|
Newspaper clips about Kimberley Walsh and Girls Aloud
Popstars Tour Cancelled
A joint tour by pop acts Girls Aloud and One True Voice has been called off because of poor ticket sales.
The groups, manufactured by the TV show Popstars: The Rivals, had expected to perform 12 shows together.
Girls Aloud manager Louis Walsh said the association with their less successful boy band rivals had been "letting them down".
He said: "They were meant to be touring with One True Voice and the others from the programme, but it wasn't selling, nobody was buying the tickets."
The tour had been scheduled to start in March, taking in major venues including London's Wembley Arena and Birmingham NEC.
'Doing brilliantly'
Walsh, who took Girls Aloud to the Christmas number one spot with Sound of the Underground, said his group would now tour alone later in the year. He said: "Girls Aloud are doing brilliantly and they don't need to be supported by anyone else.
"The association with the boys was letting them down. The boys are not looking good at all."
He said the girls were "absolutely delighted" by their success and claimed they would also sell well overseas.
Soundly beaten
One True Voice, who are managed by pop stalwart Pete Waterman, reached number two with their single Sacred Trust.
But they were soundly beaten in terms of sales by Girls Aloud, who stayed at number one for four weeks.
Girls Aloud lost the position to another made-for-TV act - Fame Academy's David Sneddon.
The group also made headlines when 19-year-old singer Cheryl Tweedy was arrested after being accused of assaulting a nightclub toilet attendant.
She was released without charge on police bail.
Not Aloud to be lazy
ONLY yesterday I predicted that one or both of the Popstars: The Rivals bands will be history by the end of the year. And just two days into 2003, my forecast seems to be coming true.
Cracks are appearing in GIRLS ALOUD after NADINE COYLE was told to get her act together or she will be out of the TV shows winning girl band. And it is not their only crisis, SARAH HARDING is suffering from exhaustion.
Gorgeous brunette Nadine was given her official warning by boss LOUIS WALSH for continually oversleeping and keeping the rest of the band waiting for interviews and personal appearances. He is furious at her unprofessionalism and lack of respect for the rest of the band, Sarah, CHERYL TWEEDY, NICOLA ROBERTS and KIMBERLEY WALSH.
One music insider told me: Nadine has been given a harsh telling off. Louis has told her she has to buck up her ideas if she is to work in this profession. She is quite lazy and even refused to get out of bed some days.
The girls non-stop tour to promote debut single Sound Of The Underground meant very early starts and late finishes. Nadine often refused to pull her weight though the other girls struggled on and fulfilled all their commitments. My source added: The worse thing about all this is that it has caused a rift between Nadine and the other girls. They have said that they feel like they are carrying her. Winning a place in this band was a dream for so many applicants and Nadine was very lucky to make it. Yet now she is there she seems to think she can sit back and take it easy but the hard work is just beginning she needs to get herself together if she wants to stay in the band.
Nadines warning came after the girls had won the race to be the Christmas No1. The group embarked on an intense week-long nationwide promotional tour as they battled it out with the boys winning band from the telly show, ONE TRUE VOICE. It paid off as Girls Aloud thrashed the boys in terms of singles sold. Theirs shifted 213,000 copies compared with the lads figures of just 147,000 for their track, Sacred Trust. But the gruelling schedule took its toll, with Nadine not the only one feeling the strain of the reality pop fame game.
Blonde beauty Sarah has been ordered to take a break for two weeks after the strain and stress of her sudden fame became too much for her. She is said to be totally exhausted.
Girls Aloud manager Louis Walsh said: "I only knew John through his work with Girls Aloud but I really liked him.
"He was a lovely bloke and really professional."
A Staffordshire police spokesman said there were no other vehicles involved in the accident, which happened on the A5013 near junction 14 of the M6.
He was unable to give details of how the crash happened.
But there have been reports that Mr McMahon, who was in his mid-40s, was flung through a side window of his Chrysler estate car as it hit a telegraph poll at about 9pm.
In a statement, the band's record label Polydor said: "On behalf of the girls and Polydor, we are truly shocked and upset by the tragic loss of someone we all adored and loved. Our thoughts are with John's family".
The car involved in the tragedy was not the one used to transport the band around the UK on their hectic promotional tour.
"Girls Aloud don't sing" says Waterman
As the battle between One True Voice and their rivals of the fairer sex, Girls Aloud, descends into name-calling, the boys' manager Pete Waterman has accused the girls of not singing on their single.
Waterman claimed that the released version of Girls Aloud's 'Sound Of The Underground'' is actually sung by professional session singers as opposed to the ladies themselves. "Their record's a smashing pop record, there's no question," said big Pete, "but they're not on it."
"I've had that record since September. The version I got in September is no different, It's just got four other girls' voices on. Just listen to it," he added, "listen to the choruses, they're session singers."
His accusations surfaced as it was revealed that Girls Aloud lead the race to the hallowed Christmas top spot by, at the last count, almost 20,000 copies.
One man who definitely isn't giving any credence to Waterman's accusations is Louis Walsh, manager of Girls Aloud. Louis, who also manages Westlife and Samantha Mumba, said there was no truth to the allegation. "He is a liar!" Walsh barked. "I want everyone to know that Pete Waterman is a liar. The girls do sing on their record."
"You're an old man at the end of your career," added Louis as a message to Waterman. "Go out on top, go out and go out peacefully and don't try and make these five girls into something they're not. You know they're going to get the Christmas No 1."
Girls Aloud slam One True Voice for 'tarty' comments
Girls Aloud have hit back at One True Voice for saying they couldn't sing or dance and they looked tarty.
Cheryl, Nicola, Kimberley, Nadine and Sarah were also angry after the boys publicity tore up their promotion posters in London.
The Popstars bands have resorted to a war of words as competition for the Christmas number one hots up.
The girls song, Sound Of The Underground, is currently outselling the boys' Sacred Trust.
Cheryl told The Sun: "We're upset. Saying we can't sing or dance is rubbish - we proved ourselves in front of eight million people each week.
"And to call us tarts is outrageous."
Nadine added: "Everyone says girls are bitchy but the guys are doing all the bitching. But that won't stop us."
Bookies make Girls Aloud 2003 christmas favourites
Bookmakers William Hill have installed Girls Aloud as favourites for the Christmas top spot in 2003.
A spokesman for the bookmakers says it's the earliest they've ever opened a book on the festive number one.
The girls are 6/1 to win the Christmas chart battle in 2003.
One True Voice and Fame Academy's David Sneddon are joint second at odds of 7/1.
Hills have also announced they've stopped taking bets on this year's number one: "We have already built up a hefty liability if Girls Aloud are the winners and we don't want to be picked off by people who know more then we do about sales of the records" said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe.
One True Voice hit out at 'no talent' Girls Aloud
One True Voice have attacked Girls Aloud claiming they've got "no talent".
The two Popstars bands are locked in a battle for the Christmas number one on Sunday.
At the moment, the girls song, Sound Of The Underground, is ahead of the boys' Sacred Trust.
"The girls are trying everything they can to get to number one but they haven't got the talent," says Keith.
"The fight is far from over. Even if they have got a slight lead, they've still got a big fight on their hands."
"The girls can't sing live. They can't harmonise," claims Daniel. "When they tried to record their single for SM:TV, they were so bad they ended up miming."
Kimberley and boyfriend to be the next Posh and Becks
Martin Pemberton could be the next David Beckham, says his popstar girlfriend Kimberley Walsh.
The 26-year-old Stockport County midfielder has been dating the singer for two years and their relationship could be set to enter the realm of celebrity couples.
Walsh is into the last nine of Popstars: The Rivals, with a record contract the prize for the final five.
"We have a laugh about our relationship. It's quite corny, a footballer and a pop star - although I'm not a star yet," she told The Sun.
We even have a giggle about being the next Victoria and David Beckham."
With fellow contestant Nadine Coyle dating Charlton Athletic's Neil McCafferty, the series is in danger of turning into a Footballers Wives spoof, as Kimberley concedes.
"Me and Nadine giggle that we could become as awful as the footballer's wives from the telly series, she said.
But we'd have to smother ourselves in fake tan and dye our hair extra blonde to get anywhere near them - and that's just not us.
"We're not glamorous at all, you should see us slobbing about in our pyjamas." |
