Latest news with #WendyJames
Scoop
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Transvision Vamp Announce NZ Tour
UK pop rockers Transvision Vamp are bringing those glorious hits to NZ in February - their first tour here since 1991. Formed in 1986, Transvision Vamp quickly rose to fame. Their songs Baby I Don't Care, Revolution Baby, I Want Your Love, The Only One, and If Looks Could Kill, were all NZ chart hits. Joining original Transvision Vamp's Wendy James and Dave Parsons onstage are guitarist Alex Ward (The Thurston Moore Group) and James Sclavunos (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds) on drums. Says Wendy James: "I am so very excited to be coming back to New Zealand to play the songs which started my whole musical journey! I remember vividly so many incredible moments gigging in New Zealand, moments of enormous success, enormous love and enormous fun."
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
1980s pop icon coming to Australia for first tour in 27 years - and she looks very different to her heyday
Pop-punk icon Wendy James is bringing Transvision Vamp to Australia next year. The iconic frontwoman is returning Down Under in 2026 for a slew of shows across the country, marking the British band's first gigs in 27 years. However, the rocker looks a little different from her heyday in the 1980s, when she performed hit songs such as 'Baby I Don't Care' and 'I Want Your Love.' The bleach blonde beauty, known for her doe-eyes, babydoll dresses and neon pink lipstick, looks a little more rock 'n' roll these days, with heavy eyeliner her new trademark. It's been a few years since the now-59-year-old was storming the pop charts, but Wendy released her solo album, The Shape Of History, to critical acclaim last year. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The record managed to reach the top 40 in the UK. Transvision Vamp disbanded in 1992 after falling out with their record label, but Wendy went on to make seven solo albums in the years that followed, moving to New York in 2002. However, it was only last year that the self-managed singer emailed a few Australian promoters after making the decision to get back on the road. Speaking to The Advertiser, Wendy revealed that the goal with her latest album was to not only go on tour, but to return to Aussie shores, where her musical journey began. 'I knew when I made this 10th album I wanted to not just do the UK again but go back to Australia where the whole thing started,' she said. Furthermore, the singer's desire to tour Australia was fuelled by a trip down memory lane after she stumbled upon old Super 8 footage of the good old days. 'I found a lot of Australian footage, especially film we captured in Melbourne, and I remember there were riot police on horses and people in the street and this one girl who screams: "They're bigger than the Beatles,"' she told the publication. During their peak, Transvision Vamp made headlines after Nirvana's Kurt Cobain wore one of their band tees on stage. Kurt donned the iconic shirt repping the group during Nirvana's 1991 US tour, as well as at his iconic MTV performance. Speaking of the moment, Wendy said that it became known as the 'Kurt shirt'. 'He came to quite a few of those shows we did in America in 1991 and he purchased his tour T-shirt and wore it for quite a few of his performances, including the MTV one,' she said. Transvision Vamp is preparing to play a number of shows across Australia in February. They will be kicking off the tour at Brisbane's The Triffid before moving on to The Station on the Sunshine Coast. The band then heads to King Street Bandroom in Newcastle and the Metro Theatre in Sydney. Transvision Vamp next head down to Northcote Theatre in Melbourne and The Gov in Adelaide, before finishing off the tour at Perth's Magnet House. General tickets to the Australian tour go on sale from July 15 at 9am.
Courier-Mail
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Transvision Vamp book first Australian tour in 27 years
Don't miss out on the headlines from Music Tours. Followed categories will be added to My News. Transvision Vamp frontwoman Wendy James vividly recalls the hysteria generated by the band's popularity in the late 80s. As hit singles Baby I Don't Care and I Want Your Love set up camp on the Australian charts, the band were greeted by thousands of fans and a big police presence outside the venues they were booked to play and appearances on Countdown and Hey Hey It's Saturday on their first tour in 1989. Those memories came flooding back when she found old Super 8 footage of those days last year. 'I found a lot of Australian footage, especially film we captured in Melbourne, and I remember there were riot police on horses and people in the street and this one girl who screams they're bigger than the Beatles,' James said, laughing. Transvision Vamp singer Wendy James is bringing the band back to Australia. Picture: David Leigh Dodd / Supplied. James was made for the 80s. The outspoken young star declared Transvision Vamp would be bigger than Madonna and was a vocal critic of the emerging Stock Aitken Waterman pop factory which launched the careers of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. But after a heady three years touring the world, the band broke up after falling out with their record label. James embarked on a sporadic solo career, moving to New York in 2002 and when she released her latest solo record The Shape of History to critical acclaim last year, she decided it was time to get back on the road. James and her bandmates in the late 80s. Picture: Supplied. The self-managed singer emailed a couple of Australian promoters to gauge if there was interest in her returning to the country for her first tour in 27 years. 'I knew when I made this 10th album I wanted to not just do the UK again but go back to Australia where the whole thing started. I know we broke out of the UK, but really the rapturous, the enormousness broke out from Australia,' she said. 'I wrote a couple of emails to Australian promoters who received me very warmly.' James released a new solo record last year. Picture: David Leigh Dodd / Supplied. A woman fronting a punk pop band in the 80s was a rarity. With her baby-doll dresses and bright pink lipstick, James was a unique pop star paying homage to the influence of Blondie's Debbie Harry. The short-lived band also exerted its own influence on other artists from Nirvana's Kurt Cobain to young female pop stars who have probably had her picture on their vision boards such as Sabrina Carpenter. Cobain famously wore a Transvision Vamp T-shirt during Nirvana's 1991 tour of the US and a live performance on MTV. 'That T-shirt is just known now as the Kurt shirt,' James said. 'He came to quite a few of those shows we did in America in 1991 and he purchased his tour T-shirt and wore it for quite a few of his performances, including the MTV one. 'There's really funny footage of him telling Courtney (Love) about her hair cut and he's wearing my T-shirt. So yeah, it's a great thrill.' The Transvision Vamp tour opens at The Triffid in Brisbane on February 12 and heads to The Station, Sunshine Coast on February 14, King Street Bandroom, Newcastle, on February 15, Metro Theatre, Sydney on February 17, Northcote Theatre, Melbourne on February 18, The Gov, Adelaide on February 19 and Magnet House, Perth on February 21. The tour early bird presale opens on July 11 from 9am and general tickets are live from July 15 at 9am with all details via Originally published as Punk pop star Wendy James brings Transvision Vamp back to Australia where it all began
News.com.au
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Punk pop star Wendy James brings Transvision Vamp back to Australia where it all began
Transvision Vamp frontwoman Wendy James vividly recalls the hysteria generated by the band's popularity in the late 80s. As hit singles Baby I Don't Care and I Want Your Love set up camp on the Australian charts, the band were greeted by thousands of fans and a big police presence outside the venues they were booked to play and appearances on Countdown and Hey Hey It's Saturday on their first tour in 1989. Those memories came flooding back when she found old Super 8 footage of those days last year. 'I found a lot of Australian footage, especially film we captured in Melbourne, and I remember there were riot police on horses and people in the street and this one girl who screams they're bigger than the Beatles,' James said, laughing. James was made for the 80s. The outspoken young star declared Transvision Vamp would be bigger than Madonna and was a vocal critic of the emerging Stock Aitken Waterman pop factory which launched the careers of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. But after a heady three years touring the world, the band broke up after falling out with their record label. James embarked on a sporadic solo career, moving to New York in 2002 and when she released her latest solo record The Shape of History to critical acclaim last year, she decided it was time to get back on the road. The self-managed singer emailed a couple of Australian promoters to gauge if there was interest in her returning to the country for her first tour in 27 years. 'I knew when I made this 10th album I wanted to not just do the UK again but go back to Australia where the whole thing started. I know we broke out of the UK, but really the rapturous, the enormousness broke out from Australia,' she said. 'I wrote a couple of emails to Australian promoters who received me very warmly.' A woman fronting a punk pop band in the 80s was a rarity. With her baby-doll dresses and bright pink lipstick, James was a unique pop star paying homage to the influence of Blondie's Debbie Harry. The short-lived band also exerted its own influence on other artists from Nirvana's Kurt Cobain to young female pop stars who have probably had her picture on their vision boards such as Sabrina Carpenter. Cobain famously wore a Transvision Vamp T-shirt during Nirvana's 1991 tour of the US and a live performance on MTV. 'That T-shirt is just known now as the Kurt shirt,' James said. 'He came to quite a few of those shows we did in America in 1991 and he purchased his tour T-shirt and wore it for quite a few of his performances, including the MTV one. 'There's really funny footage of him telling Courtney (Love) about her hair cut and he's wearing my T-shirt. So yeah, it's a great thrill.' The Transvision Vamp tour opens at The Triffid in Brisbane on February 12 and heads to The Station, Sunshine Coast on February 14, King Street Bandroom, Newcastle, on February 15, Metro Theatre, Sydney on February 17, Northcote Theatre, Melbourne on February 18, The Gov, Adelaide on February 19 and Magnet House, Perth on February 21. The tour early bird presale opens on July 11 from 9am and general tickets are live from July 15 at 9am with all details via
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hitting the Books: Gov. Polis pays special visit to 'Blue Ribbon' Skyview Middle School
Only four schools in Colorado and 356 schools in the nation can claim the title of 2024 National Blue Ribbon School. Skyview Middle School, 1047 Camino DeBravo in Pueblo West, is one of them. While representatives of the school had already visited Washington D.C. on Nov. 8, 2024, to receive a Blue Ribbon School award in the "Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools" category from the U.S. Department of Education, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis visited Skyview Middle School on May 19, 2025, to congratulate the school once more. "It's amazing to see the magic that goes on here at Skyview, how they're preparing students for success, and I'm glad to help lend our state recognition to the important national recognition of the Blue Ribbon," Polis said during the visit. Polis also praised the school's career and technical education offerings, including criminology, in a conversation with the Chieftain. Skyview Principal Wendy James told the Chieftain on May 19 that the school receiving a Blue Ribbon Award is a result of the work the school has done to "meet students where they are academically." "It's a combination of meeting kids where they are if they need enrichment or if they need educational support," James said. "We are constantly looking at data every week, and it's fluid, especially our students that are in support classes — if they're showing growth and they're able to maintain that, then we pull that support away to see if they can maintain that on their own." The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has presented Irving Elementary School, Minnequa Elementary and Sunset Park Elementary School with 'Center of Excellence" awards — an honor bestowed upon schools with at-risk populations of at least 75% that demonstrate significant longitudinal growth. "It's always inspiring to see schools leading the way with innovative approaches and a deep commitment to their students,' CDE Commissioner Susana Córdova said in a Pueblo D60 news release. 'The awards for these schools remind us what's possible when educators, families, and communities work together to create meaningful opportunities for every learner.' Principals Jaime Schwab of Irving Elementary, Katie Harshman of Minnequa Elementary, and Amber Hertneky of Sunset Park Elementary accepted the Center of Excellence awards at Colorado State University's Spur campus on May 16. GOAL High School, a statewide alternative education campus founded in Pueblo, has received 2025 Denver Post Top Workplace Culture Excellence awards in three categories — "Culture Excellence," "Purpose & Values" and "Work-Life Flexibility." The awards were based on anonymous feedback from an employee engagement survey 'We are incredibly honored to receive these awards," GOAL CEO Constance Jones said in a news release. "Our staff's commitment to a positive and supportive environment enhances our mission. As a woman-led organization, we take immense pride in promoting leadership, diversity and inclusivity." Graduations: 2025 graduation season is here. Here's where ceremonies are happening in Pueblo Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@ Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Polis visits Skyview Middle, Pueblo schools get state awards and more
