Hello Betty Boo! Pop's been a dull place without you. Where have all the proper pop stars gone?
I think there are still some real pop stars out there, but I don't think today's girl and boy groups have an identity. The usual suspects are hired in to write their songs so the music becomes bland. I think pop stars should have their own style, they should write their own stuff or at least put their own mark on it.
Pop stars should be larger than life. I remember seeing Madonna or Blondie on the telly for the first time and thinking "wow!" They really had something and I miss that in pop. There's a difference between wanting to be famous and wanting to make your mark in the world. Even in a very small way, you've got to break the rules. Always break the rules. Be naughty, be mischievous, bring back anarchy!
Crikey! So what was the last thing in pop to make you go all 'unnecessary'?
The period of pop music that I loved was when Blur and Oasis happened; when people were talking about the war between them and who was gonna get the number one spot. It really was an exciting time. I put myself in the Blur camp, though I didn't know Alex then. Their music sounded new. I thought Oasis were a bunch of thugs but Damon was a nice pretty boy. He could've been at my school - the casual that everyone fancied!
That was quite some time ago now. Is there nothing new that gives you the Boo?
Nothing's really moved me much since then. I like Kaiser Chiefs, I think they have a great sound. Hip hop is still a part of my life: I love Missy Elliot and I love Eminem who, to me, is like the new Elvis. He's making what is, essentially, black music and appealing to the masses. He's rock 'n' roll.
The last album I played was 'Licence To Ill' by the Beastie Boys. I can remember wearing a copy of that out because I played it so much! They're great. Their rapping style has stayed the same - which I think is brilliant.
But have Betty's raps changed?
I think mine have stayed the same as well! Too many bloody words in my stuff. I was practicing for my G-A-Y show and I had to redo some backing vocals on the old songs and it was a bit like doing those exercises: "red leather, yellow leather"! Some of the rapping is just so fast, I was thinking, "how did I bloody do that?"
You wrote songs that were performed by Girl Thing, Hear'Say and Girls Aloud; did you secretly yearn to be singing them yourself?
When I was writing for other people, I couldn't really help myself writing Betty Boo songs. My publisher always used to criticise my tunes, although he loved them. He told me I had to make them more bland; there was too much personality in them for one of these groups. I proved to myself that I can write a bland pop tune - it was like an elbow test really. It gave me the confidence to go "Wooh! OK, now let's experiment!" And what came out of that is WigWam.
Well indeed: now you're back, back, BACK! Did you ever imagine it was possible?
In the back of my mind I really wanted to be Betty Boo again. Most people know that my mother passed away and my dad was dead as well, so I didn't really have the energy for it. I spent most of my early twenties either looking after my family or being down in the dumps. But all I needed was the right time, the right people and the right record. And this felt like the right time. It feels great. Once I got my bob hairdo I felt like Betty again. It's a bit like Fern Britton in that advert for Ryvita!
And very exciting it is too. What's your grand plan for WigWam?
My wish for WigWam is just the chance to keep making records. We could collaborate with different people, like The KLF did with Tammy Wynette. We want to keep people guessing and just make great music. It's going through a dancey phase at the moment but the style will change. It might go indie then it might go reggae then it might go disco! I'll just keep doing it for as long as it's fun.
Hurrah! Thank you Betty Boo!
No Slashmusic, thank you.
