If You Want My Future, Forget My Past

I've just caught up with Orbital's set at Glastonbury, including a majestic performance of Spicy featuring the legendary Mel C and one of the highlights of my (limited) TV viewing experience so far. You wouldn't believe the trio on stage had a combined age of 166, would you?

 

My house mate Jason was obsessed with Emma (Baby Spice) at the height of Spice Girls mania. We lost contact many years ago, but a quick glance online indicates that his plan to one day become Mr. Bunton never bore fruit. 

 

Visiting my friends Vicky and Simon was always a delightful and unpredictable experience. They lived in a brilliant three-storey house with a topsy-turvey layout with a stairs leading to an upstairs lounge. It was no surprise one evening to find the stairwell had been adorned with tiny plinths all the way up to showcase each of the five Spice Girls

12” dolls. They loved them all (dolls and humans) but Geri (Ginger Spice) was their favourite. 

 

Neither for me though: Mel B (Scary) and Mel C (Sporty) were the most interesting personalities, who looked like they were having the most fun and gave the least of a damn about conventions and rules. 

 

I won't pretend that I've followed either's musical ventures post-Spice Girls, though Mel(anie) C's guest spot on When You're Gone in 1998 made a Bryan Adams record bearable. Jez featured the song in his excellent Friday Music Club mix over at A History Of Dubious Taste a couple of weeks ago, stating that "I’m not going to apologise for Track 11. It’s a bloody great pop record. Fact." He's spot on, of course.

 

Likewise, no apologies for posting the Spice Girls' finest moment and the inspiration for Orbital's track. One of the best music videos and debut singles ever...even if I'm still not quite sure what the "Posh" one actually did... Both Mels steal the show, obviously.

Paul, Phil, Mel C, great work!