S Club 8
Last year the colossal force of Gareth Gates kept S Club 8 of the top spot, but this year they clinch the Designer Magazine Best Pop Act of 2003 ahead of Busted and Blazin Squad. While everyone else is blinging and popping the crystal or clinging onto a guitar, the S Clubbers are keeping pure pop alive with a trio of classic singles "Fool No More", "Sundown" and "Don't Tell Me You're Sorry" released this year. The album "Sundown" is a modern day classic and sees the kids moving on from the 60s pastiches of the debut and embracing hi-energy electro pop that has "Kylie move over" written all over it. To celebrate their big win in the Designer Magazine Best Of 2003 Issue we caught up with Calvin Goldspink, who is so nice he really should be President or Prime Minister or something like it, and Frankie Sandford, who took us through S Club 8 in 2003.
GOLDSPINK FOR PRESIDENT
Q: I believe today's going to be one of those once
in a lifetime experiences. Tell our readers what it's like to be in S Club
8 for a day.
A: It's just a normal day of tutoring today, but we're
going to the Lord Of The Rings Premiere tonight. It's the biggest thing
ever cos I'm the biggest LOTR's buff ever. I'm so into it and with the
first two it was like Oh My God I gotta wait till it comes out and tonight
I'm actually going to meet them all. Last night as well we went to Leceister
Square to do some Xmas shopping and ended up walking past where they were
going to have the Peter Pan Premiere. But we didn't go it was too cold
to hang around 2 hours for the start. But honestly mate, I so can't wait
for tonight. It's going to be wicked.
Q: Some more good news for you then. You're the Best
Pop Act of 2003 ahead of Busted and Blazin Squad in the Designer Magazine
Best Of 2003 Issue. I know you're probably head to toe in Awards, but how
does it feel?
A: Aaah, wicked. That's really good news. Wicked. Cool.
We've only had one Award for the Best Newcomer in the Disney Channel Awards.
Cos of our ages we don't really get into the MTV Awards and stuff because
number were probably not old enough to be there which is a bit rubbish.
Q: How come you guys are so young and you always get
all the best songs in pop?
A: I know we get some wicked songs written for us so
it's really cool. We've got some really wicked people working for us and
they're always a bit different, so it's cool doing something different
every time I suppose.
Q: Some people lets be honest have lost it this year
like Kylie, but you guys know what's best and you're still keeping it pure
pop.
A: (Laughs) Yeah I know. It is pop music which I think
is cool because there's not many big pop groups out there which are doing
proper pop, it's all going R&B and stuff, so I think it's cool to keep
pop going as well. Blue and a couple of other bands are the only ones out
there
that are doing proper pop, unless you include the Cheeky Girls but that's
kind of cheese and I don't like that.
Q: I know, S Club are on of the few acts that don't
do the whole sitting on stool shtick. Sad innit?
A: It's true cos there's a lot of bands who do. I think
we are probably the only band, apart from Liberty X but they're still quite
R&B-ey wouldn't you say, who do proper full on dance routines every
time. I suppose that is better than just standing there and sitting on
stools...everyones like eurgh by the end of it.
Q: How do you go about learning the dance routines
then and more importantly who's the worst at learning them?
A: We've got choreographer called Gary and he's really
good mates with us. When we did the auditions he was actually one of the
people who decided the band and he's been with us ever since we started.
At the start I gotta admit I was quite a pants dancer, I'm still kind of
not very good, but I'm kind of getting accustomed to all his moves and
stuff cos he's got a certain style with his moves and now we're kind of
getting used to it. Out of everyone I'm still the slowest at picking all
the dance routines up. Everyone's usually got it by the end of the day
and then there's me 'oh no Calvin, not again'. It must be frustrating
for them if they can do it, but you can't do it - it is kind of funny though.
Q: Strangely enough aren't you a bit of a rock fan
outside the S Club camp?
A: I used to be. It's quite old with me now. I used to
be a skater and be really grunge. I know it sounds quite sad, but in my
area everyone turned into a skater so I did before I got in the band. In
the start of the group I really liked Linkin Park, and I know this is a
really stupid change, but I like Will Young and stuff - more mellow sounds
like Will and Jamiroquoi. I've moved onto that kind of bag, but I think
it's just cos I'm getting older and the swearing thing every two minutes.
All my mates used to like Slipknot and all that so you get bored of it.
Q: And the haircut's a throwback to your rock days
then?
A: I actually got my hair cut the other day. I've still
got it long on top and back, but I've got it shaved at the sides now. It's
a bit of a mullet now I suppose (laughs). It's taken me a while to get
used to it and I was wetting myself about going to the LOTR's premiere
tonight.
Q: We've gotta ask you - have you and Alex Parks from
Fame Academy got the same hairdressers then?
A: It's funny you should say that. Michelle, our hairstylist,
actually went and did Alex the other day and she was like you and Alex
and have got exactly the same hairstyle. I don't think mine's quite as
long as hers, she's a bit longer.
Q: You've become a bit of a heart-throb to your teenage
fans haven't you?
A: Do you think? It's quite cool I suppose. It's really
nice to have people appreciate what you do and things. I don't take it
the wrong way, but it is nice if people come up and ask you for an autograph
and stuff. If you get a good feeling from doing something in your day playing
Playstation or something, I get a good feeling from someone coming up asking
for my autograph because it makes it a lot more worthwhile what you're
doing.
Q: Did you get attention from the ladies before you
were famous?
A: Not really. I've never been a massive all the girls
flock round me type of guy. It's quite strange though because I don't really
know how to describe it. It's strange but it's wicked none the less.
Q: What's the funniest banner you've seen from the
stage?
A: Oh my god, that's really hard. We got thongs chucked
on the stage once, that's was kind of funny. It's usually slogans that
rhyme with your name and stuff, but I can't remember what they're like.
It makes it quite special, because performing is the best thing ever. If
I could do anything it would be to perform in people cos I love doing that.
And it's even better if people are in the audience having a good time.
Q: Who gets the most fan mail out of you guys?
A: We all get some I suppose. Some people send it to
your house - Calvin Goldspink, Aberdeen - and it usually gets to where
you live. Or they send it to my mums shop and she passes it on to me.
Q: Goldspink's quite a rock n roll name isn't it?
A: Everyone always says that actually cos it's quite
a weird name. I don't know where it's from but I was actually talking to
one of my mates the other night and I said to him "I think it's Jewish
or something" as a joke. And he was like it probably is, cos it is a weird
name, it's not normal. But I think it's American. I think. It's weird (puts
on strange dysfunctional voice) It doesn't matter to be different.
Q: It's that time when you have to start making New
Years Resolutions. Where do you see you guys in 5 years time?
A: I suppose more albums and singles. That would be wicked.
I don't know what the future holds. Hopefully we'll stay together and that
would be wicked. Hey, we might even have dolls next year and be immortalized
in doll form for ever and ever. Maybe a tour eventually because after doing
to the tour with S Club it would be cool to do another one.
Q: And Calvin Goldspink international solo star?
A: I'd love to do that eventually, but I'm really enjoying
it in the group. I think groups a lot of people do like to go solo, so
I'm not going to deny it. It is something you have to aim for and I'd love
to write my own music cos I'm learning to play the guitar at the moment.
Frankie - Do you remember 2003?
Q: 2003 - the year S Club 8 grew up?
A: Yeah. I think it's nice to change and we grew older
so we changed as well. This album was more what we were listening to.
Q: Did you not want to head urban and bling it?
A: I like listening to that sort of thing, but I don't
thing we'd like to go like that. It's not us.
Q: What's been the best thing about being in S Club
8 in 2003?
A: When we went on tour it was so good. It was wicked.
It went down with everyone really well. It's different every night as well
because you get a different crowd everywhere you go.
Q: How do you cope with the change between tutoring
and being a popstar?
A: It's fine because tutoring is the reality is of it
and performing is the dream of it. So I think the tutoring keeps you down
to earth. It's really nice to go home and be normal though.
Q: Is meeting all the other popstars still surprise
you?
A: It's always really good cos you always have a such
a laugh on things like SM:TV and The Saturday Show. Everyone's really nice
everywhere you go.
Q: Who's the nicest popstar you've met this year?
A: Daniel Beddingfield is always good for advice.
Q: Who's the cutest guy you've met in pop then?
A: I like Will Young. I think he's cute. He's wicked
as well. I'm not seeing anyone at the moment though, I'm still single.
Q: What are you getting for Xmas?
A: I don't know. I like clothes and money - I think that's
what all kids of my age like. My mums good at keeping secrets though so
I don't know what I'm getting.
Q: Tell us about your new single?
A: It's called "Don't Tell Me You're Sorry". Its a really
cool song. A little bit older than what we've normally done. I think it's
the best song we've done so far so I'm sure everyone else will like it.
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"Don't Tell Me You're Sorry" is out now
For more info
www.sclubjuniors.com
Check out the Only Frankie site for pics and info
on Frankie
www.onlyfrankie.tk
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