Jade Ewen - an open letter

Dear Jade,

I'm not going to lie to you. I thought it was a terrible idea when I first heard you were the sixth Sugababe.

"What about My Man?", I cried. "You haven't even given it a chance."

However, in the past few weeks (or is it months? Good Lord) you have carried yourself with grace, looked fabulous while doing it, and have maintained a strong identity in a band that easily could have crushed you.

In an aside, I wanted to say it is clear that the Sugababes have never been happier, and for that I am grateful.

It was so easy to dismiss the group before. I thought you were boring and that I'd seen you do everything you could.

I now realise that is probably not the case, and with horrible old Keisha out of the group and lovely Jade in her place, a breath of fresh air has come in the band.

Long may you reign, Jade, Heidi and Amelle. I think your new line-up is just great.

Kind regards,

Steve

P.S - PLEASE do a version of something from One Touch. Just to piss off Mutya and Keisha (I dont think Siobhan would care, would she?)

Olly Murs wins the X Factor! (I hope)

SO I GOT A NEW JOB AND ITS BASICALLY VERY GOOD. I spent my entire day reading/writing about celebrities. But I will not ignore this blog!

I just wanted to say, right, that I have changed my mind about who I want to win X Factor.

Joe is a bore-off right? Following him on Twitter is like following someone from school who hasn't changed since you left at 16.

"OMG SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS WEEKEND!!!!! THANKS GUYS!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!".

Please.

So for me, now, it's all about Olly. I'm sure he will release something anyway, JLS-stylee if he comes second.

I'm not going to be buying either album, I should probably point that out.

Anyway, as I float with who I vote for politically (I have just jumped off the Conservative bandwagon upon hearing about Cameron's awful gay rights voting history), I have changed my mind and will probably vote Olly tonight.

GO OLLY MURS.

(and he's fitter, right?)

Pete Doherty sings Nazi German anthem

I hope this doesn't make me sound terribly ignorant, but I didn't realise that the "Deutschland Deutschland" part of the German national anthem had Nazi connotations. I'm glad I know now as it is the kind of thing I would sing in front of Germans thinking I was being very intelligent as I knew part of the anthem… (actually, I'm kind of concerned that have)...

The instant response from Pete's people was classic too – "Pete himself is from Jewish ancestry and has fought against racism and facism with numerous organisations." … I presume this is when he can get up and see straight? Pete Doherty, at the forefront of the fight against racism and facism (just as soon as he can see through his sweaty, baggy eyes).

I wonder how long it will be before he is supporting other causes? Maybe someone should recommend him as a patron for Addaction or the London Drug and Alcohol Network?

Danyl and Lloyd - X Factor rumours

I'm hearing rumours about Danyl and Lloyd from X Factor. If anyone could confirm or deny, let me know. Fanks.

P.S - Poor Joe.

P.P.S - Gayest house ever this year?!

X Factor 2009 - ANOTHER year of bore off music likely

X Factor is great entertainment. I think few, even the haters, would doubt that it is good Saturday night TV. Possibly not Sunday, but Saturday at least.

However, I do think it is sad that it is quite as money-making as it is.

This Sunday, JLS went to number one in the charts with their second single, taking over from Cheryl Cole, who took over from Alexandra Burke. Next week it looks pretty likely that Leona Lewis will be number one.

They all have something to offer. I like them. But I do think it's sad that so many good artists are now getting overlooked in favour of TV talent show winners.

I can think of a few really good artists who have not had chart success this year when they probably should have. Little Boots and her great pop album Hands is the first. THE FREEMASONS FEATURING SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR BEING THE SECOND. Sorry. There are a few others. I'm sure you know them. I don't like VV Brown but she is a good example.

Instead, now, people are becoming used to the idea of knowing everything about an artist. Following them on Twitter, listening to them bleat on about how "lucky" they are to be in their position, knowing their family problems etc etc.

The British public now seeem incapable of developing really strong connections with artists unless they have seen them perform for 12 weeks on a stage.

I realise that right now, X Factor is on and everyone gets a bit manic. But the JLS song really isn't number one material. It REALLY isn't. It's fine but...y'know. Not number one. Seriously.

The death of the Christmas number one is another point. No one apart from a reality TV show winner has had a look in the last few years. Last year, Alexandra Burke, 2007, LEON FUCKING JACKSON, 2006, Leona Lewis, 2005, Shayne Ward. The same will happen this year, and next year.

Looking at the charts, the last time a good, proper Christmas song made it to number one was Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman in 2002. Good song that. Gotta download.

Anyway, rant over really. I just wanted to make the point that although I like watching X Factor, it is leading to a downturn in the quality of good, independent pop music of which I am a big fan.

Britney Spears 3 video - a rant

Britney's new video. Blimey. What to say.

Song is fine I guess. Not quite Gimme More or Womanizer but ok.

But this video! It's the worst thing I have seen her release in a long time.

The Gaga slashed leotard, the awful dancing, that really horrible bit where she is hanging from a bar and kind of awkwardly opens her legs. It really is a horror show.

I really really hate the bit where she does that thing with her hands. Where she brings them up to her head and flicks her hair. Bleurgh.

On that note, WHY DOES HER HAIR NEVER LOOK NICE? I don't understand why someone as rich as her continues to get these £2.99 hair extensions that you can buy from those floating stall things they have in shopping centres.

The one bit I do love though, is the product placement at the beginning. Amaze.

It would be nice to have good Britney back. All these awful dance routines and really obvo vocoder things are getting rather boring.

Oh and this picture - amazing. The hair is really making itself known here. She looks like she has had a bowl haircut and then superglued on some Russian prostitute's ratty weave underneath.

Barbara Windsor/Peggy Mitchell QUITTING Eastenders. Nooooooooooo!

As I sit here enjoying a glass of red wine (PURCHASED FROM PARIS) I am mourning.

Eastenders has become one of the best programmes on TV as of late and now, it seems, its biggest (just double-thought that and yes it is correct) star, Barbara Windsor, IS LEAVING.

Peggy Mitchell, the stalwart of the Square, will serve her last pint next year as she is quitting that bitch in favour of spending time with her toyboy husband.

Now of course, at 72, it is her prerogative to retire. But Barbara Windsor is without doubt one of the best things about the show.

She screams at her family while staring up at them from her two foot height (in heels), she bitchslaps Pauline/Pat when they get out of line (BEST. EPISODES. EVER.) and she has hair that never thins and in fact has got bigger in recent years (how does she do it?).

Yes, Peggy Mitchell/Barbara Windsor IS Eastenders. And her leaving will undoubtedly be a big blow to the show.

Now, at the moment, there is a lot going on in the soap that make it great. The Heather baby thing, that Maryfairy getting with the Muslim boy and Stacey (if she comes back), have all made the show compelling viewing.

But Peggy, and more generally the Mitchell clan, are the East End in Eastenders and without their matriarch they will be leaderless - who will tell them that they need to "GET BEHIND THAT BAR" or "SHADDAP" or "GERROUTTAMYPUB"? There is no one. Unless Auntie Sal comes back into it? Even then, she is no Queen Vic landlady.

OMG as I write this it is on the 6 o'clock news. Amaze. I LOVE ENGLAND!

Anyway, basically, Eastenders looks likely to be heading towards another downturn with Peggy's departure.

I just hope they manage to fill the void left by her presence with someone equally as exciting.

Anyway, as a little tribute, here is a good scene with Peggy and Pat I found on YouTube - LOVE the eye roll and 1:32.




Queen Peggy of Walford. I love ya.

Katie Price and Alex Reid - Britain's most beautiful couple

Katie Price - what's left to say that hasn't already been said?

She is pure trash. Funny. But gross.

I once read her autobiography when I should have been writing my dissertation in my third year. It was the vilest thing I have ever read. "NEVER TRUST A POP IDOL" - ew gross Katie, you shagged Gareth Gates. We know. It was your fault he dumped you because errr...YOU'RE GROSS.

Anyway, here she is looking at her absolute best as an Amanda Lepore impersonator.

Her poor Incredible Hulk boyfriend. He isn't a trannie is he? Not a real one?

The funny-nosed thing has been totally swept up in the huge vacuous hole that is Katie's life and in a bid to get even more publicity, she probably went "OHMIGOD IT WUD B SO FUNI IF U DRESD UP LIKE A GIRL HAHAHAHA YYEAHHH GO PRICEY IM AN INDERPENDANT WOMAN YEAHHH."

And I imagine when you are with Katie Price, you don't have much choice otherwise she will strangle you with hair extensions. The weight of her tits could easily hold the cage fighter down while she did it.

Can't wait for him to get dumped and to REVEAL ALL to....Reveal. Or something.

Anyway I must go and watch the news, this Nick Griffin on the BBC (completely bad decish, by the way) thing is really rather interesting.

He really does look like a Bond villain doesn't he?

CHERYL ROCKED IT - Whitney on the other hand...

I was going to try and avoid it, but Cheryl Cole's performance on X Factor was actually too good not to talk about.

The hair, the hat, the glass-shard lapels, the slit trousers, the dancers. It was damn near pop perfection.

I'm not 100% sure whether or not she sang live, fans seems to be simultaneously claiming that she both pre-recorded all the vocals and that she sang it all live. So who knows.

All that can be said about it, was that it was a good performance from a good pop star.

My favourite bit was the breakdown - AMAZING - why is that not in the single remix?!

Last night I heard her second single, 3 Words, with Will.i.am and that's a pretty good follow up too.

All in all it looks set to be a solid album campaign right now.

There was one thing that was noticeable though - Cheryl was rather quick to hit out at Kandy Rain when she thought they were dressed too "provocatively".

Her outfit was not exactly demure. I could see her ass cheeks. So she needs to maybe think a little more before she opens her tiny, veneer-filled little mouth.

STILL though. Good performance, well done. And I like that she listened in the end and didn't pre-record it. It seems that the power of the internet may have at least helped her perform live, even if she didn't sing live.

On another, but related note. What the FUCK was up up with Whitney?! You could see her bald head underneath her weave, she didn't even bother to sing the high notes, she was barely coherent when speaking to Dermot. Bitch - you were good once, but carry on like that and no gaygaygay Freemasons remix is going to get you back on top.

Cheryl Cole's debut solo performance - X Factor 2009

I don't want to appear that I am anti-celebrity. I am completely the opposite. I totally love them. Nearly all of them.

But things like this do disappoint.

Cheryl Cole, the first member of Girls Aloud to attempt a solo career, is not going to sing live on X Factor this weekend.

This is a poor show.

The entire programme is based on the idea that singers need to perform live to have a successful career, but Cheryl's decision not to do so make it look as if, really, it actually is all about being pretty. Everything else comes second.

A source told the Daily Mail: "Cheryl is the break-out star of Girls Aloud and there are big plans for her. Nobody - neither on the X Factor nor her record label Polydor - wants to see her fail, which is why we thought it was better for Cheryl to mime her performance."

Surely, the way to avoid "failing" is for her to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse some more? Then there would be no need to not sing live.

I love her solo song, but it does feel that everything about this is so rushed. She spent a matter of days in LA recording it and on the making of the video the choreographer noted the super-short amount of time she had to come up with the routine.

Get it done, get the profile high, make it big. Money in pockets. Done.

If she truly, truly does care about her music career, she would sing live for this first performance.

Even if for the rest of the album promo she didn't, this is the one performance that she really really should.

It looks bad to the X Factor contestants, bad to the fans and bad to anyone who wants to believe that there is a tiny amount of talent in the pop industry.

But she won't.

And having said all that, if she pulls an amazing performance out the bag, then I'll probably still love it. Maybe she can just sing some bits. ANYTHING. Just don't mime it all the way through please love.

Lady Gaga at the Washington gay rights rally

Firstly, I really like Lady Gaga. She produces good pop music and she looks fun and she does twatty things and I don't think she cares what people think.

I also like the fact that she cares enough about the gay community to turn up and make a speech.

I get it. The gay movement in the US is still miles behind the rest of the world and it is consequently important that people like her bring attention to the situation.

But what's with the Judy Garland reference?? Is this something I am missing? It comes, right in the middle of her speech, like she just had a moment of gay tourettes. OH AND YEAH JUDY GARLAND. AND KYLIE MINOGUE AND MADONNA. AND AND...LIZA. I'm running out of "icons" (David don't judge me for not knowing proper icons...).

Anyway, not important really I suppose. Like I said its good she turned up.

And I totals love that she dressed up "dykon" with the braces and monochrome. Not that I know why black and white is particularly gay lady, but do you know what I mean?

I don't have much more to say on the matter. But next time love just maybe be a bit less cliche!?

Oh and how amazing is her new album artwork? LOVE YA GAGS!

Sophie Ellis Bextor - new material January 2010

Sophie Ellis Bextor is not someone who I can I be particularly balanced on.

I am a big fan, like huge, like when I was at school I tried to get everyone to know who she was by attempting to play Murder on the Dancefloor at a charity fashion show. No one liked it. We played Steal My Sunshine instead.

I digress – as I am such a fan, I was tentatively pleased when she announced on Twitter that January 2010 would see her comeback.

Tentative because she has done this many times before.

Her last single, Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer with the Freemasons was gaygaygay great. Although it only made it to the top 20, it hung around in the top 40 for nearly 2 months and was her biggest chart success since Murder on the Dancefloor.

Rumour has it that there will be a second Freemasons song on her fourth solo album, as well as collaborative songs with Metronomy, Calvin Harris and Richard X among others.

But here is the problem.

Despite the big collaborations, her previous success (her first album, Read My Lips, sold over a million copies) and her working with Rimmel, it is not likely that her next offering will set the charts on fire.

Sadly for her and for the fans that have bothered to hang around, she has simply taken too long to make her albums and as such, many people have lost interest.

She could have released a single straight after the Freemasons song, when her profile was at the biggest it has been for some time. She could have released it now, before the Christmas rush when this year everyone will be talking about Susan Boyle and the new X Factor winner. But instead, January it is. A full seven months after her last single release. I'm a fan and I can honestly not name one thing that she has done since then. Oh she went to Russia.

I am going to go back to my original point here, I love her. Like LOVE her and her music, but why can she not just release a damn song?! Surely one of these songs she has recorded is good enough? Even if the album is not done, she could release two singles just to keep her profile high.

Fingers crossed for a big hit. I think it sounds like their could be potential dynamite on the album. But if it doesn't go down well, I think this is the end of the road for Ms Ellis Bextor. Still, as has been pointed out before, she would make a lovely TV presenter. But that's not really the point is it.

If Sophie ever reads this, I TOTALS love you and am probably wrong anyway. Let's hang out some time yeah?

Sarah Brown and the Labour Party

There are very few things I like about the Labour Party. I don't like Gordon Brown, I don't like paying back my student loan and I don't really enjoy all the bowl haircuts the female members of the party seem to get (is it a maintenance thing? YES I AM TALKING ABOUT YOU HARRIET HARMAN).

However, one thing I do like is Sarah Brown. Of course, you could argue that really she has nothing to do with Labour at all, but regardless she is affiliated.

I like how at 45, she has kept her hair long and I like that she is not stick thing. I like that she always seems to wear the same shoes in a different colour and I like that she gets on well with Michelle Obama.

As a gay, I find that I am permanently drawn to strong women (blah blah blah, I know, horrendous cliche etc etc), and when - "if" is looking a tad too optimistic - the Labour party leave power next year, I will be sad to see Sarah go.

Of course, Samantha Cameron is rather great. But there is something quietly knowing about Sarah Brown that I really do enjoy.

That is all.

Jade Ewen - Sugababes 4.0 - the evolution of pop music

So as the world and his gay husband know by now, it wasn't Amelle that left the Sugababes but original member Keisha Buchanan.

She was replaced by Eurovision entrant and Making Your Mind Up winner (lest we forget) Jade Ewen.

It's all rather interesting really, I certainly didn't see it happening, despite the fact that a million people on the Popjustice forum were theorising such a move.

Anyway - here is my take on it.

Firstly, I don't feel sorry for Keisha because she does appear to be rather the little bitch. It has been reported on sites such as the Daily Mail that she made an ultimatum that it was Amelle or her. The label chose Amelle. Gutted!

However, I know everyone has said it, but they really are no longer the Sugababes are they?

The pictures that have been released of Heidi, Amelle and Jade filming their video for About A Girl, the second single from Sweet 7, does seem a far, far departure from the original line-up where it was all bootcut jeans, strappy belly tops and messy hair.

Mutya has made some good comments too, about how Jade's voice is so strong that essentially, the new line-up is her with two backing singers. BitchyMcBitch!

I was not enough of a fan previously to really care about the band that much (despite the fact that it might appear so on this blog...), all I really mind is whether or not they make good music. The new single is G-A-Y fantastic, so obvo, I love it. It's not the Babes, but it is a good dance song.

So my taking on it really, is - give a shit. It's a shame that it didn't work out so that they could keep releasing songs such as Hole in the Head, Stronger and Shape, but that's the evolution of pop.

Oh and also - I wonder what Jade will say about all this in interviews? Surely someone will ask eventually?

So it wasn't Amelle...

but Keisha who left! I'm sure we all know this now. Will place some more thoughts later…

Sugababes - Amelle quits

So it appears that Amelle has quit the Sugababes.

Not sure if anyone noticed, but just this week, previous member Siobhan Donaghy told ponystep that Keisha made her life a "living hell" when she was in the band - prompting her to leave during a promotional trip in Japan.

With Amelle quitting (and possibly being replaced by Jade Ewen!?) in the light of a bust-up with Keisha it seems pretty clear that there is a big problem in the band. That being Keisha.

Now the thing is, the Sugababes used to be good - their first few albums were realllllly good. I remember listening to Freak Like Me in the car when visiting my dad in Sunderland and thinking "who is this? what - the Sugababes?!" And from then on I kind of liked them.

But then it all went a bit tits up. As soon as Mutya left it felt as if they sold out a little bit. The music became suddenly very Cathy Dennis - of course, no bad thing in my opinion, but not the kind of sound that the Sugababes built their success on.

So, with Amelle quitting, it really is worth questioning whether or not the band should carry on at all. Their music is fine, like... ok. I probably wouldn't choose to listen to it but I wouldn't be offended if someone else put it on.

I would like to be proved wrong, but with enough members now quitting to form their own band (OMG - Siobhan, Mutya and Amelle! AMAZE), Keisha should probably start questioning her behaviour and really, they should go separate ways.

I don't think the pop music scene would be particularly lost without them.

Madonna - Jocelyn Wildenstein

Ok so I promise that this will not be the theme of the blog but JEZUZ LUZ. Madonna needs to stop with the face tinkering. She is turning into Jocelyn Wildenstein.

She is starting to look like a chubby-faced 16-year-old. And what's with the thigh high boots? WE GET IT MADONNA YOU ARE A SEXY PIECE OF GRISTLE.

Unfortunately for Madge it looks like Celebration will not be Number 1 this week either. See Madonna - looking young does not mean you will have a hit record. Just ask Dannii Minogue.

Pictures courtesy of X17 and Splash

TV Quick Awards - is Sarah Harding going to turn into Denise Welch?

So last night was the TV Quick/TV Choice awards in London. Cue a million fame hungry shlebs that love the flash of the paparazzi bulb.

Loose Women won big - and consequently those Loose Ladies let themselves go a little. Pictures later show Denise scrabbling around in the gutter among cigarette butts as she trips and drops her bag. Bless.

While looking through the pictures at work, one thing occurred to me - doesn't Denise Welch look like Sarah Harding?

Sex and the City 2 - revisiting the series' wardrobe?!

So - pictures for the new Sex and the City 2 are being leaked and it seems that Patricia Field is revising the old wardrobe...

Carrie wore this very same dress when she went to go and meet Natasha at lunch ("Now not only have you ruined my marriage, you've ruined my lunch").

It's a fucking hideous number. Come on Pat - you can do better than that...

Unless...of course...it's another flashback scene? Hmmm...

First Post

So this blog will be about pop culture crap. The one thing that I seem to know the anything about.

So yeah. Enjoy.

Steve