My child was in a S Club Juniors, ask me anything

[BeEagerEagle]

In 2001, my child auditioned for a CBBC show called ‘S Club Search’ and got a place in a child pop group who initially were meant to support S Club 7 on a one time support gig basis. This band was called S Club Juniors, later known as S Club 8.

The band ended up taking off and we basically had to sign or children away to Simon Fuller’s management to release a single. The kids were given tutors and chaperones, and spent most of their time in hotels (the ones London based stayed either their parents) or on the road. After that, they went on tour and I only saw my child once every couple of months. It was brutal but I knew that’s what they wanted to do.

they released two albums and the second one didn’t do that well, Simon Fuller tried them on a TV show called I Dream, however that also tanked. My child will admit that themselves. They all got dropped when aged 14-17. He said they had grown out of their roles a bit.

Now they are in their late thirties and trying to get back into the entertainment industry fully but it’s difficult. They’ve never quite got over their time in the band. They released music but it never really went anywhere. They would never say so, but it doesn’t help them that two of their fellow band members went on to become big stars, both were in a chart topping girl band and now are TV presenters.

their band (minus the two still-successful members) were meant to reunite for a TV show a long while ago, but for various reasons it didn’t happen. When S Club reunited, S Club juniors didn’t get asked to reunite as there was ‘no call’ for it and only a few were up for reuniting. (My child, and another boy and girl member)

they are still acquaintances with S club 7 and went to Paul Cattermoles funeral.

I know my (now adult) child doesn’t regret the choices they made as a child, but feels sad as an adult.

AMA- child (now adult) is also here to answer questions too and is happy to answer questions about specific members and music!

That is crazy they don't get reconised I could pick every one of them out if I saw them! What made you start this thread as a mum? Are you looking for people in the same situation or just to answer people's questions they've been longing for over the years? It's a great opportunity you've given so thank you! Have the juniors actually seen this thread? I bet they're all having a right laugh at it!

It was literally just to answer questions, we never thought there would be so much interest.

I bet if you took it to other places aside from mumsnet people will be dying to ask so much stuff! You've solved my 11 year old mysteries! Have the band actually seen and read the thread? I wish I knew who's mum you were that'll forever be the next mystery

If they ever have a reunion I'll be in my double denim so fast!

Dud any of the group ever feel like they missed out on 'normal' things like school events, other hobbies, keeping up with friendship groups etc?

it has been linked in my child’s group chat, I know at least four have read it and have found some of the questions funny :)

Yes, definitely. I know a lot of them missed silly things like wearing school uniform and being at a proper school with their friends, and stuff like being able to pop down to the shops on their own. One of the boys was mad about skateboarding and wasn’t allowed to skateboard much anymore because management were worried he’d hurt himself and not be able to perform. Crazy I know.

I remember my child telling me that a lot of them wanted to do other work inbetween albums/singles when they had time off (like panto at Christmas) but weren’t allowed because of their contract with 19 forbidding them to work elsewhere at the same time.

The kids saw their friends during their trips home, but I know they still felt a bit fed up especially when friendship groups carried on without them there. They missed out on all the school trips and discos etc. It was especially hard for the youngest one, as she missed out on her last day of primary school with all her friends.

Thanks for posting the time!! wish I'd scrolled down a tiny but to see your comment before I watched it. I watched the whole thing looking for it and must have blinked at exactly the wrong moment 🤣

Did you notice much jealousy from you're family/friends. Also are some of them still friends with childhood friends ?

I answered this a couple of questions up I think. One member found his friends got a bit jealous but otherwise no.

Most are still friends with their school friends or college friends.

Thought of anogher question... Did the kids get any input into and creative decisions with the music? I know the songs would have been pre-written, but did they get a few to choose from, help decide which ones to release as a single, any input into the album names? Or was it just a case of "here are songs, here's the album name, get to work"

Hey flamingo. No they didn’t have any input musically at all unfortunately. I know a couple would have loved to be more involved, especially instrumentally. Everything was chosen and they’d arrive for rehearsals and be told “ok so I want you to warm up and learn this song for your new album, (e.g) sundown”

I don’t know if it was that they didn’t trust the kids, it was more just a timing issue. Fuller had a catalogue of song demos (mainly produced by the same people) ready to go, and management basically chose what they wanted for the juniors. Occasionally bits and pieces were changed or added last minute by producers, the bridge to sundown with Calvin and Stacey was sampled from another song and added in last minute.

I think a lot of the kids genuinely felt too nervous to challenge anything and just thought adults know best. I know my child describes it as the feeling you get when you want to correct a teacher and can’t!

just thought I’d add on that a lot of the members were disappointed that DTMYS was remixed for a single and preferred the album version.

Is there a list of things they’d have done differently? I’d love you to ask them! Like songs videos I dream ect
also I feel the single version don’t tell me you’re sorry is definitely better than the album version it’s more upbeat and funkier!!! Sorry for disagreeing but album version is too slow and I can imagine as a single would have been very slow to dance too? Did any of them ever point black refuse to wear anything? Also when you did see and went out with them did they always get stopped and asked for photos autographs?
I listened to Stacy’s interview and she said about people turning up to the house and they had to move? How did that happen and how did they realise? Were they knocking and stuff? Bet that was scary! What was the weirdest fan encounter they all had?
Just when I think I’m finished with my questions I get more haha!
How did they do the music videos did they tell them all what was going to happen and what needed to do scene by scene or did they just tell them on the spot do this this and this?? With them being so young?

Normally for each MV or performance the wardrobe managers would bring in a few racks of clothes and the kids would pick what they wanted and discard the rest. They never usually were required to wear anything specific apart from in the early days with their denim/double denim. They wanted to keep the youngest looking like the “baby” of the group so often wouldn’t let her wear as “grownup” stuff as the others.

if fans spotted them back in the early noughties they’d ask for autographs, and I remember all their schoolmates did too, even the ones who didn’t like them!

The weirdest thing that happened back then with fan interactions was women in their late teens sending Calvin their knickers in the post!

the stalking is something Stacey doesn’t want to talk about on here, sorry!

Is Aaron still obsessed with ketchup? 😂

How did they do the videos were they all planned and prepared before?? Did the kids know what they were going to do? And have to practice? I’d love to know what they would have all changed with everything you should ask them! It’d be really interesting to know. That’s completely understandable if Stacey doesn’t want to talk about it it was just interesting to know what they all had to deal with. Was it scary as a parent to deal with?

I’ve just read what you said about Calvin with the pants hahahahaha oh my god he was literally a child that’s crazy

He still loves ketchup!

Yes, they were planned and prepared beforehand. They’d practice beforehand usually in a dance studio. A dance routine took them around a week to learn. They’d then do a couple of dress rehearsals on the day and after that film the MV. Most were done in one take.

I think I missed this one. None were bullied, although I remember being told by several including my own that a lot of the other school kids thought they were...cocky? I remember hearing a kid in the playground saying to their mum “beeagereagleskid is ok but acts like they’re something special.”

there was a lot of that. Maybe due to jealousy. I don’t know.

I am just returning to some of the older responses I missed.

RE doing stuff differently, everyone thinks I dream was a bit of a disaster with no continuity. I think everyone now tends to wish it was filmed in the UK so Aaron could’ve appeared more. But directors wanted to mimic Miami 7. A couple of the members wish they’d had more creative input with the songs and music videos. A lot were filmed on green screen which the band found a bit boring. Interestingly my child tells me now that an older boy out another British pop band used to text one of the female members (she was 14, he was 18) and she wishes now as an adult that chaperones had found out and put a stop to it.

I bet it was frustrating for them all sometimes not having a say! Especially in the later years. I dream being filmed in the UK would have been better as it would have been more relatable too! Did they ever have any fans outside of the UK? Did they only ever perform outside the UK?
I went on a full reminisce of the band on YouTube for old times sake and I think I know who you’re on about :/:/:/ in an interview they did it was brought up that somebody had somebody’s number (from said band) and been texting and I thought in my head that’s a bit odd as said band are much older. I won’t mention or give away who it is but I’m certain I know.
Was it just friendly texting or inappropriate I’m guessing inappropriate by what you’ve said? I guess they don’t realise until they’re adults that it was wrong.
Where did the band practice their dancing? Or spend a lot of their time? Or do you know what recording studios the famous singles/ albums were recorded in?
Did the band know who was singing what on the songs before they went in the studio or did they let all members try the lines and pick the best ones?
With the chaperones you mentioned some didn’t get along with the children were they let go to move on or was it just accepting it for what it was? As it must have been awkward right them looking after kids who don’t like them?

What was their biggest or most exciting performance? I remember seeing them perform at Buckingham Palace for the Queens jubilee and thought that must have been amazing to be a part of.

Yes they have fans from outside the UK. I’d say their biggest fan (that I’ve met anyway) is probably from Asia. They only performed in the UK other than when they filmed I dream and filmed a scene abroad for one of S club 7’s shows. The texting was flirty but never hugely inappropriate as far as I know. Thankfully I think it fizzled out.