Hell HAS frozen over: Shakespear's Sister reuniting

It better be good!!

I can never hear Shakespear's Sister and not remember this.....

It was a very acrimonious breakup. If I remember correctly, Siobhan basically told everyone that Marcella was ditched while on the stage receiving a Brit award or something like that. Though, lately, there have been reports that they were seen together and their record company just reactivated their Insta page.

They’re History.

Siobhan can still write a pretty good electro pop tune so, with Marcella on board, this may actually yield something surprisingly good. Of course, it'll do shit commercially but it would be cool to see them perform at a smaller venue.

R3 Yes, Marcy found out indirectly.

Then again, Siobhan was a mess at that time - apparently Dave Stewart did a number on her mental state.

Marcy is 66 and Siobhan is 60, so this might also just be a big ole "let's fluff the retirement account" money grab. I think that all the possible money to be had from Bananarama has already been milked from it, and they look like mutton dressed as lamb prancing around on stage as if the 80s never left.

Siobhan and Dave's kids are in this band.

Lead singer and, I think, the short guitarist.

R2: God bless you! I was thinking the EXACT same thing!

Catholics and their good and evil, god v.s. devil symbology. They REALLY need to get the hell over that.

Also, this song is a trainwreck.

It’ll suck!

Who asked for this?

The desperation for money is not hell freezing over

Hold the phone R3 - Shakespeare's Sister actually HAD an Instagram page?

That old forgotten act that nobody gives a shot about?

R8 It was SO savage, they nailed both Marcy and Siobhan too on the nose! Loved it, though!

R19 is the only person who is wanting this.

Would R19 please post on we know what R16 is talking about?

I hated "stay with me" back in '92 and hate it more now. Back then all the girls at my school loved it. But looking at it now it's cheesy and the song is frighteningly poor.

I'm sure i'm in the minority but i love Stay.

Stay is a great song. Sacred Heart and Hormonally Yours are excellent albums.

Happy for Siobhan. It was so stupid that Keren and Sara from Bananarama didn't want to keep going as a trio. Siobhan brings so much to the group.

But I think she's better off with Marcy.

I can’t believe the Bananarama girls are entering their sixties.

[quote] Happy for Siobhan. It was so stupid that Keren and Sara from Bananarama didn't want to keep going as a trio. Siobhan brings so much to the group.

Love both Bananarama and Shakespear's Sister, as well as a lot of solo stuff Siobhan did after that. I think that, musically, in 2019, Siobhan would have much more room to do what she wants to do with Marcella than with Keren and Sara. The latter two are obviously happy to do dance pop and the new album is very good at delivering exactly that, but, listening to it, I just can't see how Siobhan would fit into that with her darker, more electro-based leanings.

I found them very creepy.

My drama queen self was obsessed with I Believe in my early teens

Their fan is thrilled!!!!!

Is stay their only hit?

You’re History got lots of airplay in Canada back then.

I loved it.

Shakespears Sister is awesome! Fuck, first Bananarama, then ABBA, now this??! WTF is going on?? Next it'll be The Smith. lmao

Even Cathy Dennis is back to performing.

[quote]Next it'll be The Smith. lmao

Just the one, dear?

Wow, they were absolutely TERRIBLE on Graham Norton.

Siobhan must really be working the 12 Steps, especially #9.

R30 It started out really rough, but I felt it got better as it progressed. After not performing it for 27 years, it could have been a lot worse. I'm hoping they'll do what Bananarama did last year and announce some North American dates after they do their U.K. tour.

Marcella had certainly performed it since the split...

R33 I meant together. Siobhan was performing it with Keren and Sara on the Bananrama tour last year.

Ok... but Siobhan mostly moved her lips to a track. Marcy can still pull out some high notes but it's clear she has holes in her range - it's not surprising, isn't she well on her way to 70?

Love Bananarama’s first two albums and look, but absolutely ADORE Siobhan’s solo work! Forget Stay, she has so many better songs:

1. Electric Moon

2. Run Silent

3. Sacred Heart

4. Heroine

5. You’re History

6. Goodbye, Cruel

7. I Don’t Care

8. The Older Sister

9. Guilt-Edged

10. After All

11. A Christmas Number One

12. A Loaded Gun

13. Was it Something I Said?

14. Pulsation

Oh and 15. The Darling Symphony

Everybody I know is excited for this reunion. Of course they were huge in the UK.

It looks like Marcy changed her mind

And speaking of changing minds this should have been a massive hit

"I Don't Care" is my favorite song of theirs. And it was on the January 1994 GAP In-Store Playlist!

I also love the Razormaid Remix of "Break My Heart!"

I BLEED FOR YOU!!!

R35 I read earlier that she's 66. R42 You can generally not go wrong with a Razormaid remix. Their first two albums were pretty much perfection in my book.

My bowels ache!

I don't care if you act like a queen!

And I don't care if you take it out on me!

I also loved this, which Pussycat Dolls later mashed up with "Hot Stuff" and had a hit. I hope Siobhan made decent money off their version.

You almost have to feel sorry for Siobhan and her state of mind.

She left Bananarama because it was mentally exhausting being the third wheel when Sara and Keren were best friends and decided everything together.

So she created Shakespear's Sister and everyone wrote her off or made an assumption that Dave Stewart was doing all the creative work. The first Break My Heart single was a flop but a curious oddity but she carried on working on the album with Marcy as a session artist.

Then You're History became a hit and suddenly no one was talking about Dave but Marcy was clearly promoted as half of Shakespear's Sister. Despite the cover of the Sacred Heart album just being a photo of Siobhan, it wasn't Siobhan's band, it was her and Marcy's. The follow up single Run Silent was remixed and Marcy was added to the mix to make her far more prominent. It always made me laugh how Marcy appeared in the video peering over Siobhan's shoulder.

There was agreement that Marcy would be a full member for the second album which must have got on Siobhan's tits. The first single Goodbye Cruel World was excellent and had one of the best videos ever with its Citizen Baby Jane Boulevard video but when Stay was released you could just see Siobhan's fragile ego melting. Siobhan was relegated to a guest appearance in her biggest hit. The Mary Whitehouse Experience clip was 60 seconds of absolutely viciousness but summed up the general feeling about the song. Siobhan's dislike of Stay reminds me of Vicki Peterson's response to Eternal Flame. "It's a great song - Whitney Houston could have a massive hit with it? Why are The Bangles recording it?"

After a hit album and a run of singles SS came to and end. Marcy was nominated for a Brit Award for Best International Newcomer after the success of I Believe (she lost to Lisa Loeb) and did her Elton John duet and did lots of cowriting for other artists. Marcy was amazing on Pop Star To Opera Star.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall for the rehearsals.

Marcy on Pop Star to Opera Star.

It's a crime she didn't win. Can only imagine Siobhan ran up a massive phone bill voting for Bernie Nolan

Marcella is so distinctive on "Lay Down Sally."

I feel bad how everyone makes fun of Siobhan for Stay. But Stay was kind of ridiculous.

I loved Sacred Heart. Was working at a music store when it came out, and we actually had a version of the old "listening booth" for people to listen to new music (a kiosk with headphones). I fell in love with both Sacred Heart and Lenny Kravitz's debut album Let Love Rule listening to them this way and bought them, despite the fact that I was making $4.50/hr. Mariah Carey made her debut at the same time; it was a pretty cool era in music.

Sacred Heart was probably the strongest song on the first album that wasn't released as a single. The backing vocals by Londonbeat (then signed to Dave Stewart's Anxious records) were sublime.

This mix isn't very good but Marcy's intro just shows what she added to Siobhan's output.

Pulsatron was fun.

Siobhan has quite a limited voice, though. And Marcy's solo career has been.mostly a bust. Neither should be jealous of the other. Will Siobhan's kids be their support act on tour?

[quote]Sacred Heart was probably the strongest song on the first album that wasn't released as a single. The backing vocals by Londonbeat (then signed to Dave Stewart's Anxious records) were sublime.

Fuck me, I love Londonbeat. Sha-pow-pow!

God, that song was huge in 1989/90, at least in Europe. I remember going from liking it to hating it with a fiery passion since MTV Europe seemed to play it every 10 minutes.

R19 I loved Stay and still love it. Everybody loved it, even the lying oldfucks who deny it here in 2019.

I still prefer Sacred Heart to Hormonally Yours, although I think they're both great albums. "Heroine", "Break My Heart', "You're History", "Sacred Heart", "Run Silent", "Dirty Mind". So many fantastic songs.

The weird thing with Hormonally Yours is that Stay is not representative of what the album sounds like. It kind of overpowers the album because it was so huge at the time, but I do appreciate I Don't Care, Are We in Love Yet?, Hello Turn Your Radio On.

They only had one hit though? Way back? That’s official they’re headlining next years Coachella.

If she's less fragile these days, Siobhan needs to do what Stevie Nicks has done - meaning, stay on with the group that made her famous, and still pursue her solo work.

Since there was some initial talk of a possible Bananarama trio album after the tour, even though that didn't happen, it would indicate that Karen and Sara would be open to her rejoining.

I think Keren and Sara didn't want to continue with Siobhan. K & S enjoy being a duo, and they've been one since 92/93.

There was a goodbye video to fans where Siobhan made it clear they were not reuniting. Personally I think Siobhan wanted to continue and make new music but the old patterns (K&S versus Siobhan) re-emerged.

That is just sad. I was under the impression that they called her to return in the first place, at least for the tour, then a possible album.

I never had the impression that it was Siobhan vs the other two, at least in the limited interviews I have seen.

If it really is two vs one, and not a case of Siobhan being mentally too fragile to reintegrate, then those two girls are stupid.

None of the three will ever achieve, in divisions of one or two, what all three could have again.

[quote] Then again, Siobhan was a mess at that time - apparently Dave Stewart did a number on her mental state.

Oh yes because it definitely cannot be her own doing but her husband's. Judging by her behavior she was a cunt all by herself. But I guess it's easier for the fans to blame it all on someone else.

The Dave Stewart being a bastard stories are out there.

And the Siobhan being fragile stories are out there.

There's no reason to doubt R6.

Happier times.

Did everyone know Siobhan's Sister was Eileen?

And Marcy's husband Lance (first left) was like TOTALLY a Prima Donna in his youth.

Stay was No.1 for about six years here in the UK.

Run Silent is my favorite from Sacred Heart. Siobhan looked her loveliest here.

That shoe polish black hair has never done her any favors.

Why do British acts lampoon SS so much?

I'm guessing it had to do with it being Siobhan's "serious artist" phase, which she followed up, seemingly immediately, with a breakup/breakdown.

It seems that the common factor of David Stewart, Marcia Detroit and Bananarama doing fragile Siobhan wrong is Siobhan.

I like her style. She looks cool for a mature chick, but doesn't look ridiculous like Madonna.

I thought Bananarama became a duo because Siobahn did not like the direction they were going, particularly with the WOW! album-not a Keren and Sarah vs. Siobahn situation.

Well, I think it was the record label who wanted Bananarama to continue as a trio. So that's why we got Jacquie O'Sullivan for the Greatest Hits and Pop Life albums. It was kind of odd that Jacquie joined during GH because Siobhan's face was on the cover and the album was essentially celebrating the Siobhan years with a new track (Love, Truth and Honesty) added and I believe they re-did the vocals for I Want You Back and Nathan Jones from the WOW! period with Jacquie's voice.

I think Keren and Sara wanted to remain a duo but went with the label. Jacquie has said she was not involved in creative decisions. She lasted a few years (about '88 to '92

By '93, Bananarama was a duo and Jacquie was gone.

It's interesting that Siobhan didn't like the SAW direction the group was going since it was Siobhan herself who introduced SAW to Bananarama. But I completely understand why Siobhan would have issues with them. SAW didn't like input from artists and Bananarama, in particular, Siobhan, was very vocal.

R75 r76. Agreed.

Never saw this as Keren/Sara vs Siobhan.

I saw on another site that Siobhan wanted to continue with new music after the reunion. The tidbit was posted by someone who works in the industy (verified).

Siobhan has spoken herself about being the third wheel. It wasn't just SAW etc.

Speaking of Jacquie, she's coming back with new music soon.

I don't want to make it sound like Keren and Sara are two bitches against Siobhan but I think it's the fact that Keren and Sara have been lifelong friends and they seem to have the same ideas and values on how to run Bananarama and more specifically, as a duo. I think they are more content just putting out an album with some decent songs and touring, whereas I think Siobhan is much more creative and introspective. But I think that's what makes the three of them work so well together. Siobhan is really the spark that makes them work.

The rumour is they did record a new song as a trio but it was shelved because apparently it's not very good. But not sure if that's even true. I think it's a shame they didn't capitalize on the reunion with a new album. I think the duo's new album could have used Siobhan. It's a bit faceless in my opinion.

It could have used more MKS.

Thoughts?

Love the song and the video is perfection!

Love the song. It sounds like something Tarantino would use on a soundtrack (it's a compliment).

You can hear the strain in their voices, but it works for the song.

R85 I thought the same thing about a soundtrack. Had a western-ish vibe to it. I hope this mini reunion is successful and they add some North American dates. The Bananarama show last year was a fun night.

[quote]Siobhan is much more creative and introspective. But I think that's what makes the three of them work so well together. Siobhan is really the spark that makes them work.

^^^^THIS

Interview.

Excellent interview. I still sense some tension and uneasiness especially around the Ivor incident.

I can't say that I buy Siobhan's reading of the Ivor Novello "firing". If the "farewell" was mischaracterised by the media, Siobhan could have reached out to Marcy in some capacity (postcard?) to clarify her intention in making the statement that was read out.

Ignoring Marcy's email(s) also plants the seed that the reunion was somewhat prompted by her almost dismissal from recording with Bananarama. If not quite a two fingers to K&S... it does seem precipitated by it.

Word amongst the fans is that Sara was the one who "squashed" a new trio album. I think it was a matter of splitting the royalties three ways, personally. The new Nanas album sucks anyway (apart from Love in Stereo), so Siobhan was probably better off putting her energy into a new SS project.

I agree r91. I think the new Bananarama album sounds dated and tired, which is a shame because Drama and Viva were pretty good.

I think Keren and Sara just prefer being a duo.

I don't think that the new Bananarama album is *that* bad but it's pretty safe in a bland sort of way. Basically, it's: "we're gonna give the gays everything they want!" sort of an affair. As the duo, they've always seemed to tread very familiar territory, with "Drama" probably being the apex of that era of the band. But, "Drama" was very much the sound of its time and the pop world has moved on since 2005. I can enjoy the current album as a pleasant pop distraction but the sense is that want to play it extremely safe and hang onto their core audience without trying to be too adventurous.

Keren and Sara have been a duo since 1991. Having Siobhan back for the tour was obviously great for the fans and for them on a personal level but the mental effort to readjust and accommodate someone who is clearly high maintenance was the main factor.

As for not wanting to split the royalties, Keren and Sara are both minted. All those royalties, plus the Steps and Ace Of Base cash, and they lead relatively normal lives.

[quote]Word amongst the fans is that Sara was the one who "squashed" a new trio album.

If that's true, then it's not just a pity, it seems very odd, coming from her. I remember watching a BBC bio on the trio, and during the lengthy interview session, it was Sara who was clearly open, warm and affectionate toward the sad, quieter Siobhan.

What a perplexing bunch those three are.

It's not that surprising. Sara and Siobhan both like to write. Keren takes more of a backseat in that department.

If that's the case then I'd think they'd be a natural to write material together.

Been looking at the Theda Bara thread.

Is that who Siobhan's been copying all these years?

Siobhan is a force of nature and has been my spirit animal since Robert DeNiro's Waiting and I've always loved her whole Marianne-Faithful-as-a-glam-goth-hybrid, she has always been a solid writer (any of #3 or the MGA stuff shows she's comfortable with her darker instincts) and Marcy is an insanely talented performer with a resume most artists would probably kill for - that they bring out the best in each other and have finally cleared their air means I just might get my rock version of Grace & Frankie after all.

Creative types need some sort of counterpoint who keeps them grounded and, well, commercial so that they can keep living off their creative output (like, say, releasing commercial singles and deliver creative album and B-Side tracks).

I think the only music artist who is really successful on her own is probably Enya who is charge of almost everything and doesn't give a shit about pressure to release new stuff every month to stay relevant.

[quote]Creative types

Siobhan

[quote]need some sort of counterpoint

Keren, Sara

[quote]who keeps them grounded

Um 101, Marcy is a better writer and partner, even with all the shit that has gone down between them.

Keren & Sara's best new track, the Sugababes/MKS one, came via Siobhan, who knew other Siobhan (Donaghy) and gave them her number.

So there's that.......

Love the new song!

R102 fine, but I don't see Marcy as grounded in the same way the other two seem to be.

Not saying she isn't a suitable writing partner.

Why would Fahey, who likes to write, hook up Keren & Sara with a song to cover, for a project that was mostly done before the reunion tour?

They've said themselves that Richard X played them the track. He rang up Siobhan Donaghy, who in turn rang Keisha Buchanan. In 30 minutes, the track was Bananarama's.

How are the other two grounded? In a recent interview, Sara claimed to be quite a good singer...

Yes, grounded. And pragmatic. The duo have managed to release a number of albums and maintain a friendship, as opposed to the more artistic, introspective, but ulimately less stable and grounded Siobhan.

It's not a value judgement on any of them, I'm just saying that's why the trio works. One element balances the other.

Despite the notorious drinking (Jennifer Saunders used Sara & Keren’s partying as inspiration for Patsy and Edina) and the inevitable drug use, Sara and Keren haven’t had any problems with addictive or abusive behaviour.

Despite the end of Keren’s 25 year relationship with Andrew Ridgley there have been no tawdry kiss and tell affairs, their kids are both normal (Sara daughter Alice is an aspiring singer but hasn’t done the reality circuit) and they’re still best friends.

Fun fact: the man in the Stay video is the father of Keren’s son Thomas.

R102 While I liked Jewel by Marcella, Siobhan’s solo work is brilliant. The MGA Sessions is absolutely glorious. Some of the best SS tracks, like A Loaded Gun and The Older Sister, were written without MD.

Here’s the first new SS. The other new song on the upcoming Singles Party is called “C U Next Tuesday,” a DL anthem if ever there was one!

The eyeroll @ 2:38 over Marcy's "Stay" bit is fucking hilarious.

Sophie Muller is a genius.

They seemed to be addicted to... well, not even mediocrity.

They = K&S

R111, yes! My favorite part! And they both look pretty fucking great. Siobhan has amazing style, always did.

The motif where earlier incarnations of the two return to complicate matters is very similar to Muller's work on Annie Lennox's "Little Bird", where she is faced with eight of her out of control former personae.

Good point, R115.

Regardless, I am charmed as fuck by them and really am looking forward to more.

'Stay' was popular when many of my friends were dying so I sort of stayed (see what I did there) away from SS' music but it's interesting to revisit it. Siobahn looks a little like Jessica Lange.

Whoa I thought they would take this feud to the grave 😮

i thought they were dull.

There simply can be no way that they are now, or were ever, dull.

The new video is a hoot.

R76, I remember seeing an old interview with Siobhan on YouTube a year or so ago, which took place just before the release of Break My Heart, and she talks there about how she hated that they would write a song with, say, a guitar riff, and it would always be created with computer samples rather than real instruments, and they had no say in the matter. She just seemed all around to want to go in a different direction musically.

I have their Greatest Hits album and it's really good, very cohesive, and even the stuff from the third album that I had never heard before is really enjoyable.

I feel pretty ignorant too, as I only discovered today that the spoken word part in "I Don't Care" is a reading of part of Edith Sitwell's poem "Hornpipe". I just thought it was Siobhan being "folksy/cutesy" (kinda like Dawn French's rendition: "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall..."). I thought that was cool to learn!

It's not technically a "feud" if it was just one person creating problems.

I listened to their first album for the first time ever last night. There is some very enjoyable stuff on there, though I would say "You're History" is definitely head and shoulders above the rest. I enjoyed this campy song at the end of the album.

Had a nice time listening to Hormonally Yours for the first time last night. Once again, it was enjoyable, not outstanding, but I can see myself revisiting it. I realise a lot of their music is generally good stuff, with a small number of standouts. The rest doesn't necessarily stand out, but usually has a nice hook in there every now and then.

A song that grabbed me, that I hadn't heard before, is this track below. I really like it. I's also where Tricky got his sample for "Overcome" from.

Thank you for that informative and interesting post, R47 (if you're still around). If Siobhan Fahey ever decides to write a memoir, I'd be happy to read it.