i suddenly like girls aloud

[southeastastra]

i think i'm turning into a gay man. i especially like 'untouchable' am i alone?

I like Christina Aguilera, a very talented lady

But spokette isn't LIKING the music important? I happen to LIKE the music the GA sing and market.

spokette, as I said I don't have a problem with you disliking their music. But calling GA 'a bunch of skanks' and saying 'if you mentioned crotchet to them, they would probably think you were talking about their crotch!' isn't criticising their music, it's making unfounded assumptions about their intelligence and sexual behaviour and using those assumptions to derogate them.

If you'd said you didn't like Take That because they were nothing more than glorified strippers, the same principle would apply. Whereas if you'd said that you thought their music was repetitive and dull, then it wouldn't. Both derogatory but only one is really defensible.

SPOKETTE

Their voices arent processed to hide bum notes - They are processed as a stylistic statement, just like lady gaga's - who can sing pretty well and britney's, who is also a credible singer

MsSparkle, I love Christina Aguilera. She's fantastic

SHOW YOUR CARDS SPOKETTE

who do you like?

Hole write their own songs

WHy is singing well so bloody important??? Mariah carey is a great singer, but sings awful songs

The Human League were rubbish singers but wrote great songs

cyteen she has a new album coming out in March

Well, I don't think spokette said that they were brainless sluts or was being misogynistic. But she was criticising the music, packaging and production in an unfounded way, and I hope I put up a spirited defence... perhaps a little too much
It is true that they are unfairly presented as being stupid in some parts of the media. Cheryl may not be the sharpest tool in the box academically but she has what they call "emotional intelligence", while as MsSparkle says, Kimberley is the business secretary of their company and manages all their financial affairs. Sarah left school at 15 with no qualifications, but that was due to behavioural issues, not intelligence - anyone who thinks she is in any way dim is going to look pretty stupid themselves after they have seen

this!!!

...although some of the fans aren't happy as it was sold to the Sun by her father, hmm...

And they all obviously have strong "functional intelligence" as they are articulate and confident and sparky in interviews. They don't sit there saying "y'know" and "sor' of" or mumbling into their feet, like certain "credible" rock stars from Manchester I could mention...

I'm personally not that keen on the over use of Auto-Tune in many of today's ditties. You can hear it on "Untouchable" and others. But it's just the way today's producers work. It's the equivalent of the synthesised brass on all those Phil Collins/ Johnny Hates jazz etc. songs in the 80s, or that "crunchy guitar/synth" sound on Prodigy-type dance records in the 90s. Just a symptom of the age.

(Interestingly, talking of lasting 20 years - next year marks the 20th anniversary of Take That's debut... Expect the retrospective box set in time for this Christmas!)

There's a picture of Miranda Cooper from Xenomania in last months Red magazine, on the page before some birds intelligent looking women from Mumsnet .

Not seen that. Would I? (Miranda, I mean, not you lot.)

Another vote for GA here.

And I am developing a major girl crush on Lady Gaga.

Does nobody else have anything to say about Sarah H's school report?

would you?

Not bad. Maybe a one-pinter.

I know this is a zombie thread!

But just want to shout out to Spokette
that I am currently, 14 years later, on my way to see them. That longevity has got to stand for something.

(Raises a glass to Sarah)