The worst possible news, Zone Horror - the UK's leading (only!) free to air channel dedicated to trashy horror movies is closing it's doors! Chello Zone who own the channel have merged with CBS and will replace Zone Horror and the other Zone channels with CBS produced content. So no more sleazy b-movies movies on Zone Thriller either! This is a sad day indeed.
It launched in 2003 as The Horror Channel, re-branding in 2006. Thinking about it when your best shows are re-runs of Beastmaster - The Series and Mutant X, and prime time is filled with such gems as Ghoulies and Slumber Party Massacre 3, and those are the classier ones, it's not hard to see why there was no profit in this televisual tour-de-force of bad taste. I for one will miss it, where else could you watch Joan Collins in Empire of the Ants every weekend, guaranteed! They also specialised in late night gore with an abundance of cannibal and zombie movies in the early hours. With it's average audience share of 0.1% all of three people including me will give a damn, but how could anyone hope to top a lineup like this:
The fantastic Bananarama make a bid for their 25th UK Top 40 hit single with their new single, Love Comes, which is out today! There are a whole range of formats available from different remix bundles on iTunes and 7digital, a CD single (surely a novelty these days), and a set of 7" picture discs (retro!), and I've seen a 12" Extended Mix at townsendrecords.co.uk. The girls, or at least their new label Fascination Records, have really made an effort and this a must have release for any fan. Check out this exclusive competition too.
Sadly I think this single may struggle as there has been little radio or video play, even less than 2005's excellent Look On The Floor, which still managed to crack the Top 30! Anyway what do I know, I've bought the lot anyway. Check out this new interview from BBC Breakfast News:
Last weekend I attended my very first festival. I could not bring myself to actually camp out, so I am now broke! Sadly I missed Toyah who opened the festival on the Saturday afternoon. I was gutted! After a boozy afternoon accompanied by the songs of Dr and the Medics, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, and Billy Ocean, it was time for the headliners.
Bananarama kicked off the evenings festivities with Cruel Summer, which, like the whole of their set went down well with the 20,000+ crowd that had turned out in the glorious British countryside, on perhaps one of the best weekends we've had this year. The girls belted out Venus, Love In The First Degree and Really Saying Something to rapturous applause. What they lacked in vocal prowess, they made up for with spirit and good humour. Sadly they didn't have time to do their new single Love Comes (out next week fans!!!)
Belinda Carlisle was on next, and she was not happy with the sound and had a few diva moments before launching into one of the strongest sets of the day. Leave A Light On, Live Your Life Be Free (one of my favourites!), Circle In The Sand, and of course Heaven Is A Place On Earth. It was great to hear these fantastic songs played live, I've seen her with the Go Go's, but not on her own before, so this was a big treat for me, and Belinda didn't disappoint.
Rick Astley hit the stage shortly after and performed his SAW hits Together Forever, Whenever You Need Somebody, When I Fall In Love, Never Gonna Give You Up and a great version of Cry For Help which was easily the highlight. He seems to have developed quite a sense of humour about his status as an 80's icon too.
The lovely Kim Wilde was the star attraction for the Saturday, topping the bill, and what a stunning job she did! She rocked out, covering her hits You Came, Kids in America, You Keep Me Hanging On, If I Can't Have You and a cover of Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence, as well as her own hit Four Letter Word which she sang beautifully!
Day two is a bit hazey, but I do remember thinking Heaven 17 were pretty fab, Go West and T'Pau were also on. By the evening I'd pulled round a bit. ABC were the first of the big acts on the stage. They were pretty good, but I'll admit I wanted them to hurry up and clear the stage to make way for Sister Sledge.
Yes, Sister Sledge! Now some of my readers my know that there are a couple of versions of Sister Sledge floating around, but this lineup includes Kathy Sledge! Yes, Kathy! Kathy was the lead vocalist on all of their hits, and she was in fine voice as she knocked out He's The Greatest Dancer, Chic's Everybody Dance, Lost In Music, and We Are Family! I have no idea who the other girls up there were but half of them weren't even born when the Sledge's were doing their thing! Fakes! the lot of them. But who cares, they were great. Kathy's outfit was rather daring too.
Gloria Gaynor headlined the final night of the festival, and oh my, what a finale! From the anthemic I Am What I Am to her original take on The Police's Every Breath You Take, and of course the classic, I Will Survive!
The whole event was extremely well done, even the toilets weren't that bad! I had a fab time and I cannot wait for next year! They even had fireworks!
Released in 2000 - I remember buying this Britney 'inspired' gem back in the day! Well, 2000... I used to love this, and the garage remix that was on the cassingle was pretty hot too as I remember, I think it holds up really well, I can still remember all the words too, and I haven't listened to it in ages! Sadly this flopped and I haven't heard anything from Ellie since, except for her ill-fated album which I don't think even charted.
Released in 2000 - I could only find a little clip of this one, it was barely played when it came out, but I thought it was a great slice of subtle garage-pop. It's a cover of an Andy Williams song, I have no idea what Colour Girl did next, but I should find out! I need to find my single of this to share.
Released in 2003 - Oh how I loved this, Masai started out looking quite butch and sporty as I remember, but when they got this sleek makeover for Do That Thing I was in love! But still nobody cared and this tanked. I still have my copy and cherish it, especially the electronic vocals.
Released in 1999 - That means this (even by my maths) is a decade old! How on earth did that happen. Poor old VC never had any luck in the UK (although HMV used to stock all her singles back when they did imports), but this was a US pop hit from her Platinum selling debut. Where is she now?
Released in 1999 - Hahahahaha I loved this one, Debbie pretending to be a hip hop queen, amazing! I'm glad she didn't do the rapping herself, although I'd bet pound to a penny Coolio and Wu Tang Clan were not her idea, have you not heard Rapture! Ms Harry virtually invented pop/rap! This went nowhere in the UK, too many haters!
It launched in 2003 as The Horror Channel, re-branding in 2006. Thinking about it when your best shows are re-runs of Beastmaster - The Series and Mutant X, and prime time is filled with such gems as Ghoulies and Slumber Party Massacre 3, and those are the classier ones, it's not hard to see why there was no profit in this televisual tour-de-force of bad taste. I for one will miss it, where else could you watch Joan Collins in Empire of the Ants every weekend, guaranteed! They also specialised in late night gore with an abundance of cannibal and zombie movies in the early hours. With it's average audience share of 0.1% all of three people including me will give a damn, but how could anyone hope to top a lineup like this:
