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The Herald Scotland
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
When a teenage Lulu became the toast of Swinging London
Eventually, she and the band – rhythm guitarist James Dewar, lead guitarist Ross Nelson, drummer Dave Mullen, bassist Tommy Tierney and singer Alec Bell – drove down to London to audition for record companies. The first label, Columbia/EMI, declined, but the next one, Decca, offered them a record contract on the strength of two songs: Shout, a raucous number written by the Isley Brothers (Lulu had been blown away when she heard Alex Harvey singing it), and Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa, a Bacharach and David hit for Gene Pitney. After the band had recorded Shout, Marie's manager, Marian Massey, hit upon 'Lulu' as a new name for the 14-year-old, and Lulu and the Luvvers as the band's new name. The single was released by Decca in April 1964, by which time Lulu's name was everywhere. Fabulous magazine interviewed her, together with Cilla Black, Sandie Shaw and Cathy McGowan (host of TV's Ready, Steady, Go!), for a piece about pop's new female stars. Maureen Cleave interviewed her for the London Evening Standard; "When I sing I tingle all over and I can see the people's faces lighting up', Lulu told her. 'I'm so thrilled at it all; life's so thrilling." Shout spent 13 weeks on the charts, peaking at number seven. John Lennon, guesting with Paul McCartney on Ready Steady Go!, discussed the latest singles and declared that his favourite was Shout!, 'by a girl called Lulu'. That same year, after a gig in Glasgow in June 1964, Lulu invited The High Numbers – The Who, as they would shortly become – back to her old family home. She met the Rolling Stones, too. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote a song for her, called Surprise Surprise. It was released as a single early the following year, with a prolific session musician named Jimmy Page on guitar. Things were beginning to pick up speed. As Lulu recalls in her book I Don't Want to Fight, 'there were radio and TV appearances, magazine interviews, photo shoots and concerts … We appeared on TV shows like Thank Your Lucky Stars, Juke Box Jury and Ready, Steady, Go!, as well as performing on local radio and TV shows in England, Ireland and Wales'. The hit record saw the band increasing its fee for gigs from £30 to £100. And in a posh Knightsbridge restaurant, Bobby Darin, the American singer and actor, made her blush when he told her that she had been 'fabulous' on Ready, Steady, Go! The money began rolling in and Lulu's schedule had barely any gaps for rest and relaxation. She moved into a flat in St John's Wood owned by Marian's parents. And she certainly picked the right time to find herself in London. Even ahead of its coronation in April 1966 as 'The Swinging City', courtesy of Time magazine, it was a vibrant, adventurous place. Lulu and Rod Stewart at Glastonbury (Image: Yui Mok) "London was the centre of the world', Lulu writes in her book. 'Whether it was music, fashion, art, film, photography or design, the rest of the world was taking its lead from London. The streets were full of bright colours, short skirts, jackets without lapels, tight trousers, psychedelic swirls, platform shoes, Cuban-heeled boots and big hair. Pop music and rock'n'roll dominated the airwaves'. This is certainly a line echoed by Graham Nash in his memoir, Wild Tales. Describing the London of 1965, when he was still with the Hollies, he writes: "A full-scale cultural revolution was in progress, with youth and music dominating the scene, top to bottom. The boutiques on Carnaby Street catered to our lifestyle. Mary Quant was introducing miniskirts and Biba was around and Cecil Gee.... Darling and The Knack spoke to us from the screen, cynical and sexy and angry, and Radio Caroline was broadcasting off the coast". Read more: Lulu and her band were still in demand but their chart performance was sagging, causing her to worry that they might just be one-hit wonders. Two singles, Can't Hear You No More and Here Comes the Night (with Page again on guitar) made little impact, though Van Morrison's Them would have a number two hit with the latter song. It wasn't until Leave a Little Love reached number eight in June 1965 that Lulu felt that she had finally arrived. That September she gave a candid interview to Rave magazine, during which she admitted that she felt older than when she first came to London, and that the friends she used to know "suddenly seem worlds away from me. When we meet I am at a strange disadvantage". "My career is important to me," she added. "The first thing I think of when I wake up is, 'What is on today?' It may be TV or radio, or a live show somewhere. Whichever, I decide what to wear and whether to get my hair set. Sometimes my hairdresser, Vidal Sassoon, thinks I'm mad getting it re-set, because it looks O.K. But I feel awful if my hair isn't just right. I suppose when you are the instrument of your business you get self-centred in some ways. Anyhow, once I've sifted through the day, I relax, and things run smoothly enough." However, as Scots music historian Brian Hogg has noted, moves had long been afoot to prise Lulu from her 'backing' musicians, the Luvvers. TV slots for the singer alone, added Hogg, "already outnumbered those for the group as a whole. Although useful live, they were deemed superfluous in the studio where subsequent appearances were strictly limited'. This was illustrated by the line-up of musicians on Lulu's 1965 debut album, Something to Shout About; the Luvvers appeared on just three tracks, one of which was Shout. 'Lulu, with the Luvvers on some tracks, and a positively glittering showcase for her voice…', began an approving review in Record Mirror that October. The album's 16 tracks combined to show Lulu's sheer versatility as a vocalist beyond her gutsy performance on Shout. Try to Understand, Not in This Whole World, Tell Me Like It Is, and Holland-Dozier-Holland's Can I Get a Witness, previously a hit for Marvin Gaye, were among the highlights. As a calling card for a young woman in her teens, still relatively new to the recording business, it was pretty good. 'One of the most versatile voices on the scene', Record Mirror's review continued. 'Big bash for 'You Touch Me Baby', but the mood switches all the way. Main thing is the clarity of the punchiness Lulu injects all the way. A variety of backings, choral and instrumental, behind her. 'Can I Get a Witness' gets a brisk new reading. 'Shout' is in, of course, and Lulu's new single, 'Tell Me Like It Is'. 'Chocolate Ice' is a gas …. 'Leave A Little Love' is another stand-out. But then the overall standard is very high'. As Lulu notes in her book, the album had been successful, 'but session musicians had been used on some of the latest recordings. Although nothing had been said, I knew the boys were unhappy'. And there was also the undeniable fact that media attention had alighted on her, not on the boys in the band. Read more On the Record: James Dewar was first to leave the Luvvers, in 1965 – he went on to play with Stone the Crows and with the brilliant guitarist, Robin Trower. The other band members soon followed, retreating to Glasgow. 'I tried to hold us all together', Lulu recalls, 'but Decca had wanted this all along and did nothing to help me'. Her profile continued to rise. Magazine and newspaper writers sought her out. There was a groundbreaking package tour of Poland with the Hollies, and there were gigs in support of the Beach Boys in 1966. 'Lulu proved conclusively to me that she should be allowed to close the first half by virtue of the fact she is so beautifully professional', Keith Altham wrote in the NME after a Beach Boys/Lulu concert at the Finsbury Park Astoria in London. 'Five numbers from her were not enough — 'Blowing In The Wind', 'Wonderful Feeling' and 'Leave A Little Love' which Spencer Davis — who joined me to see the second house — was still raving about half an hour after the show, were her best numbers!' Lulu had also bought a car, and a townhouse in St John's Wood. At seventeen, she was 'hanging with the coolest, hippest crowd. Cynthia Lennon, Maureen Starkey and Pattie Boyd were my girlfriends'. In 1966 she had a role in a Sidney Poitier film, To Sir With Love, and the title song, sung by her, became a huge hit in the States in 1967, selling two million copies and sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. Her sudden fame in the US led to an appearance on the top-rated Ed Sullivan Show. Media attention in Lulu was proving to be relentless. In November 1968 Disc and Music Echo caught up with her at her plush St John's Wood home, and the journalist was most taken with it all - the four-poster brass bed from Heal's, the pined kitchen, the huge pine chest housing a gigantic collection of albums, the small room that combined Lulu's office, [[TV]] room and general "flop out" space. "My house is my little refuge', Lulu told her. 'Whenever I get a moment I fly straight down to London and collapse inside its four walls!' * Lulu's latest book, If Only You Knew, is published on September 25. Dates for her series of 'intimate conversations with songs and stories' can be found on her website, lulu
SowetanLIVE
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- SowetanLIVE
Next-gen leading lady: Shalate Sekhabi
Shalate Sekhabi is textbook entertainment royalty with well-established showbiz parents, although she is discreet about her multi-generational showbiz legacy. The 24-year-old starlet is the daughter of Aubrey Sekhabi — playwright, director, and artistic director of the South African State Theatre. Her mother, former actress Nontutuzelo Sekhabi, works for the department of arts & culture. In the past five years she has become a household name playing Shoki in the daily drama House of Zwide. This year, her career took an exciting trajectory when she starred as Nthabi in the Netflix young-adult series Go! opposite Thandolwethu Zondi, Wonder Ndlovu, and Ntobeko Sishi. Shalate was born to be in front of the camera and she is only warming up as the hottest next-generation leading lady. How would you describe the past five years? Incredible. My start has given me a wonderful foundation and a huge platform that helped me to do many amazing things. I have grown a lot and have learnt how to work with others and understand people. But, above all, I've been growing in my craft and expanding my interests. What has been a highlight? Graduating in April 2023 from Wits [University of the Witwatersrand] while acting full-time. The course was four years long. I was studying film and television and I got my honours two years ago. It was difficult to juggle both and stay consistent. There were times I wanted to give up and I'm glad I didn't. In terms of the work that I have done, Go!, which came out on Netflix this year, is my biggest highlight. How did you juggle all of it? The production helped me a lot and worked with my schedule as well. I just did it, I don't know how. If I had to be in class I would be there and if I was needed on set I would show up. If somehow the schedules weren't aligning my agent helped in coordinating things for me. You need a lot of support. What was it like to shoot Go!? Go! was amazing. Shooting it in Hillbrow was different and tricky because in House of Zwide I was used to a studio set-up. Go! came with its challenges, but it was so nice to be in the world in my character. It was a nice growing moment.
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
David Bowie's Two-Decade-Old Live Performance Is Now A Bestselling Album
David Bowie's Ready Set Go: Live Riverside Studios 03 debuts at No. 21 on Billboard's Top Album ... More Sales chart following a special Record Store Day 2025 release. MIAMI, FL - June 14: MANDATORY CREDITDavid Bowie June 14th, 2003 in Miami. (Photo by) In the years since his passing, David Bowie's estate has kept the musician's spirit alive through a steady stream of new releases. While there hasn't been a treasure trove of previously unheard material, there's been a consistent flow of live recordings, remasters, remixes, and other special offerings. Now, Bowie is back on a Billboard chart once again, as a newly-issued project debuts, adding to his already impressive cumulative career total. Bowie is one of dozens of beloved musicians — both living and departed — who participated in Record Store Day this April. This year, the legendary rocker launched one of the most highly-anticipated and exciting new albums tied to the event, which aims to bring music fans back into brick-and-mortar record stores around the globe. Ready, Set, Go!: Live Riverside Studios '03 arrived just in time for Record Store Day shoppers eager to snag limited-edition offerings. Pressed as a double LP, the full-length captures a concert Bowie performed back in September 2003. This particular show has never been released as a standalone album, which makes it an especially thrilling must-have for longtime fans. The concert took place at London's Riverside Studios and was broadcast to movie theaters around the world. At the time, that was a novel and cutting-edge experience, bolstered by new and exciting technology. In the U.S., Ready, Set, Go! manages to debut on just one Billboard ranking. The collection opens at No. 21 on the Top Album Sales chart, the tally that tracks the bestselling full-lengths in the country based purely on purchases. According to Luminate, Ready, Set, Go! starts with 6,600 copies sold in America alone. With Ready, Set, Go! landing on the Top Album Sales chart, Bowie edges even closer to a major career milestone. The new set marks his forty-sixth appearance on the tally, which is one of the most impressive accumulations among any rocker still charting today. Bowie has been rapidly adding to his total in just the past few years. In 2025 and 2024, he collected one new Top Album Sales chart win each year. Before that, he snagged two new placements in 2023 and an astounding four in 2022.
Fox Sports
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Montreal buses change 'Go! Canadiens Go!' signage to French after complaints to language watchdog
Associated Press MONTREAL (AP) — City buses in Montreal have dropped the expression 'Go! Canadiens Go!' following a complaint to Quebec's language watchdog. Montreal's transit agency is now using the French expression 'Allez! Canadiens Allez!' on the electronic displays on the front of its buses to show support for the Montreal Canadiens' NHL playoff run. The decision was made because the word 'go' is an anglicism, said spokesperson Isabelle Tremblay. The expression 'Go Habs Go!' is used extensively in Quebec to support the Montreal hockey team. It is also used widely by the team itself, including on social media. The hashtag #GoHabsGo appears in oversized letters outside the Bell Centre in Montreal, the home arena of the Canadiens. Tremblay said Quebec's French-language office received a complaint last year about buses displaying the words 'Go! CF Mtl Go!' — a reference to Montreal's professional soccer club. In response, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) decided to change the word 'go' with 'allez' — the French equivalent — on all of its messaging. Tremblay said it 'maintains team spirit' while complying with Quebec's recent overhaul of its French language charter. The agency has been gradually changing the language on its fleet of buses since the end of last summer. Tremblay said the modification must be made manually on each bus, so the work was only completed earlier this year. The change was first reported Thursday by the Montreal Gazette. A spokesperson for the Montreal Canadiens declined to comment on the matter. The team clinched a playoff spot last week, and trails 2-0 in the best-of-seven matchup against the Washington Capitals. The Canadiens host Game 3 of their first-round series on Friday. In Quebec City on Thursday, the move was widely panned by opposition parties, including the Parti Québécois, which positions itself as a champion of the French language. 'We have other priorities for the French language in Quebec,' said PQ legislature member Catherine Gentilcore, adding that leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will continue to use #GoHabsGo on the X platform. The Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents English-speaking Quebecers, dismissed the decision as 'silliness' in a social media post. 'EVERYONE yells #GoHabsGo! at the Bell Centre,' the group said. 'Our buses should be allowed to do the same.' recommended in this topic
CTV News
24-04-2025
- CTV News
Go! Habs Go! No! Montreal buses pull pride slogan after language complaint
Montreal Watch Montreal buses will no longer be permitted to display Go! Habs Go! slogans after a complaint to the French-language watchdogs.
