle stayed.
 
Oh could you imagine those 2 pointing at each other as they sing "one, two" and then staring at Kéllé as they finish with "what you gon' do?"
 
BoysForSeles said:
True, the duo wasn’t going to work but I doubt that would’ve been the direction or that there’d have been a hits set if Kelle stayed.
Click to expand...

So basically Kelle is a c*nt for leaving

She did give us a couple of 7/10 singles though, so there's that.
 
It’s interesting they were a fairly consistent singles success, loads of top 10s, multi platinum albums, and never a No.1 on either chart!

(except Perfect Day but it’s a bit déclassé to count that)
 
Diddy said:
It’s interesting they were a fairly consistent singles success, loads of top 10s, multi platinum albums, and never a No.1 on either chart!

(except Perfect Day but it’s a bit déclassé to count that)
Click to expand...
The 90s Depeche Mode!
 
funky said:
Also they stand out as a genuinely classic British singles act - the 90s was full of them. The sort of mainstream pop act that would do well in singles and release a series of successful albums, some better than others, but very firmly established. Then they release a MASSIVE greatest hits album which does huge business, and it feels like the project is over - they never really regain their glory.

see also Texas, Gabrielle, The Beautiful South, Jamiroquai, Eternal, Lighthouse Family...
Click to expand...

for some reason I feel compelled to take The Beautiful South off that list, oddly it was AFTER their huge GH that they really hit their stride as a mainstream act (sales-wise anyway)
 
Elegant Slumming was my first ever album, on cassette for my burthday :disco:
My Nan thought the title was DISGUSTING ?!?! :/
 
I would say that by the end it felt a bit like Heather was doing an impression of herself. But that might just be because the shift towards midtempo left her a bit more exposed as the main feature of the production
 
Diddy said:
for some reason I feel compelled to take The Beautiful South off that list, oddly it was AFTER their huge GH that they really hit their stride as a mainstream act (sales-wise anyway)
Click to expand...

true actually - they fell off after the second (or was it third) compilation.

But they're definitely in that category of 90s singles acts.
 
I've only recently came around to Perfect 10 (I always thought it was a custom 7) (I just like her casually luscious voice) and that seems to be where the hit parade story ends. They were never off the radio on the album before with all that moody artwork they got in trouble for or something.

I've forgotten the M People reason I came back to this thread now. Oh it'll come back to me (#someday). Probably something about singing like she's got a mouthful of piping hot gravy or something equally amusing. As for her solo attempt, Pride sounds like a BNP attempt at rebranding Pride to be about straight people. Nope, I still can't remember, but I did try some new material at least :ahhhh:
 
funky said:
Also they stand out as a genuinely classic British singles act - the 90s was full of them. The sort of mainstream pop act that would do well in singles and release a series of successful albums, some better than others, but very firmly established. Then they release a MASSIVE greatest hits album which does huge business, and it feels like the project is over - they never really regain their glory.

see also Texas, Gabrielle, The Beautiful South, Jamiroquai, Eternal, Lighthouse Family...
Click to expand...
I feel like Eternal slot into this quite nicely, also. That GH was massive.
 
Sometimes I get to thinkin' just how the extra extraness of the album edit of One Night In Heaven is one of the best extra extranesses of all time:

 
Still remember the thrill of the video on the ITV Chart show. This must have been during the Summer holidays. I was indeed a foetus, but that's by the by and boy was I buying.
 


I mean this slaps so hard my face stings the whole time I’m listening to it
 
Renaissance would be my 2nd choice cut. According to the ITV Chart Show, Heather Small couldn't even drive.

 
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