Pod Of The Pops (The Girlband Popcast)

Pod of the Pops: Geri Halliwell Leaves the Spice Girls

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Sunday, 31st May 1998. The Bangladeshi president had been assassinated, Manchester united had just won the world cup. John Prescott was celebrating his 60th birthday.  And Geri Halliwell officially announced she had left the Spice Girls.

Global front page headlines ensued. A whirlwind of media attention around their world tour. And some horrendous hair choices from Mel C. In this episode we relive and relove the Spice Girls break up. This is Pod of the Pops.

If you remember where you were when you found out, send us your story on our social medias. You can talk to us on Instagram, facebook, twitter @podofthepops – we’d love to hear your reaction to Geri Halliwell leaving the Spice Girls.

In the lead up to the announcement they had missed two shows in Norway, on their tour, and an appearance on the National Lottery.

This was MAJOR BBC news. Like, when they performed alone that made ALL headlines.

The BBC used the WORST image of Geri on their interview clip. She’s literally caught mid lyric gurning. Humiliating. The vultures started circling INSTANTLY.

This was all happening whilst they were on a 97 date world tour, which had started in february. So when Geri leaves the Spice Girls, they have to rechoreograph an entire production; and change up the vocals in 9 days.

Because Geri left 9 days before their sold out 40 date, North American leg of the tour. Rumours of people wanting refunds on tickets.

And their single, Viva Forever, featuring Geri was released in July – nearly 2 months later. Video had already been shot; not in it due to time pressures of tour.

Video took 5 months to make (considerably longer than SpiceWorld the movie). And went to number 1 in the UK.

In this episode we go on to talk about:

• Their scrapped live album and animated Disney movie.

Do you know which of these UK Girlbands had the most billboard charting albums in America?

Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, Little Mix, Sugababes.

We give you the answer in this episode.

Pod of the pops: Spice Girls - Meet the hosts

Picture the scene….

The day after they book their (crazy expensive) Spice Girls Reunion tour tickets. Aaron facetimes the girls. Its hard for him to talk because he is squealing with excitement.

Aaron: I want to do a podcast all about the Spice Girls.

Karen: What? I can’t understand him through the squealing

Lauren: I think he wants to do a podcast about the Spice Girls

Aaron: Yes BUUUUUT focus on their solo careers. Episode for each: Victoria Beckham (top vocalist), Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown and Melanie Chisholm.

Lauren: You mean AFTER we’ve done the big stuff, like, Wannabe and 2 Become 1 and the Spiceworld album and movie.

Aaron: Yeah, no, I want to focus solely on their solo careers. I want to be super detailed about Victoria Beckhams lost second album, about Geri Halliwells yoga DVDS and Melanie Browns many many talent show judging roles.

Lauren: He’s lost his mind

Karen: I can’t understand through the squealing

Aaron: Girls, I want you in it. Will you talk about the spice girls for 30+ hours with me?

*beat*

Girls: Sure.

So heres a chance to remember. So heres a POPcast that does justice for the forgotten pop gems of the last 20 years. So heres the story from A-Z  What do you think about that, now you know how I feel? This is Pod of the Pops.

I am comedian Aaron Twitchen – an English Rose between two Scottish thistles as I am joined, as ever, by my friends Karen and Lauren.

In light of the newly announced 2019 Spice Girls tour we are dissecting the solo careers of each individual spice trying to understand how we got to here.

I’ll tell you my reason. 2 things happened…….

The Geri Halliwell sign “This is like when Geri Halliwell overestimated her viability as a solo artist and left the spice girls”. And I was tagged in it by at least 10 people who, presumably, overestimated their ability to predict opinions and thought I would agree. (one of them was Lauren). I was triggered. Its like they forgot Geri was the first british solo artist to have no. 1 records. That was the front page of newspapers for years. Sold books, merchandise, tv shows and made millions. Millions. Kerry Katona overestimating her viability and freeing Atomic Kitten – Yes. Geri. No. I was triggered.

Then, I read an article that rated their earnings since the Spice Girls and managed to summarise their entire 18 year careers – That’s right, 18 years since the Hiatus – in one paragraph. Each. And that made me angry.

So that is why we are here. This Popcast will do justice to the solo careers of the Spice girls. 5 girls who changed the shape of pop culture forever. Proving they are more than just platform shoes and pigtails.

Its reminding us of all the things you didn’t know you forgot. Each episode we will be going indepth into their music, personal and business endeavours that led us to this current reunion, and hopefully explaining why we are now a Quad Spice vehicle again. By the end of it you should not only be entertained but thoroughly informed about everything Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Victoria Beckham and Geri Halliwell. You can stand at the concert in your catsuit knowing the significance of the Herstory that brought you here.

So….. you’re probably thinking, “Who Do You Think You Are”. In this episode we will introduce ourselves and talk about our first memories of the Spice Girls. Share your first memory of te Spice Girls with us on all our social medias @podofthepops on facebook, Instagram and twitter. Please remember to like and share the show with all your Spice fan friends and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.