It’s not going to be a “cruel summer” here in Chicago with the new release of Drama by Bananarama, which drops in the United States on May 16. WCT gave a call to jolly old England to speak with one of the duo, Keren Woodward, about love, truth and honesty.
Windy City Times: Let’s begin with the birth of
Bananarama, Keren.
How did everything get started and what you were doing
before
Bananarama?
Keren Woodward: Not a lot really. We were in school.
Sarah was at
college, studying journalism.
WCT: What were you studying?
KW: Well, I went to work at the BBC, thinking I would
get into
television. No sooner did I get there then we started
the group. I
was brought up playing classical piano, singing in
choirs. So I think
we were quite musical in our background. We lived in a
YWCA hostel
and got thrown out of there. Eventually, we lived over
the Sex
Pistols’ rehearsal room.
WCT: I read that! That is interesting.
KW: Yeah, that was how it kind of all started. We used
to mess around
doing backing vocals for a band there and were asked
to do a demo. It
all happened really quickly. The music scene had that
punk attitude
at the time. Anyone could just get up and have a go.
WCT: Did you think you would do a different style of
music than pop
music?
KW: Well, when we started it was quite edgy. I think
people think of
us with the Stock, Aitken and Waterman era, which was
slick pop.
After that we made more of a rock album with guitars.
We have always
experimented but stayed in the pop genre. That was one
of the reasons
that Siobhan left because she was not comfortable in
the pop world.
WCT: She went on to make the group Shakespeare’s
Sister and marry
Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics.
KW: I never felt any shame making pop music. It is
such fun. Growing
up, it’s pop music that gives you specific memories.
Whether you were
bored or dancing in a disco. Now I sing when I am in
the car and it
makes me happy.
WCT: So what is in your iPod right now? What are you
listening to?
KW: I’ve just done my new Nano. I have a selection of
seven hours of
music that Andrew did. I live with Andrew Ridgeley
from Wham!—I don’t
know if you knew that.
WCT: Really?
KW: The little pop combo that we are. We have lived
together for 15,
16 years.
WCT: But you don’t want to get married?
KW: No. We are quite happy as we are.
WCT: I hear a cat. Are you a cat person?
KW: I have three cats and three dogs. They are out in
my garden in
the country at the moment. I will totally bring my
Nano to the States
when I visit in a few weeks. We can have discos in the
hotel rooms!
WCT: You are coming to New York and L.A.
KW: I am very excited. I haven’t been to work in the
States in well
over 10 years.
WCT: We really want you to come to Chicago.
KW: I would love to come to Chicago. I remember the
last time I was
there, we were performing at a club and our tour
manager threw us
down the stairs—a rather strong bloke he was. There
was some kind of
knife fight.
WCT: Was it a gay bar?
KW: No, it wasn’t. [ It was ] unusual for us, because
that is
normally where we end up.
WCT: Well, you have a big gay following.
KW: I know, and I don’t really know how it started.
WCT: It started with all those shirtless hunks in the
videos, Keren.
KW: Hello. Well, we started dressing up the boys for
our own
amusement and realized we have a camp sort of taste.
Seeing that most
of our friends are gay males, it is hardly surprising.
We’re real old
fag hags.
WCT: Your videos have always had the hottest guys in
them, even the
new one. Are you going to ever release a video
collection?
KW: Well believe it or not, next year is our 25th
anniversary and
there is talk of doing some sort of hits package that
would have to
include a DVD. Although, some of the old videos are so
embarrassing.
It is a shame that we are not on tour. We have four
really hot
dancers working for us. They are gorgeous—absolutely
gorgeous—and
from all over the world.
WCT: You are such a tease, Keren! I heard a rumor that
you might open
for Madonna in Europe. Is that true?
KW: Sara [ Dallin ] sent me an e-mail about that one
yesterday. I
have to say that it is probably just a rumor. That
would be fun though.
WCT: How was performing with the Scissor Sisters
recently?
KW: I loved that show. I was in a panic because I
thought everyone
would be there to see them, but the audience was
amazing. They really
seemed to enjoy it. Half of them were gay anyway.
WCT: That is the great thing about the gay audience.
Once you can get
them, they stay loyal.
KW: They are my best audience. When we took a break,
we never
actually stopped doing the gay shows, because I
couldn’t turn down
the fun!
WCT: You have done some great cover songs over the
years. Any plans
to do more?
KW: Well, we have done one an album. Venus was the
biggest one. How I
have sat and cried that we didn’t write that one. That
was so huge.
All the covers that we did were songs that we used to
rehearse and
wound up recording them all.
WCT: My favorite one is Help. Everyone I play that
song for just
loves it.
KW: That was from a comedy charity benefit and was
eventually
released over the world. I always think, what do they
think of the
stupid backing vocals that were done in a
tongue-and-cheek way? It is
obvious from the video how that was meant to be.
WCT: What do you think of Ace of Base doing a cover of
“Cruel Summer?”
KW: It is such a form of flattery. It is also nice to
sit back, let
them do the work and let the money roll in, baby!
WCT: Definitely.
KW: I loved songwriting for the new album. We sat down
with a blank
sheet with the producers. We were involved every step
of the way and
we really enjoyed it. The creative process is the most
satisfying
part of it. We tried to not venture too much from what
our fans
wanted but stay contemporary.
WCT: I love the new CD, and you ladies look great on
the cover. Do
you work out?
KW: Makeup.
WCT: Come on! You have great bodies.
KW: Well, I do the least sort of exercising of the two
of us. I
walked the dogs today. I am incredibly lazy. I just
don’t put on
weight. I am the fat one of the family. I just stuffed
down a load of
chocolate and I am about to go to the pub after I
finish speaking
with you.