Stuff Like That - Bananarama's New Single

It's here. Finally a new single from Bananarama!

Recently previewed with the rest of the album clips, we already knew this was a future disco classic.

For the music video, Sara and Keren have teamed up with long time collaborator Andy Morahan, who has worked with them in the past.  Hopefully we won't have to wait too long to see it.  "It was the most chilled fun video we've ever made", they apparently said!

No word of troops of male dancers yet.

Bananarama: Live at the London Eventim Hammersmith Apollo

Seeing the original Bananarama line-up deliver a tour was such an unexpected and incredible moment.  

Having lived and breathed Bananarama since my youth and experiencing the dramatic devastation of the split (I blame my hormones), nobody ever thought this would happen - but it did and it was one of the single most joyful moments of my life.

I bought the merch.  I stood shaking with excitement with my friends.  I danced until my legs fell off.  I looked in awe at the incredible screen graphics.  I was blown away by the new production and the makeover of those hits.  It ticked all of the boxes.

This tour didn't just live up to our expectations, it blew them away.  To look around the venues and see the faces of happy audience members was unexpectedly emotional.  It wasn't just middle aged gay men and wives.  There was a diverse collection of people of all ages and most importantly, they knew the songs ...and many of them also knew all of the camp arm movements too.  It was a genuinely endearing moment to see so many people experiencing utterly, blissful, unabashed pure joy. 

We were all so thankful that we got to experience that joy again with the Live album in various versions, including a DVD and bluray.  Many people don't realise that it's also available on iTunes, see link below.  It was Blue Monday yesterday and I can't think of a better way to wash those blues away than watch one of the worlds greatest pop groups back together again.

Bananarama - Dance Music

Dance Music, the first Bananarama song in a long time is going down really well with fans, with many posting gleeful message across social media.  It's all going rather well, isn't it?

Incidentally, if you want to hear slightly different clips of 'In Stereo' click here.

Chaka Khan - Hello Happiness

The Queen of Funk Chaka Khan made a phenomenal return with her latest single ‘Like Sugar’. Initially launched as a limited edition release for Record Store Day, it earned airplay from Annie Mac, Nick Grimshaw, Pete Tong, Benji B, Danny Howard and Gilles Peterson before receiving a full release in the summer. Now the 10-time Grammy Award winner continues the reemergence with her new album Hello Happiness via Diary Records / Island Records, the new label formed by Major Lazer founder and Grammy-nominated producer Switch with artist / songwriter Sara Ruba Taylor.

Hello Happiness is an album which sets Chaka Khan’s timeless vocal to an empowering collection of songs with cutting-edge production. With an eye on the future and a respect for the past, Chaka Khan has delivered an album with the contemporary edge to entice newcomers to her world class talent and the quality to excite long-term fans. Chaka Khan first collaborated with Switch and Ruba Taylor as a potential featured artist on a different project. Inspired by the power of both her voice and personality, the duo suggested working on an original Chaka Khan album - something which she didn’t have in mind. But she was soon convinced when she heard some of Switch and Ruba Taylor’s songs, which coincidentally were influenced by Chaka Khan but written for their own project. Chaka chose her favourites and stamped her identity all over them, with her inimitable vocal gift and dynamic energy taking each track to new heights. Switch and Ruba Taylor also provided the groundwork so that Chaka Khan could concentrate on making her first set since 2007’s Funk This.