Latest news with #KidsinAmerica
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Kim Wilde locked out of hotel room naked
Kim Wilde got locked out of her hotel room naked following a boozy "knees-up". The veteran pop star, 64, has been sober for a decade but she used to enjoy alcohol-soaked nights out following her shows at the height of her career in the 1980s and she's revealed one night ended in humiliation after she found herself trapped in a hotel corridor without any clothes on and she had to walk down to reception in the nude to ask for help. She told The Times newspaper: "I haven't drunk alcohol for a decade, so post-show hedonism levels won't be at Eighties or Nineties levels. I once ended up naked in a hotel corridor after a big knees-up: I snuck out of my room in the night and the door shut behind me. "I had to slink down to the lobby to ask for a spare key, which was mortifying." The confession comes after Kim revealed late Motorhead frontman Lemmy once tried to get her drunk on vodka in his dressing room. Kim met the late heavy metal legend - who died from prostate cancer along with cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure at the age of 70 in 2015 - at the start of her career and notorious boozer kept topping up her cup in a bid to get her tipsy before Kim's chaperone dragged her away. Kim - who launched her pop career in 1981 at the age of 20 following the release of 'Kids in America' - explained to The Big Issue magazine: "I was very lucky. "Both of the record companies that I worked for at the time got me travelling. "When I was travelling, that's when I needed looking after. And they were always there. So, I was, sort of, chaperoned, I would say, very wisely and with a lot of fun. "There was one time where I was in a dressing room with Lemmy from Motörhead, oh God. And he was trying to get me drunk on vodka. He poured it into a plastic cup so you couldn't see how much was in there. "My chaperone, or the lady that works at the record company, Moira, she dragged me out. She wouldn't let me. But he was an absolute sweetheart really." Kim insists the support of the team that was around her throughout her career put her in a "really good" place in terms of finances. The ''Never Trust a Stranger' hitmaker explained: "I'd tell my younger self you need to surround yourself as much as possible with people who you can trust. "I would say, always trust your instincts about people who you're working with, and ask lots of questions. "I was very fortunate in that I've always worked with people who I trust implicitly, and that has made a huge difference to the quality of my life, not just personally, but, you know, financially. It's given me a lot of security. "I would say that on the whole, I've had a really positive experience, and it's put me in a really good place."
Perth Now
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Motorhead's Lemmy tried to get Kim Wilde drunk on vodka
Motorhead frontman Lemmy once tried to get Kim Wilde drunk on vodka in his dressing room. Kim, 64, met the late heavy metal legend - who died from prostate cancer along with cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure at the age of 70 in 2015 - at the start of her career and notorious boozer kept topping up her cup in a bid to get her tipsy. However, Kim's chaperone dragged her away, although the pop icon considers Lemmy to have been an "absolute sweetheart". Kim - who launched her pop career in 1981 at the age of 20 following the release of 'Kids in America' - explained to The Big Issue magazine: "I was very lucky. Both of the record companies that I worked for at the time got me travelling. "When I was travelling, that's when I needed looking after. And they were always there. So, I was, sort of, chaperoned, I would say, very wisely and with a lot of fun. "There was one time where I was in a dressing room with Lemmy from Motörhead, oh God. And he was trying to get me drunk on vodka. He poured it into a plastic cup so you couldn't see how much was in there. "My chaperone, or the lady that works at the record company, Moira, she dragged me out. "She wouldn't let me. But he was an absolute sweetheart really." Kim insists the support of the team that was around her throughout her career has put her in a "really good" place in terms of finances. The ''Never Trust a Stranger' hitmaker explained: "I'd tell my younger self you need to surround yourself as much as possible with people who you can trust. "I would say, always trust your instincts about people who you're working with, and ask lots of questions. "I was very fortunate in that I've always worked with people who I trust implicitly, and that has made a huge difference to the quality of my life, not just personally, but, you know, financially. It's given me a lot of security. "I would say that on the whole, I've had a really positive experience, and it's put me in a really good place." However, Kim - whose dad is the 50s and 60s pop legend Marty Wilde, 86 - had to deal with the "roller coaster effect" of her career, with the ups and downs causing her mental health to take a "battering" and her confidence to be "absolutely crushed". The 1983 BRIT Award-winner for British Female Solo Artist admitted: "It's been a roller coaster of a career. When things are going really well, it's really great fun, and everyone's vibing and, yeah, you get to share that. "And then, of course, as soon as that dips down, you can have some really tough times. "I really had to get used to the roller coaster effect of my career. "My mental health took a bit of a battering. Sometimes my confidence got absolutely crushed on many occasions. I really had to dig deep to rise above that and get on with life and figure out what was important for me." And Kim believes the "negative aspects" of her music career were a "great gift". She continued: "So all the chat about the negative aspects of my career now I realise was a great gift that I learned valuable lessons from."
Perth Now
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
'It interfered with my voice...' Kim Wilde says COVID-19 had an impact on her voice
Kim Wilde feared her battle with COVID-19 would permanently affect her singing voice. The British pop icon has contracted the respiratory illness - which sparked a global pandemic in 2020 - on a number of occasions and was left stricken by the disease. Kim, 64, has revealed that COVID "interfered with my voice" and she was, at one stage, concerned that it would have a long-term effect on her ability to sing. Speaking to BANG Showbiz, she said: 'I had a few issues with COVID this past year and it's interfered with my voice. Now, I'm a hundred per cent fit and I've recovered but there were times whether I did wonder whether I would recover enough. Now that I have, the one thing that really came out very strong to me is how much I physically love singing. 'I just seemed to get it and then lose and then it would come again. I'm not sure if it was long COVID or just picking up different viruses. It went hand-in-hand with a lot of work. I managed to work through some of it, but not all of it. It's been a tough year from a health perspective but I've come through it.' Kim has made several changes to her lifestyle to ensure she can be as healthy as possible and keep performing live and recording new music. The 'Kids in America' singer – who released her 15th studio LP 'Closer' in January and will be heading back out on tour later this summer – said: 'I'm really looking after myself in a way that I've probably never looked after myself, before. To build my immune system and make myself as strong as possible physically. 'I eat a lot more protein and I eat less processed food, much less. 'I have a personal trainer; I've been working with him for the past couple of years. I've been very proactive on the whole thing. I gave up alcohol about eight or nine years ago so that's lots of pieces to the puzzle. 'It's never just one thing, it's a holistic approach to one's health. Keeping mobile, keeping moving, looking after yourself, watching what you think, keeping positive, kind. Watch what you say, notice when things don't feel right and take more accountability for yourself. It's kinds of things. These are the great things that you learn when you get older, there's got to be some benefits!'
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Kim Wilde to play legend slot at Bristol Pride
Pop legend Kim Wilde has been announced as one of the main acts for one of the UK's largest Pride rose to fame in the early 1980s with hits like Kids in America and You Keep me Hangin' On and has been taking to the stage ever Saturday 12 July she will play the Afternoon Legend slot at Bristol Pride on Clifton Down - which has previously hosted revered acts such as The Human league and Natalie Imbruglia."I can think of nobody more deserving to be our Afternoon Legend and it's an honour to have her performing with us," said Pride Organiser, Daryn Carter MBE. 'True icon' "I know this will be a very special performance as we present our biggest ever line-up for the festival" said Mr added: "Kim is a true icon, shaping the British music scene and is the one of the most successful UK female artists."Pride has a wide ranging programme of events running between 28 June and 13 July 13 - with the main Pride celebration happening on 12 Pride's main headliner has yet to be announced but other acts already named include Noughties dancefloor anthem powerhouse Cascada and US club music icon Ultra Naté among others. Pride features numerous other stages - including cabaret, circus and dance tents and numerous community focused 40,000 people were expected to attend the event which could add around £3m to the local Pride won the award for Best Non-music Festival at the 2024 UK Festival Awards and Best Pride Organisation at the 2024 Gaydio Awards.
Telegraph
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Kim Wilde: ‘I was trapped in a hotel corridor with just my knickers on'
Born in 1960, the daughter of Sixties singer-songwriter Marty, Kim Wilde found instant global superstardom in 1981 with her debut single Kids in America. Twenty-five top 50 UK singles, including You Keep Me Hangin' on and Cambodia, followed and she became the most charted female singer of the 1980s. After a hiatus to have children Harry, 26, and 24-year-old Rose, with her ex-husband Hal Fowler, she successfully turned her hand to horticulture, presenting several gardening TV shows and winning a Gold Award at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2005. She now performs on the pop heritage circuit. Best childhood memory? When I was about 10, my music teacher, Mr Webster, asked me to play the part of Mary in the school play. He was someone I absolutely adored – he inspired every kid to pick up an instrument, even if they felt they had no musical talent. He made everyone feel empowered to get involved, and I loved him for that. Plus, he was a very charismatic and handsome man, which I, of course, noticed as well. About five years ago, his son reached out to me for a big birthday celebration, so I recorded a grown-up version of the song and sent it to him. Unfortunately, he's no longer with us, but I'm glad I had the chance to tell him what a huge influence he had on me. Did I mention that I thought he was also incredibly attractive and charismatic? I might've kept that part to myself. Best day of your life? It doesn't get any better than giving birth. I was spectacularly unprepared in many ways. I hadn't gone to birthing lessons. I'd done very little reading. I just assumed that once I'd get to the hospital, everything would be fine. And then it wasn't it. I was an older mother at 38 and things got tricky, but my body managed to give birth and it was the most beautiful, wonderful experience to hold my babies in my arms. Best moment on stage? My 'Here Come the Aliens' Tour at Koko in Camden. My father, who hadn't been to one of my gigs for a while, came and I'd gone fully into costume mode and ended up looking a bit like a space-age Barbarella. I launched myself into the album and the greatest hits and the whole place went absolutely crazy. I was so proud that my dad was there to see that because quite a few of the songs that we were performing that night were written by him and my brother. It felt like a real proper homecoming. Best performance? My brother Rick and I had been to a Magic FM Christmas party to do an acoustic set, and we were on the train going home and everyone looked a bit glum, so I said to Rick: 'Come on, it's Christmas. I've got antlers. You've got a guitar? Why don't we just sing some songs and see what happens.' I remember Ricky looking at me and going, 'Are you sure?' and I'm like, 'Yeah, come on.' So that's what we did and unbeknown to us, there was this charming girl filming the whole thing. And then it went viral, which was just something else. I remember thinking, 'This is going to be an absolute disaster and it could literally bury my career overnight' – but it did exactly the opposite. It was so spontaneous, and fun-inspired, and I'm glad it happened. It went on to inspire a Christmas album and brought about a lot of really good things. Best horticultural moment? Gardening is my private passion now, but it became a public passion for several years. I stepped out of the music industry to have a family and that's how it began. I thought, 'I've got to learn about plants, because I want to make a garden for the kids.' So, I enroled at a local horticultural college to do a summer course. And that ended up with me doing a two-year City and Guilds course, where I learnt a hell of a lot. I then got asked to do TV programmes, and I just thought, 'Well, why the hell not? I'm an unemployed pop star, let's give TV gardening a go.' Then I ended up at Chelsea Flower Show, with my good friend Richard Lucas and we walked away with a gold medal for our courtyard garden. Best personality trait? My daughter said I'm very open minded and I would agree with her. When you have an open mind there's so much more of the world to absorb and to enjoy and to experience. Best decision you ever made? Stopping drinking alcohol nine years ago has had a profound impact on my mental and physical health and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I gave it a good old session from when I was 15 or 16. I'd spent virtually half my life with it being a part of my life and I certainly did have lots of fabulous times with alcohol, but I'm in much better shape since I stopped. Worst childhood memory? When I was three, I had meningitis. I remember a pounding headache and a high fever, and then being rushed to the hospital. My parents were driving back from Liverpool, so we had someone looking after us, and they got me to the hospital. I vaguely remember having a lumbar puncture, and that's the last thing I recall, but I survived it. Worst moment of your life? The brief moment when you lose sight of your child – it's happened to me a few times as a parent, and I think every parent has been there. You suddenly look, and they're not where you thought they were. It's a terrifying, shocking feeling. It's happened to me a couple of times, when I had no idea where they were. Without a doubt, the worst moments in life as a parent always involve your children. Worst moment on stage? My band and I were in Portugal, performing a few covers, one of which was Forever Young by Alphaville. We were a bit rusty, and chaos soon followed. I started the song in tune with the guitarist, but, for some reason – one we've never quite figured out – every other musician came in on a different key. It was absolutely terrifying, but I decided to just power through. There are photos floating around of the band with their backs to the audience, and just me up front, trying to salvage the situation. 'Kim Wilde singing Forever Young' is somewhere on YouTube, but it's now known as Forever Wrong. It's painful to listen to. Worst celebrity encounter? I remember doing Top of the Pops when Jimmy Savile was hosting. My mum came with me to it and we both had a very uncomfortable feeling being around him and we kept our distance. Mum has mentioned it since, saying, 'I knew he was a wrong 'un.' She kept close by me during that show and looking back after everything that happened, I now realise she did me a big favour. Worst drunken mistake? In my drinking days I'd had one too many with a promoter who'd been buying rounds for me and the band all night. After a wild evening, I stumbled back to my hotel room. In the middle of the night, I woke up needing the bathroom, opened the door, and – somehow – ended up locked out in the corridor, completely naked. There I was, stranded in a brightly lit hotel hallway with very little on, desperately trying to figure out how to make it back to my room. I think I had a pair of knickers on and that was it. I had to run down to the lift and then edge my way out of it to see if I could see anyone at reception. The guy was absolutely horrified, gave me a key card and I slunk back to my room. Worst personality trait? Before I got my hearing aid, I used to talk much louder – years of being on stage with musicians cranking up their amps had left my ears a bit shot. I'd often misinterpret what people said and end up saying the wrong thing, which was usually funny but, over time, really irritated those around me. My family begged me to get hearing aids, which I found pretty humiliating at the time. But, honestly, they've been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I can hear things now – even the insects I once missed – and subtle sounds that I now really appreciate. Worst advice you've ever received? I've been fortunate in that regard and haven't received much bad advice. I do remember when everyone was talking about Bitcoin, and someone suggested, 'Do you fancy taking some Bitcoin instead of getting paid for the gig?' I just said, 'No, I don't.' I can't recall who made the suggestion, but I definitely remember my firm, resounding 'no'.
