BANANARAMA

Media 2005

Interview transcripts archived on Lee Jackson’s BananaramaUK site

Telegraph Online

Mamba Online

Instinct

Teen Today

NME

Now

QX

Web Wise

The Sun

Attitude

Rainbow Network

Guardian

Daily Record

CD:UK

myvillage

Word

Audio Interview

BBC

Celebs, The Mirror

Praise be - 80's icons Bananarama are back. They talk about when Robert De Niro really was waiting, their special Wham! connection and mostly being drunk!

Bananarama are the original girl group. They've written 28 hit singles (and counting) and were strutting their legwarmer-clad stuff before the Spice Girls could even gurgle 'Girl Power'. In fact, they're the stuff of legend. Which is perhaps why, when we meet them, they seem so scary.

If we didn't know better, we'd say they were pissed off about the whole meeting-journalists-and-doing-photo-shots-to-promote-their-new-album lark. Thankfully, it seems we really didn't know better. Because once we crack open the Sauvignon Blanc and the Marlboro Lights at the end of the day, a whole new Bananarama emerges...

"We just hate photo shoots, always have done," admits Keren Woodward.

Their dislike of photo shoots is in part beacuse, back in the day, the girls (along with fellow original member Siobhan Fahey) never had stylists or make-up artists. Pop was different in the 80s. "We always dressed ourselves - as you could tell - and when we did get stylists we'd be like , "I'm not wearing that"," says Sara Dallin.

"We dressed like blokes. But I think that's cool beacuse we made it without being sexy. These days, if you're not slim and attractive, you're not going to make it" says Keren.

"And now people get schooled on what to say in interviews. What's that all about?" Sara laughs. "Mind you, if you'd seen our early interviews, perhaps we should've been. They were appauling. I hid behind my hair and we had these hideous, fake Cockney accents. It was all like, "bovvered"."

Indeed, Bananarama were famous before the nation became obsessed with celebrity.

"We love writing songs, we're not in it for the fame," says Sara. Keren agrees, "Why would I want to stand on a red carpet, when I can watch a film at my local cinema, the Wadebridge Regal?". In fact, Keren has spent the past 12 years going to the Wadebridge Regal, as well as supping real ale, playing golf, wal,king the dogs and watching cows give birth on the farm she lives on in Cornwall with her boyfriend - fellow 80s legend, Andrew Ridgeley of Wham!. Her son Tom (whose father is model David Scott Evans) is 18 and has flown the nest to university.

"I woke up one day and I'd had enough of London. I felt like I was going mad. We'd been working full-on every day for the last 10 years" says Keren. "I love it. You can lie in the bath and look at sheep in the fields. We've got two dogs and three cats, and I want a pig next."

And despite remaining in north London with her 13-year-old daughter Alice, Sara who's been best mates with Keren since the pair were four, is a regular visitor. Especially now Keren has introduced her to her new fella, a South African, Cornwall-based restauranteur who, it seems, shall remain nameless. So now both members of Bananarama are happily loved up.

Keren and Andrew have been shacked up for 15 years after first meeting through George Michael in the mid-80s. "I remember doing a blind date for No 1 magazine and I was like, "I bet it's the one of Spandau Ballet" but they said it was Wham! so I thought, "Oh Good, it must be Andrew" because he was the good lookingone. But it was George! I'm like "Oh for God's sake!" And we both look really fat in the pictures."

Despite initially dating the wrong band member, Keren and Andrew did get it together and their move to the country saw him retreat from life i the media glare. So what the heck does he do these days? After all, the royalities from Careless Whisper - which he co-wrote - mean he never has to work again.

"He likes to go walking and he likes to drink beer. Mostly the beer actually" says Keren. "And he goes surfing, and plays golf. He's got a tip-top life."

So has Bananarama's return to pop made Andrew think about stuffing that shuttlecock back down his shorts for a Wham! revival?

"God no, he's never tempted by that. He does get asked to do every reality TV show going though, and the only one he's been tempted by is Strictly Come Dancing because he loves it. But he said, "I can't, I've spent all this time being anonymous and I can't throw myself back in there."

Indeed, Andrew is so anonymous, most of us don't have the foggiest what he looks like these days.

"Oh, he's grey and bald. He looks like Osama Bin Laden - that's his nickname at the golf course," laughs Keren.

Their cornish mates are protective of their famous neighbours' privacy. "I was so panicked they'd think, "OH here come the celebs", and would alienate us." says Keren, who, with the exception of a Hello! shoot many moons ago, has never been photographed with Andrew. "But the press only get on to us when George does stuff. When he got caught in the toilets, they came down and hounded us. But the locals threw them out of the pub."

Keren and Sara (and Andrew, of course) are still great mates with George, who flies down from London to visit in his helicopter and lands on the farm. He also lives two minutes away from Sara in north London.

"He gave us the code to get into his house, so we'll be in the pub, a bit drunk, and we think, "Oh let's go and see George!" And he's there in his pyjamas going, "Oh no, not you again"," Sara laughs.

As we crack open another bottle of vino there's no doubt - refreshingly - Bananarama love a good drink. And even more refreshingly, despite their penchant for a tipple and a fag, they look bloody fantastic. Both 44, they are slimmer and prettier than ever.

"I do bugger all to stay healthy. I have fish and chips once a week, I love a Sunday roast and I go to the pub every night," admits Kere. "Bit I just don't put on weight."

Sara admits being a touch more virtous. At times. "I do go to the gym, and I am aware of how I look. I don't sit there eating doughnuts all day. Mind you, I do binge drink."

The Bananas still look so great, men of a certain age go all a-quiver in their presence. "The kids at Tom's school took the piss out of him because the teachers were saying, "Oh God, his mum's in Bananarama!" I'd go to parents' evenings and they'd say, "Come and meet Mr So-and-So. He fancied you, he had your poster on his wall." I look back of the pictures of us in the 80s and think, "How could you think I was attractive? I'm in dungarees and monkey boots," Keren laughs.

But what do they make of the current crop of girls bands? "I'm happy when I see other girls make it," says Sara. "I really like the Sugababes. They're like us - they write their own songs, two of them are mates from school, and they've got the attitude."

But the strongest praise is reserved for fellow party girl Charlotte Church. "We love Char! We saw her at Party in the Park last summer. One minute she was doing her vocal exercises, the next she's all over the place with a beer and a fag. We thought "goog girl". She's just like we were".

Of course things have changed and these days, being both mums and pop starts, their lives are more about extremes.

"I like those extremes. I remember once I went for a holiday to Necker Island with George Michael on a private jet. The next week I was pushing a pram down Holloway Road in the rain" saya Sara.

So what has been the Bananas' most memorable experience?

"Meeting Robert De Niro was funny. We were sat in our council flat watching Brookside and the payphone rang (we didn't want to have arguments about the bill). My boyfriend answered it and said "Robert De Niro's on the phone! Quick!". We made Siobhan go because she was the oldest and most articulate. He said, "It's Bob De Niro, do you want to come for a drink?"" explains Sara. "He turned up late to Kettners in Soho adn knocked on the window wearing his bobble hat. We were like "Who's that? S**t, it's Robert De Niro". So what did he make of their song? "I have no idea. I was too drunk," says Keren.

And that wasn't their only surreal experience. "Band Aid was a bit of an embarrassment. We knew Bob Geldof and he asked us to come down, but we had no idea what was going on. My mum always points out I'm the only ones drinking coffee and smoking fags," says Keren. And Sara wasn't much better. "I had a hangovers and looked shocking in ripped jeans. We didn't know there'd be a film crew, or that all these people would be there."

Keren and Sara have had some rock 'n' roll mements. "We've flown from LA to New York for a Def Leppard party then flown straight to Germany to do a show, then to LA to do a video. We still had beer in our hair," laughs Keren. "And Siobhan was strip-searched at the airport!" Sara adds.

Siobhan left the band in 1988, and they fell out for seven years. "It was actually quite awful. She married Dave (Stewart of The Eurythmics), moved to LA, and left her past behind. We didn't talk for a long time. But she's come back to the fold. When you've known someone for so long, you never lose that friendship." Far closer though, is the bond between Sara and Keren. Incredible, they've never had a row.

"It's like a marriage, not even boyfirends come as close as us," says Sara. "We'll never fall out," Keren agrees. "I stay with Sara when I'm in London and we're like teenagers. We got out, get drunk, come home at 4am, crash in her bed and phone stupid people. We've never grown out of it." And let's hope they never do. Long live Bananarama.

New Magazine

‘We feel better in our forties’

Bananarama tell new! how they stay in such great shape, and what it’s like having a new crack at fame…

While Girls Aloud were still in nappies, 80s girl group Bananarama were having hits around the world. Siobhan Fahey along with childhood friends Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin, brought us such perfect pop hits as I Heard A Rumour, Venus and Cruel Summer, which helped them break the notoriously difficult US market.

Bananarama helped pave the way for the Spice Girls, but unlike the Spices, the Nanas are still around after 23 years in the music business.

There have been changes, though. When Siobhan left in 1989, another singer Jacquie O’Sullivan was briefly drafted in. But Sara and Keren, who lives with former Wham! member Andrew Ridgeley, 42, decided they were better off as a duo and, after a hiatus, returned to the charts in 1993. They were back again in August this year with the single Move In My Direction, which reached No 14 in the charts, and now they have a new album, Drama.

When new! meets the pair, they look slim, fresh-faced and fabulous - no mean feat for two fortysomethings who have never been under the knife. (“We are just way too scared!”) But, as Keren and Sara reveal while we chat, there is a lot to be said for the benefits of ageing.

Keren, 44, who has a 19-year old son, Tom, from a previous relationship and lives in Cornwall with Andrew, tells us, “I feel and look much better than I ever did when I was in my twenties.”

And Sara, 45, who lives in North London with her daughter Alice, 13, from her relationship with dancer Bassey Walker, which ended in 2000, agrees, “You feel a lot more sorted and comfortable about things and that shows.” Here we chat with the girls about being back in the limelight and, of course, their secrets to looking so damn good!

How do you keep in shape?
Sara: I like going to the gym, I go about three times a week. I’ve always been very athletic, although I started my regular gym visits in earnest once I had a child because I put on so much weight. I was 11st when I was pregnant, but went back to 9st quite quickly thanks to exercise. I’m a dress size 10, which I’m happy with.
Keren: I hate the gym. I would much rather be in the pub!
Sara: But I think if you’re active and walk every day, that’s fine.

What about your diet?
S: I eat quite healthily. For example, today I had porridge for breakfast and I’ve had a salad for lunch. I did a detox ages ago and lasted five weeks.
K: I managed two weeks! I don’t really put on weight, as sickening as that sounds. I’m lucky I’ve never had a problem with my weight. I’m a size 8 and am happy like that. If I want to eat a chocolate bar, I’ll have one, but these days I can’t get away with eating the king size bars.
S: I don’t eat a lot of bread and pasta. It makes me feel bloated.

Do you feel good in your forties?
K: I certainly feel a lot more attractive than I ever did when I was in my twenties, even with the addition of wrinkles and crow’s feet! You become more confident and comfortable in your own skin.
S: Our twenties were difficult.
K: We all had our share of complete breakdowns back then. I feel much more comfortable in myself now.

Is sex better?
S: I’ve always been good at sex!

Which celebs are you pals with from the early days?
K: George Michael is our good friend. (Both start cackling.) We let ourselves into his house in Highgate, and he’s like, “Oh, God, not you two again!” We don’t see him as much as we used to, but we still have a giggle together. He comes to see Andrew and I in Cornwall sometimes.

Who else is still a friend?
K: Boy George is a friend, although in the old days he loved slagging us off.

What did you think of the stories about police finding cocaine in Boy George’s flat?
K: What, recently?
S: I didn’t know about that.
K: He’s been there and done all that. I thought that was part of his past.

And what do you make of the Kate Moss cocaine scandal?
K: Quite rightly the press have given her a hard time. We can understand that - we’re mothers too. As a mum, she should have grown out of that lifestyle now.

What about today’s pop stars?
K: I think it must be horrible to always have to look that good.

Do you remember your first time on Top Of The Pops?
S: Yes. We were with Fun Boy Three, wearing hideous grey sweatshirts and ra-ra shirts and tracksuit bottoms. We Didn’t know which camera to look at.
K: No one would go on now and be as shambolic as we were. But I think that was part of our appeal.

Which girl group do you like most at the moment?
K: I like the Sugababes. I think they are more similar to us than other bands, as they have known each other since school. I like their music and can imagine they are the kind of girls who say what they think.
S: We bumped into Girls Aloud on a plane - I thought they were really sweet and they work really hard. They seem to work extra hard in this country.

Have you met the Spice Girls?
S: Mel B, who I love, and Emma Bunton, who is really sweet.
K: I met Posh at a Manchester United match years ago. She asked me for a light.

Keren, how did you meet your partner, Andrew Ridgeley?
K: Through George. We used to out with George and have dinner with him and he introduced us. Andrew and I properly got together in 1990 when Wham! had finished.

What is Andrew up to these days, then?
K: Nothing exciting. Playing golf, surfing, drinking beer.

Sara, what’s all this about you snogging Paul Gascoigne?
S: We met at a charity match in Marbella and we were just sitting together. That was it. There was no kissing.

Are you single?
S: No, but I don’t want to say any more about him.
K: He’s a lovely, gorgeous guy. It’s all very new.

Do you still keep in touch with Siobhan Fahey?
K: I haven’t spoken to her for a few months.
S: She went in a completely different direction to us when she left.
K: We’ve changed as people since she left the group in 1989. It was a long time ago.

What are your hopes for the new album?
K: We hope this album does well, but we have no expectations. We enjoy performing for our fans.
S: It’s much easier for us abroad. We’ve had massive interest in the States, but you always want success in your own country.

How do your children react to you being back in the limelight?
S: Alice is really excited by it. Because obviously she wasn’t here first time around so I took her to Top Of The Pops with a friend.
K: I thought Tom might be embarrassed. But he did some filming for us at G-A-Y and I think he quite enjoyed it.

Evening Times

For any pop kids who grew up in the 80s, the sound of Bananarama was the sound of summer.
They encapsulated the day-glo, big hair, highlights and ra-ra skirted era with songs like Shy Boy, Fun Boy Three collaborations Really Saying Something and It Ain’t What You Do It’s The Way That You Do It, Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye), Cruel Summer, Robert De Niro’s Waiting, Nathan Jones, Love In The First Degree and their Stock Aitken Waterman-masterminded cover of the 1970 Shocking Blue hit, Venus.

So it’s a jolt to the system when you realise that they are now celebrating their silver anniversary as a pop group – that’s 25 years in the business – with the release of the new single, Move In My Direction.

The two remaining members of the trio – Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward; Siobhan is still missing in action in pursuit of her solo career – are ready to celebrate one of the most enduring friendships in pop.

The pair, who met as children growing up in Bristol, went on to form the most successful British female group in history. Keren and Sara say their friendship has seen Bananarama through the acrimonious split with Siobhan, and their subsequent decision to continue as a duo when her replacement, Jacquie O’Sullivan, quit in 1991.

The fans grew up and the hits gradually dried up and they found themselves dropped soon after by their label.

In the ensuing 12 years they failed to get another record deal in the UK but as a duo have continued to enjoy success in Europe.

In 1998, they got together again with Siobhan, who they’re now good friends with, for a one-off performance of Abba’s Waterloo for Channel 4’s Eurotrash. She later joined them for a 20th anniversary gig in London.

“We spent a long time not speaking to Siobhan,” said Keren.

“After she married Dave (Stewart from the Eurythmics), it wasn’t exactly acrimonious but it wasn’t particularly friendly either. When we saw her again, it was fantastic because it was really like we’d never been apart. But we’ve gone very different routes. It could never really be a permanent return.

On top of keeping Bananarama alive on foreign shores, Keren and Sara have used the lull in their careers to spend more time with their families. Sara lives in London with former Bananarama dancer Bassey Walker and their 13-year old daughter Alice, and Keren lives in Cornwall with former Wham! Star Andrew Ridgeley an d her 18-year old son Tom, from her relationship with model David Scott-Evans.

They laugh that parent’s night at school can be awkward when the teachers who were fans of the group in their 80s hey day get tongue-tied and star-struck.

But it’s good to know they still have that irresistible pop pulling-power.

And their new single, a slice of electro-pop, has begun to win them a new generation of fans, and although both Keren and Sara have edged into their 40s, they are still doing dance routines, surrounded by the obligatory plethora of hunks.

“The routines aren’t quite as energetic now,” said Sara. “But all the old ones we still do,” added Keren.

”We’ve dropped a couple of bits throughout the years but that’s more to do with being lazy. We still go wrong as well, and we still think, oh well, doesn’t matter,” she laughs.

ITV

Bananarama: We Rocked!

Eighties super group Bananarama have rubbished their pop credentials saying: "We were the original rock chicks".
Sarah Dallin and Keren Woodward are back with a new single. And while they will be hoping to give younger female groups a run for their money, they admit Charlotte Church is one songstress who doesn't need any advice.
Sarah said: "Our friends back in the day were The Cure and more recently, the Prodigy. Because we started our own group and wrote our own material."
Keren said: "I don't think we ever felt we were a girl group as such. If you were to say which girl out there reminded us of who we were, we would say Charlotte Church.
"She's very confident for her age - much more confident than we were. I like her."

Blueyonder

When the Spice Girls were just a twinkle in the eye, and none of members of Girls Aloud had even been conceived, another girl band dominated the UK charts. Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward and Siobhan Fahey were Bananarama. They ruled the airwaves and sold millions of records.

They were three young women, who knew their own minds, did their own hair and make-up, and wore their own clothes. Badly. But we loved them nonetheless. Girls wanted to be them and the boys wanted to bed them. We've all sung along to their songs with a hair brush in front of the mirror. No? Just me then. Cruel Summer, Venus, Robert De Niro's Waiting are all pop classics, amongst their impressive catalogue of hits.

But then they disappeared. So what happened? Siobhan married Dave Stewart and left the band, the 90s came and pop was out and brit-pop was in, babies followed, and they struggled to get a record deal in the UK. Now, Sara and Keren have been given a new lease of life with the release of their first single in a number of years. Move In My Direction is a slice of electro-pop which can more than hold its own in the charts, and is the debut track from their forthcoming album.

blueyonder caught up with Keren (Sara was ill) and talked about their return to the business, why you'd never catch her topless, and why she's a fan of Charlotte Church.

So why have you decided to come back now?
Well, we took a break from it all and then we wanted to return we couldn't. No-one would give us a record deal. We couldn't get an album out here. The 90s came and it all got a bit northern and baggy. Pop wasn't cool. Even when we weren't in the public eye we still did some work -- we wrote some tracks for Steps. Sara wrote a track and I thought `you can't give that away' lets do it ourselves. One thing led to another and it was a case of right place, right time.

What have you noticed has changed the most about the industry?
The recording process has changed massively and the whole downloading ringtones thing is bizarre. Also the fact that people like Rachel Stevens or Girls Aloud don't put out any records outside of the UK is amazing. We would never have dreamed of putting out a song that was only for one country.

So have you just got back into the swing of things then?
Well yeah, really. It's a lot easier now. Everyone's been really welcoming and the response to the single has been good. I don't get even get that nervous. There's only been the odd time when we've performed in front of screaming teenage girls and thought `they don't know who I am'. It's funny because Sara's daughter Alice has been travelling with us recently and she was quite small when the Spice Girls were out - she keeps saying `mum were you really as famous as them' she can't believe it.

Were you ever tempted to do those recent 80s comeback tours?
We got a lot of phone calls but we said no. It's great for making money and great fun but it is kinda saying that's it. We have new material and so it didn't seem the right way to move forward.

What do you think of the girls band that proceeded you?
Well the Spice Girls were international - they were put together and more or less a money making machine. The Sugababes were friends before they were a band and I can relate to that. It seems that these days everyone is media trained -- we were never like that. We said what we liked, didn't have a stylist and did our own thing. I really like Charlotte Church -- I think she's great. She was on a road show we were doing and I heard her warming up her voice. She sounded amazing. I saw her a bit later on and she had a beer and a fag and I thought -- good girl.

Did you ever play the media game?
Of course we did! I wouldn't do that now. I would be the last person to phone up a photographer and say `I'm on the beach and I'm going to be topless today, bending over do you want a photograph of me'.

Are you still in touch with Siobhan?
At the time, I would be lying if I said there wasn't animosity between us. Sara and I had been friends since we were four and I think she found that hard to deal with. We didn't feel like we were excluding her in any shape or form but she obviously felt that way. I felt we parted because of musical differences -- we were comfortable with that fabulous Stock, Aitken and Waterman pop stuff and she didn't. She wanted to be cool. We were never ashamed to be pop.

And what about your contemporaries of the time?
I'm still in touch with Pet Shop Boys and George Michael. Obviously, because of my husband Andrew (Ridgely of Wham!).

Would he ever come back?
NO. Absolutely not. He's happy living the life of riley with no ambition to return.

What can we expect from the album?
It's melodic pop which ranges from trance, electro and dance. It's a mixed bag really. I think you'll like it.

Sharon Fried-Jones

Sky

It's nearly a quarter of a century since they first hit the charts, but those fun-loving girls Bananarama are back yet again with another new single - surefire hit Move In My Direction. And Sky Showbiz managed to grab the ever-lovely Keren Woodward for a good old chinwag...

Sky Showbiz: First and foremost, tell us about the new single...
Keren Woodward: Move In My Direction is a good, proper dance track. Very high N-R-G, very electro, very Bananarama... it's a great fun record and perfect for the dancefloor and Sara and I are both delighted with it.

SS: You've been phenomenally successful with record sales of 40m. Do you think you get the credit you deserve?
KW: I don't know, I mean, I think people like us and like what we do. Obviously, people will remember our most successful period back in the mid to late 80s. Then we were making pure, unadulterated pop music. We were with Stock, Aitken and Waterman and having a great time doing what we were doing.

SS: Many people don't realise you had punk connections when you first started out. Is it also true the late John Peel discovered you?
KW: We brought out a song in Swahili (laughs) that got to number 93. John Peel played it and Terry Hall out of The Specials liked it and contacted us after he saw our picture in a magazine called The Face. That's when we got to work with Fun Boy Three and things took off. We had been knocking about with Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook and he was a great help. We lived in a old flat they hung out in before. Crazy days but we loved it.

SS: So what can we expect from your long-awaited album?
KW: It's great because it really does have a bit of everything. We have always had complete control in what we do, going back to the early 80s, and that hasn't changed. we're with an independent label called A&G and they are great because they leave us to it - we also had a great team around us. There are dance tracks, slower numbers, rockier stuff... it's a good mix.

SS: When will the album be out?
KW: Later this year, probably September. We actually still have some work to do on it, but it is virtually finished. It's just finding the time but as I said, we are very very happy with what we have produced.

SS: Your long-term boyfriend is Andrew Ridgeley out of 80s band Wham! We hear you've both opted for the quiet life.
KW: Well, yes we have lived in Cornwall for a long time now. It's lovely and quiet, we're right by the sea and have a fantastic quality of life. My son is down there and very happy too. We are truly blessed with our lives.

SS: It's been 20 years since Andrew and George Michael broke up Wham! Has he done much since?
KW: (Laughs) Well, he goes surfing a lot... he does his thing and is perfectly happy. I don't think he has worked much, no. We're all happy, as I said, we are blessed to be able to live in such a great place and do things at our own pace.

SS: Would you ever go down the reality show route?
KW: Hahahaha. Not me, no. Not my kind of thing. With all due respect, going on something like Reborn In The USA would not be good for us. That is for people only looking back and we are always looking to the future.

SS: Any unusual requests?
KW: It's funny actually but Andrew gets offered stuff like that all the time. Seriously he gets letters for I'm A Celeb and that kind of thing. Some of the money he is offered is unbelieveable. Totally outrageous in fact. But it's not our kind of thing. Andrew was offered some celebrity makeover show where they'll let you have plastic surgery... there was a form with the options so Andrew ticked every box for a laugh and sent it back.

SS: If you could be 21 again, would you like to be starting out in the music industry now?
KW: Oh no. It is very cut throat these days and artists don't have as much of a say. Seriously, from day one we have done things on our terms. Sara (Dallin) and I have been best pals for years and we have always been the same. But now, acts are dispensable, the industry has toughened up and record companies just want to make as much money as quickly as possible. It's hard, especially if you are a new act.

SS: What music is catching your ear at the moment?
KW: I love Goldfrapp. I think Alison Goldfrapp is amazing, truly amazing. Give me some Killers and Foo Fighters too... oh yes!

SS: When are you going to be back on the road?
KW: Dunno, but we would love to. We still really get a kick out of playing live gigs. We sometimes play G-A-Y and that place is wild. My son is 18 and he came along one night to film us and he was in total shock at how mad that place is - 3,000 people going crazy. He was totally taken aback. He said: "It's like a proper rock gig!"

SS: Finally a Wham! question; does Andrew see much of George Michael these days?
KW: Actually, if anything, I see more of him. He has let me stay at his place while I have been in London. We had a few glasses of wine the other night and a great laugh. The biggest mistake he ever made was giving me the security code to his house... hahahaha!

Boyz

So are you excited to be back?
Keren: Yeah, we’re really chuffed to have the chance. We’ve waited a long time.

You’re looking very foxy: has there been a lot of gym work in preparation?
K: No, we’re not really big fitness freaks, it has to be said. It’s been a long time since we’ve been in the public eye, and it’s really great that we’re coming back again when we’re in our 40s! Got everything going for us!

You look great in the video.
Sara: Did you check out Jeff the cowboy? My God, he is absolutely gorgeous.

You’ve always had great boys in your videos.
K: We used to audition them ourselves. ’Can you just strip down to your pants and do a twirl...?‘

Was there ever any action with those boys?
S: There wasn’t, no.
K: You had a child with one!
S: Oh yeah, sorry! [both laughing]
K: Yeah, apart from the ten-year relationship and the baby!

You were famous for being party girls. Is that still the case?
K: I’m afraid so! We’ve just been saying we must be more disciplined and not go out when we’ve got something the next day, but…
S: You only live once. It doesn’t matter how old you get, it’s still, ’I don’t want to go home to bed and take my make-up off, I’m having fun!‘
K: It’s just not Bananarama!

Do you still see Siobhan [who quit the group to form Shakespear’s Sister]?
K: We saw her a month ago for a coffee. She said, ’Come round, I’m here all afternoon‘, and we got there ten minutes later and she said, ’Oh, I’ve just realised I’ve got to go somewhere, there’s a taxi outside.‘

Is she still on the Christmas card list?
S: Oh yeah, absolutely. I feel very protective towards her. If anyone slagged her off I would defend her.

How’s Andrew [Ridgley, Keren’s partner] these days?
K: He’s very well.

You’ve been together ages. Aren’t you bored of him yet?
K: I hardly see him, I’ve got no chance to get bored of him at the moment! He goes away quite a bit and I go away, we’ve never lived in each other’s pockets.

What about you Sara?
S: I’m seeing someone.

Someone we know?
S: No, not that exciting.
K: A lovely young man!

How young?
S: He’s younger than me. 30 years younger! [laughs]

Do you still knock about with George Michael?
S: Yeah, the last time we saw him we let ourselves into his house and he was in his pyjamas!
K: We’d had a few drinks and it was like, ’Come on, let’s go and see George, I know the security code!‘
S: He came to the door and was like…
K: ’Oh God, you again!‘

What pyjamas was he wearing?
S: Checked.
K: Bless him, he looks so sweet in his little pyjamas.
S: He has the most gorgeous house, and he’s very generous and lovely. He’s part of the family, really. Whenever I see him in a magazine I think [sighs], ’Oh what’s he up to now, what’s he gone and said?‘ [laughs]

I bet he has good parties.
K: He has great parties!
S: There’s always such a mixture of people.
K: And he always has the biggest buckets of caviar I’ve ever seen in my life! Sara and I always end up next to them, spoon-feeding ourselves with it!

Are him and Andrew still close?
K: Yeah, we stayed at George’s for a week a couple of months ago. It was like staying in a really glamorous hotel, I even had someone to do my washing!

Do you think George and Andrew ever did the business?
[Both laugh hysterically]
K: No! I can honestly say absolutely not, and I’m sure they would say the same thing. I think Andrew would have been the last person on his list, because it’s just too matey.
S: But George and I had an affair in St. Tropez, didn’t we? According to the News Of The World.
K: Apparently they were snogging and gyrating their hips together. Sara stripped off to virtually nothing as they sweated their way onto the dancefloor. It was hilarious, he wasn’t out at the time!

Are you ready to deal with all that paparazzi stuff again?
K: I am kind of dreading, if this single is a hit, all the paparazzi stuff. It’s quite scary. From now on I’ll be walking the dog in high heels, and it’ll be burkas on the beach!

Did they used to hang around your house?
K: Sometimes. When George had his toilet episode, we had them all down in Cornwall and we didn’t even know it had happened. Andrew opened the door and they started snapping and saying, ’So what do you think?‘ and Andrew said, ’I’ve no idea what you’re on about!‘

So do you still see the French & Saunders girls?
S: We used to see them.
K: I would really like to have a little night out with them soon.
S: We first met them on The Tube [80s TV music show] during the miners’ strike and we were asked to make a comment and we didn’t know what to say and Dawn said, ’Why don’t you say you can’t be in a band unless you’re thin and pretty?‘, and we thought, ’God, they hate us‘. And then they did that piss-take of us on the show.

And was it accurate?
K: I mean, obviously certain bits were exaggerated, but I thought they captured the essence of Bananarama perfectly! [laughs]

You’re famous for being lazy girls aren’t you?
S: Lazy? No!
K: I think Boy George perpetuated that myth didn’t he? We worked our arses off for years and years. I think when you were working the way we worked, we found it hard to be bubbly and overly friendly in certain situations. And then you get to the stage where it was like a French & Saunders sketch, and I think we had a reputation for being slightly awkward and miserable maybe.

Would you ever do a celebrity reality show?
K: I’d love to have done I’m A Celebrity… when Janet [Street-Porter] was on it. We quite often have dinner with Janet and the Pet Shop Boys. We just sit and bitch for hours, thinking it’s not going to go any further, but I’m sure they’re straight round to Elton’s house!

So are there any artists you’d like to record with?
S: Snoop Dogg! [both laugh]
K: I would love to see that, can you imagine?

You two in pants and fur coats.
K: Yeah. Maybe not pants though.

Have you ever done pants?
K: No. I’d like to be able to do pants.

Pants and support tights?
K: Yeah! It’s a shame. I could do pants, as long as they used a lot of Photoshop!

It's been a long and depressing trawl through the darkest of musical tunnels, with only the occasional flashes of hope (Rachel, Charlotte, Girls Aloud) for comfort. But there is a light at the end of that tunnel, and stood right in the centre of it are Keren and Sara, otherwise known as the greatest girl band of all time! Ladies and gentleman, Bananarama are back! It's been some years now since these ladies last graced the charts, but that's all about to change [crosses fingers, toes, legs and everything else] with this glorious new single. For over 20 years, the girls' name has been associated with bright, sophisticated and authentically brilliant pop, and here they continue that tradition. This full-on, dance-pop extravaganza comes complete with a whole heap of tasty remixes and an exclusive Marc Almond update of the classic Venus. The girls couldn't have returned with a better package for fans, both old and new. Now they've done their bit, it's time to do yours, so prise open those purses and make this the huge hit it so deserves to be.

Sunday Mail

They can boast a string of massive hits, sang on the original Band Aid and even made the Guinness Book of Records - but Bananarama never managed a UK No.1. Now Keren Woodward and Sarah Dallin - who look better than ever - hope that will change with new single Move In My Direction.

Keren, 44, said: 'Record sales are so poor now. When I look back at all the discs we have from the 80s it's frightening to see what we sold. Every time we put out a single it would go silver - which is 250,000 records sold. These days you can sell 20,000 and get a No.1. If all our old fans go out and buy a copy we'll definitely get to No.1 we could even have the biggest-selling record of the year.' The new single will be seen as a comeback for the band but Keren insists they have never been away.

She said: 'We've never stopped. We haven't had a release in the UK because we couldn't get one - majors just don't want to take a chance on anything now. In the 90s it all became very rock but it seems the timing may be right now. It's certainly the best chance we've had in years, it's fantastic. It's all very exciting We'd like to do it properly, get out on tour with a band because we had so much fun doing it in the past. And of course we'd play all the old hits - we're very proud of them.’

Keren is still happily living with long-term boyfriend, ex-Wham star Andrew Ridgely. And while her musical future is well planned, she's less clear on her personal future.

'Wedding plans? No. After this long together you think, What's the point? It's fine as it is so we don't see any reason to change it - it's just like we're married anyway. But I wouldn't take him on tour with me. Who would walk the dogs and feed the cats?'

Top of the Pops

TOTP: [fumbles with microphone] OK ladies, are you ready to test your own knowledge from these true or false questions?
Keren: Hang on, I'm just being jooshed [turns to hairdresser for final squirt of lacquer]. OK, perfect. I'm ready.
TOTP: Sarah? You set to head back down memory lane.
Sarah: Fire away!

TOTP: I heard a rumour... that Bananarama were the only band to appear on Band Aid and Band Aid II. True or false?
Both: True!
TOTP: Were you upset not to have been asked to contribute to Band Aid 20?
Sarah: Well, it would have been a little strange to have been asked seeing as we've not had a record out in God knows how many years.
Keren: I read somewhere on the internet where people were saying "If it's not got Bananarama on it, it's not an official Band Aid record". We were very flattered about that.

TOTP: True or false. When Siobhan Fahey left the band in 1988, she was briefly replaced with T'Pau singer Carol Decker.
Both: [Laughs] False
Keren: She would have been good! We used to see her a lot back in the day and she certainly knew how to have fun, which is one of the best criteria to be in Bananarama.

TOTP: Keren once told a magazine that she insisted on a separate recording booth after Sarah repeatedly burped cheese and onion crisps in the studio
Sarah: False! It was Siobhan!
Keren: It was Siobhan and it was beef and onion crisps!
TOTP: You can remember that?
Sarah: How could we forget? The smell! No, I want to make it clear. It was Siobhan and she was burping beef and onion.

TOTP: Next. I heard a rumour that work on 1992's 'Please Yourself' album was halted after a heavily pregnant Sarah became too large to sing.
Sarah: False!
TOTP: [Checking notes which say 'true'] Um, er, are you sure?
Keren: That's rubbish. Where did you get that? Did I say that?
Sarah: Darling, I was probably too lazy to sing, but certainly not too pregnant. I just couldn't be bothered.

TOTP: I heard a rumour... that Keren has been in a long term relationship with Wham's Andrew Ridgeley.
Sarah: False! It was George Michael!
Keren: [Laughs] No, that one's definitely true.

TOTP: True or false. Bananarama once made a video where they re-enacted famous scenes from the movie Sound of Music.
Both: True!
Keren: We did indeed, for a song called 'Cheers Then'.
Sarah: We went to Austria and visited the very places where the film was done. We even went to the gazebo and had a Ralph lookalike!
Keren: I am sixteen, going on seventeen [starts humming].
TOTP: What the eidelweiss inspired you to do that?
Keren: [Stops humming] I think we were wearing a lot of black at the time. We probably thought we looked like nuns!

TOTP: OK. True or false. The original lineup of Bananrama reunited in the late '90s to record a cover of Bucks Fizz's 'Making Your Mind Up'?
Sarah: False. Almost. We got together for the Eurotrash album and recorded... what was it?
Keren: 'Waterloo'
Sarah: That's right, Abba's 'Waterloo'

TOTP: Excellent! So, you've scored seven out of seven!

Keren: What do we win?

TOTP: Er, you win the chance to answer some more questions. OK, first up. How does it feel to be back?
Sarah: Great. I thought it was still up in Elstree. I wasn't looking forward to the drive.
Keren: Lovely to see Paul [Weller] here too. But we're a bit tired. We did G-A-Y last night and didn't leave till gone 4am
TOTP: So, if we were to play one of your old hits now, could you still remember the routine?
Sarah: Like clockwork, darling
TOTP: What about your fans?
Keren: Oh they know every move. [Turns to Sarah] we forgot to do 'Nathan Jones' last night.
Sarah: Oh, they love that one.
Keren: Yep, that's a favourite. Especially the bit that goes [holds arm outright with palm facing upwards and out. Bobs it up and down TOTP's face] "You've been gone too long"

TOTP: Could you ever NOT be pop stars?
Keren: Oh easily. I'm very good at doing nothing at all

TOTP: Can't you live off your royalties? Do you still get royalty cheques through?
Keren: Oh yes, we had one through the other day, didn't we?
Sarah: Dont' forget, we wrote a lot of songs.

TOTP: Does it frustrate you that people don't seem to realise that you write your own songs and have a huge input into them?
Keren: It's something that annoyed us back in the day, but after a while, you realise that the people who matter know the truth. You know, the people at the label, the fans etc.

TOTP: OK, so if there was one Bananarama record that you'd like to erase from history, what would it be?
Keren: Well it used to be 'Na Na Hey Hey' but we played it last night and it went down very well, so I'm not so sure now.
Sarah: Snoop Dogg covered it at Live 8
Keren: Did he?
Sarah: Perhaps we should get together with Snoop for a duet?

TOTP: And your favourite?
Sarah: For me, 'Robert De Niro's Waiting'
Keren: 'I Heard A Rumour' I love that one.

ICBerkshire

We're in pop paradise
Jun 9 2005
Xenia Poole takes us on a step-by-step tour of the pop-pickers paradise which was Summer XS.

The noise next door to the Madejski Stadium was pure pop this weekend as a line-up stronger than Samson's splenius muscle entertained the crowd of Summer XS - and Weekender was happily on hand to capture all the action.

It would take more than a little bit of drizzle to deter the 10,000 strong crowd of teenagers, parents, friends and family who turned out to scream, laugh and generally have a good time on Sunday. Some even remarked that they hadn't turned up to see anyone particular on the bill, but were just there for the atmosphere. And a good time it was. Even the lesser-known acts on the programme were appreciatively screamed at - and I'm not excluding the parents from this bold statement either (Dads - I need only say the words Rachel Stevens).

...

Pop paradise part 3: Bananarama
Newcomers seemed to fare just as well as those returning to the Reading stage, though, as Noise Next Door created quite a stir. The funkily-dressed triplets looked hyped up as they ran on to greet their adoring public and belted out Lock Up Ya Daughters while little girls looked on hopefully and their parents looked on unconcerned.

One group of newcomers, in the kids' eyes anyway, were in fact pros on the festival circuit already and certainly got a roar of appreciation from the older people in the crowd.

John Madejski remarked, puzzled, on seeing them, "Where's the third one?" but in fact even though there are only two members of Bananarama left, the girls are still doing it for the world of pop. "We're so happy to be back," remarks Keren Woodward, gazing out onto the eagerly awaiting crowd while waiting backstage. "We've never stopped writing and recording, but for some reason we've been doing more shows abroad than here."

With a new single, Move in My Direction, out towards the end of July and a planned album to follow the girls are planning on a lot of promotional work in the coming months. "People will always want to hear our back catalogue - it's the reason they come to the shows, but we're really happy with our new single and have already had an appearance on Top of the Pops!" says Sara Dallin. "It's nice to be here with a completely new audience," agrees Keren. "There are going to be so few people here who remember us from first time around. And we're not sure about who's playing either!" "Yes," laughs Sara. "The only one we know probably is McFly and that's just because of my daughter!"

ICTeeside

That’s What Gets Results
Jun 28 2005

By Gordon Barr, The Evening Chronicle

It ain't what they do, it's the way that they do it! And Bananarama proved they still have the Wow! factor after more than 20 years in the music business with a special show in Newcastle. Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward stunned fans at Tiger Tiger in the latest Exclusive and Intimate series of gigs by Tyneside radio station Century FM. Such was the demand to see the "Nans", extra security had to be brought in at the bar. The show was to promote their forthcoming single, Move In My Direction, and was the duo's first outing on the comeback trail.

"It feels like we're starting all over again," says Dallin as we chat in the Loft area of Tiger Tiger minutes before the show.

"It's exciting, though perhaps we're a little nervous too. But you know Bananarama, we just get up there and do it. What you see is what you get."

The new single has echoes of Bananarama of old, and is already No 1 in the club charts a month before its official release. "We felt the time was right to do this," adds Woodward. "It would not have worked in the late 90s for us, with the whole Britpop thing.

"The scene is ripe for us now, so we're just going to go for it."

The pair, who along with Siobhan Fahey (she left in 1987), were Britain's most successful girl group until the advent of the Spice Girls, hardly look a day older than when they were constantly hitting the upper regions of the charts. And they are personable too - in opposition to their diva reputations. "I think people thought we were moody simply because we stood up for ourselves," says Dallin.

"We had very strong opinions on what we were doing and we didn't want to be moulded by other people. I think that came across too."

The duo have high hopes the single and resulting album will do well both here and abroad. "Even though we haven't had a hit here for years, we had two successful albums abroad," says Woodward. "We've not been doing nothing."

In their heyday they had a string of hits, including Shy Boy, Really Saying Something, I Want You Back, Venus, I Heard A Rumour, Cruel Summer, Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) and Love In The First Degree, as well as top-selling albums like Deep Sea Skiving and Wow!.

As the girls prepared to take to the stage, fans of all ages poured into the bar. It was a camp, clubby, classic show from the off. They performed five songs, two new and three old, starting with I Heard A Rumour, with the audience joining in the dance moves. Robert De Niro's Waiting sounded as fresh as in 1984, while Venus was the undoubted highlight.

The girls appeared to relish being back on the stage again. Missing, though, was Love In The First Degree. "That's always our gay fans' favourite," says Woodward. "But we have left it out tonight as we haven't re-mastered the moves! How lazy are we!?"

And will they be coming back to Newcastle? "We'd love to tour if it all goes well. So, hopefully, yes," says Dallin. "We haven't toured since 1989 - a definite highlight of our career, as was John Peel championing It Ain't What You Do. Though I doubt he ever played a Bananarama record again!"

ICWales

Bananarama Head In Your Direction
11 July 2005

As Bananarama mark 25 years as a pop group and release a brand new single, Move In My Direction, its two remaining members - Sarah Dallin and Keren Woodward - celebrate one of the most enduring relationships in pop.

The pair, who met as children growing up in Bristol, went on to form the most successful British female group in pop history with university pal Siobhan Fahey.

While both Siobhan and her replacement Jacquie O'Sullivan have fallen by the wayside over the years, Keren and Sarah's friendship has seen Bananarama through.

"We're similar where it matters," says Keren. "And we're not similar in other ways. But we complement each other. Where it's important we're exactly the same, we've got exactly the same sense of humour."

"Imagine going through life without a best friend," adds Sarah. "I think it was hard for Siobhan because, although we never meant to exclude her, we are what we are - best friends since kids. What can you do?

"The three of us were like sisters though, because we would finish each others sentences and we'd all make a face and we'd know what that face meant," she laughs. "Initially it wasn't so hard for Siobhan, but after a while it was."

Bananarama have been a duo since Jacquie left in 1991 and although Keren and Sarah say that the change of dynamic didn't affect the band internally, the public lost interest and they were dropped by their record label after mustering only a few minor hits.

In the ensuing 12 years they failed to get another deal in the UK but Bananarama's popularity has endured. They released a dance album in Europe in 1995; a follow-up, Exotica, was released in France in 2001, and they have continued to perform around the world.

In 1998, they got together again with Siobhan, who they're now good friends with again, for a one-off performance of Abba's Waterloo for Channel 4's Eurotrash. She later joined them for a 20th anniversary gig in London.

"We spent a long time not speaking to Siobhan," says Keren. "After she married Dave [Stewart, of the Eurythmics] it wasn't exactly acrimonious but it wasn't particularly friendly either.

; "When we saw her again it was fantastic because it was really like we'd never been apart. You've always got that friendship, and you've always got similarities there. But we've gone very different routes. It could never really be a permanent return."

On top of keeping Bananarama alive, Keren and Sarah have used the lull in their careers to spend more time with their families.

"We've been having a life, which is nice," says Keren. "The last couple of months as we've promoted this record I've only been getting down to where I live in Cornwall for a couple of days here and there.

"That's how it was for 12 years and it gets to the point where you realise you need a bit more outside of work. It's great working so much now, though, because we haven't done it for so long."

"I had a child in that time," adds Sarah. "I like spending time with her and watching her grow up rather than going on tour and not seeing her for three months.

"But we've been working all that time as well. And this new album has taken us a while to make, to find the right producers and songwriters."

Sarah lives in London with former Bananarama dancer Bassey Walker and their 13-year-old daughter Alice. Reports that she was dating Paul Gascoigne last year are untrue.

"Oh for God's sake," says Keren at mention of the story - she becomes very defensive of her friend. "Last year in Marbella we were at a do that a friend of mine invited us to. It was a charity event and there was loads of footballers there - Lee Sharpe, Bryan Robson - and they printed a picture of us all sat round a table of Sarah next to him, and that was it."

Sarah is very private about her personal life, preferring not to talk about her family. She does, however, voice concerns that her rejuvenated pop career will take her away from Alice.

"It is tricky actually," she says. "But I've taken her to a couple of roadshows and she's been fantastic. It's almost like Saffy and Eddie from Absolutely Fabulous - she tucks my labels in and checks I'm OK. She's really sweet."

Keren still lives in Cornwall with former Wham! star Andrew Ridgeley and her 18-year-old son Tom. Having had him during the band's heyday (he is the product of her relationship with model David Scott-Evans) she relates to Sarah's dilemma.

"It was kind of hard but I just had to do it," she says. "People do manage."

While much of the nation, at least those over a certain age, have a nostalgic love for Bananarama, the pair have failed to impress their own children with their pop legend past. Alice was more taken with the Spice Girls during their chart reign, while Tom wearily deals with having starstruck teachers.

"I get Tom coming home going, `Can you sign this for my maths teacher?'," says Keren. "Then you go to parents' evening and they just look down at the table going, `Yeah Tom's great, he's lovely'.

"You're mortified, and they're even more mortified because they know that I know they told Tom they had my picture on their wall when they were growing up."

Now they're back and hoping to seduce a whole new legion of admirers. They're already being welcomed back by the old fans with open arms. Move In My Direction, their sexy slice of Kylie-esque electro-pop, has been getting positive reactions and Keren and Sarah have been surprised at the response.

"We've done a couple of radio roadshows and we wondered if any of these kids would know who we are," says Keren. "But they've been amazing because when we strike up and do Venus they all know it. All the girls were joining in with the dance routine and singing full blast at us. I thought that was quite incredible."

Yes, although both Keren and Sarah have edged into their 40s (with ease by the looks of it - they both look amazing), they are still doing dance routines, surrounded by the obligatory plethora of hunks.

"The routines aren't quite as energetic now," admits Sarah.

"But all the old ones we still do," adds Keren. "We've dropped a couple of bits throughout the years, but that's more to do with being lazy. We still go wrong as well, and we still think, oh well, doesn't matter," she laughs.

"It's our show," says Sarah. "We can do what we like."

Name: Bananarama
Birthdates: Formed in 1980. Sarah Dallin was born on December 17, 1961; Keren Woodward was born on April 2, 1961
Significant others: Sarah lives with former Bananarama dancer Bassey Walker; Keren lives with former Wham! star Andrew Ridgeley
Career high: Named by the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful British female group in pop history
Career low: Never having got a No 1 in their native UK
Famous for: Half-arsed dance routines and bad 80s fashion
Words of wisdom: Sarah: "We didn't think we would get past one single, and we didn't really care."

Bananarama's new single Move In My Direction is out on Monday July 25.

Home