The story of what is probably the most tragic Eighties musical act.

Nov 27, 2003
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Every so now and then a musical act shows up and has the world in the palm of their hand before vanishing completely and people wondering "What happened to them?" Today, I'd like to tell the story of one such act.

melandkimappleby.jpg

These are sisters Melany and Kimberly Appleby, who, for only two years, ruled the world as Mel and Kim.

So what was the story with them? Well, as these glamour shots will tell you in more words than I can, they started off as models, who were getting notoriety for their feistiness. Enter THESE three gentlemen.
Stock-Aitken-Waterman.jpg

Now Stock, Aitken, and Waterman have a lot to answer for, as they gave the world Kyleigh Minogue, Rick Astley and perhaps, the worst of them all SIMON COWELL! But all the same they are a prime example of a success story, they started their own label, came up with a winning formula and scored hit after hit after hit after hit, from 1984 to 1990. After which, New Jack Swing and Hip Hop took over as the dominant pop sound.

S.A.W. became aware of the ladies when hearing the demos the two had recorded, and brought in the two sisters to see if they would be good for their next project. They got the girls in the studio, where they proceeded to raise hell during the recording of what should have been their debut single "System."

But the next day they were informed that "System" would not be released, shocked by this development, the girls asked aloud if they had done something wrong. At which S.A.W. assured them that that was not the case. It was just that they figured that it would be more appropriate to have a first release which was as high energy as they themselves were, to be the first single.

Yeah, there's a reason why Stock, Aitken and Waterman were as successful as they were, they knew the scene, knew what was trending and they knew to strike when the iron was hot. In the US billboard charts, "Showing out" did moderately well, but it was number one hit in the dance and urban charts, not to mention over the whole world.

Seemingly overnight, the ladies became style icons and their album "F.L.M." a hot seller. A promotion tour was organized, and the girls started performing at chart shows, doing mimed versions of their songs. Again, putting their past as models to good use.

The follow-up to "Showing out", "Respectable" became their biggest hit and the song they're remembered for. Again, striking when the iron is hot, a music video was shot which placed the girls in New York, proving they were just as at home there as they were in their native London.


Now, pay close attention to Mel, the one with the Orange shirt, note how she isn't moving as fluently as Kim.

Prior to the video shoot, the ladies were in Japan, where Mel collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where she got a devastating diagnosis: Cancer and it was in too advanced a state to really do anything about it. Of course, they were in the middle of that said promotion tour and it came down to Kim to do appearances on her own on shows. Where the management brought out a story of Mel having fallen and broken her leg. Take in mind: late eighties, the tabloid press was ruthless, so everything was closely kept under tabs.

Mel did the video for "Respectable" but was in no condition to do the rest of the promotion tour, let alone do a full-blown live show, or a multiple dates tour. Which given their celebrity status wasn't too far a reach for them to do. People were eating out of their hands and wanted to see them onstage for real.

It was not to be, the following year, Mel told the truth and girls quietly faded from view.

She died in 1990 at only 23 years old.

So yeah, Mel and Kim, they showed up and vanished and all through a stroke of very bad luck.
 
That's a very interesting (and sad) story. I'd never heard of them until now.

Were they bigger in Europe than America? I don't recall hearing any of their songs on the radio here in the States.
Same here. Granted, the radio market here in Oklahoma was limited at best most of the time. (Thank goodness for college radio!) A sad story indeed.
 
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Every so now and then a musical act shows up and has the world in the palm of their hand before vanishing completely and people wondering "What happened to them?" Today, I'd like to tell the story of one such act.

melandkimappleby.jpg

These are sisters Melany and Kimberly Appleby, who, for only two years, ruled the world as Mel and Kim.

So what was the story with them? Well, as these glamour shots will tell you in more words than I can, they started off as models, who were getting notoriety for their feistiness. Enter THESE three gentlemen.
Stock-Aitken-Waterman.jpg

Now Stock, Aitken, and Waterman have a lot to answer for, as they gave the world Kyleigh Minogue, Rick Astley and perhaps, the worst of them all SIMON COWELL! But all the same they are a prime example of a success story, they started their own label, came up with a winning formula and scored hit after hit after hit after hit, from 1984 to 1990. After which, New Jack Swing and Hip Hop took over as the dominant pop sound.

S.A.W. became aware of the ladies when hearing the demos the two had recorded, and brought in the two sisters to see if they would be good for their next project. They got the girls in the studio, where they proceeded to raise hell during the recording of what should have been their debut single "System."

But the next day they were informed that "System" would not be released, shocked by this development, the girls asked aloud if they had done something wrong. At which S.A.W. assured them that that was not the case. It was just that they figured that it would be more appropriate to have a first release which was as high energy as they themselves were, to be the first single.

Yeah, there's a reason why Stock, Aitken and Waterman were as successful as they were, they knew the scene, knew what was trending and they knew to strike when the iron was hot. In the US billboard charts, "Showing out" did moderately well, but it was number one hit in the dance and urban charts, not to mention over the whole world.

Seemingly overnight, the ladies became style icons and their album "F.L.M." a hot seller. A promotion tour was organized, and the girls started performing at chart shows, doing mimed versions of their songs. Again, putting their past as models to good use.

The follow-up to "Showing out", "Respectable" became their biggest hit and the song they're remembered for. Again, striking when the iron is hot, a music video was shot which placed the girls in New York, proving they were just as at home there as they were in their native London.


Now, pay close attention to Mel, the one with the Orange shirt, note how she isn't moving as fluently as Kim.

Prior to the video shoot, the ladies were in Japan, where Mel collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where she got a devastating diagnosis: Cancer and it was in too advanced a state to really do anything about it. Of course, they were in the middle of that said promotion tour and it came down to Kim to do appearances on her own on shows. Where the management brought out a story of Mel having fallen and broken her leg. Take in mind: late eighties, the tabloid press was ruthless, so everything was closely kept under tabs.

Mel did the video for "Respectable" but was in no condition to do the rest of the promotion tour, let alone do a full-blown live show, or a multiple dates tour. Which given their celebrity status wasn't too far a reach for them to do. People were eating out of their hands and wanted to see them onstage for real.

It was not to be, the following year, Mel told the truth and girls quietly faded from view.

She died in 1990 at only 23 years old.

So yeah, Mel and Kim, they showed up and vanished and all through a stroke of very bad luck.

Always interested in your posts Blaze. Thank you. Tragic story. She only lived to be 23.

I’ve never heard of them. But I certainly like them more than that Astley guy.
 
Every so now and then a musical act shows up and has the world in the palm of their hand before vanishing completely and people wondering "What happened to them?" Today, I'd like to tell the story of one such act.

melandkimappleby.jpg

These are sisters Melany and Kimberly Appleby, who, for only two years, ruled the world as Mel and Kim.

So what was the story with them? Well, as these glamour shots will tell you in more words than I can, they started off as models, who were getting notoriety for their feistiness. Enter THESE three gentlemen.
Stock-Aitken-Waterman.jpg

Now Stock, Aitken, and Waterman have a lot to answer for, as they gave the world Kyleigh Minogue, Rick Astley and perhaps, the worst of them all SIMON COWELL! But all the same they are a prime example of a success story, they started their own label, came up with a winning formula and scored hit after hit after hit after hit, from 1984 to 1990. After which, New Jack Swing and Hip Hop took over as the dominant pop sound.

S.A.W. became aware of the ladies when hearing the demos the two had recorded, and brought in the two sisters to see if they would be good for their next project. They got the girls in the studio, where they proceeded to raise hell during the recording of what should have been their debut single "System."

But the next day they were informed that "System" would not be released, shocked by this development, the girls asked aloud if they had done something wrong. At which S.A.W. assured them that that was not the case. It was just that they figured that it would be more appropriate to have a first release which was as high energy as they themselves were, to be the first single.

Yeah, there's a reason why Stock, Aitken and Waterman were as successful as they were, they knew the scene, knew what was trending and they knew to strike when the iron was hot. In the US billboard charts, "Showing out" did moderately well, but it was number one hit in the dance and urban charts, not to mention over the whole world.

Seemingly overnight, the ladies became style icons and their album "F.L.M." a hot seller. A promotion tour was organized, and the girls started performing at chart shows, doing mimed versions of their songs. Again, putting their past as models to good use.

The follow-up to "Showing out", "Respectable" became their biggest hit and the song they're remembered for. Again, striking when the iron is hot, a music video was shot which placed the girls in New York, proving they were just as at home there as they were in their native London.


Now, pay close attention to Mel, the one with the Orange shirt, note how she isn't moving as fluently as Kim.

Prior to the video shoot, the ladies were in Japan, where Mel collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where she got a devastating diagnosis: Cancer and it was in too advanced a state to really do anything about it. Of course, they were in the middle of that said promotion tour and it came down to Kim to do appearances on her own on shows. Where the management brought out a story of Mel having fallen and broken her leg. Take in mind: late eighties, the tabloid press was ruthless, so everything was closely kept under tabs.

Mel did the video for "Respectable" but was in no condition to do the rest of the promotion tour, let alone do a full-blown live show, or a multiple dates tour. Which given their celebrity status wasn't too far a reach for them to do. People were eating out of their hands and wanted to see them onstage for real.

It was not to be, the following year, Mel told the truth and girls quietly faded from view.

She died in 1990 at only 23 years old.

So yeah, Mel and Kim, they showed up and vanished and all through a stroke of very bad luck.



The tabloid press were utterly grotesque.

I remember when the stories of her having "broken her leg" were circulating, and the paparazzi were climbing over her garden wall to get photos of her topless sunbathing - she caught sight of them and fled indoors, and they printed stories mocking her "haircut".

Then the cancer diagnosis was revealed (presumably they just decided to get ahead of the story, having had her privacy stolen from her).

My memory was that she pretty much disappeared not long after that, and it was long before the sad news was announced (which I would have said was '88 / '89 - I'm surprised it was as late as '90 - she was 23).

Nowadays I have huge respect for Pete Waterman, and really enjoy his output as a TV personality (he's really into model railway - who knew that would make for good TV?), but at the time I utterly hated what S.A.W. were inflicting upon us, and the way they were reshaping, and dominating 80's pop music....


..Mel & Kim were the exception (a guilty pleasure for me, and most of my Heavy Metal loving buddies) - F.L.M. was a really fun party album, and their tightly focused FM synth bass was utterly awesome.


They were the biggest, most exciting pop act in the U.K. at the time, so it's something of a shock to learn they were barely known in America (if TalkBass members are at all representative).
 
These are sisters Melany and Kimberly Appleby, who, for only two years, ruled the world as Mel and Kim.

I'd never heard of them until now.
Never heard of 'em.
Did not know their music
I’ve never heard of them.

Interesting use of the phrase "ruled the world" :eyebrow:
I too had never heard of them, nor any of their music.
But cool story, so thanks for that.
 
Mel & Kim were HUGE in Australia. Achieved #1 on the billboard chart & played often on the radio & by DJ’s in night clubs.





BTW, Rick Astley’s cousin was the guitarist in one of my former bands. Rick had him as a guest artist for two songs when he performed in Sydney many years ago.
 
The tabloid press were utterly grotesque.

I remember when the stories of her having "broken her leg" were circulating, and the paparazzi were climbing over her garden wall to get photos of her topless sunbathing - she caught sight of them and fled indoors, and they printed stories mocking her "haircut".

Then the cancer diagnosis was revealed (presumably they just decided to get ahead of the story, having had her privacy stolen from her).

My memory was that she pretty much disappeared not long after that, and it was long before the sad news was announced (which I would have said was '88 / '89 - I'm surprised it was as late as '90 - she was 23).

Nowadays I have huge respect for Pete Waterman, and really enjoy his output as a TV personality (he's really into model railway - who knew that would make for good TV?), but at the time I utterly hated what S.A.W. were inflicting upon us, and the way they were reshaping, and dominating 80's pop music....


..Mel & Kim were the exception (a guilty pleasure for me, and most of my Heavy Metal loving buddies) - F.L.M. was a really fun party album, and their tightly focused FM synth bass was utterly awesome.


They were the biggest, most exciting pop act in the U.K. at the time, so it's something of a shock to learn they were barely known in America (if TalkBass members are at all representative).
Waterman also likes real trains and I believe is a patron of the National Railway Museum in York, a place I've gigged, although the acoustics are far from ideal.
 
TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
UK
[1]
AUS
[18]
BEL
(FLA)

[26]
FRA
[27]
GER
[19]
IRE
[28]
NED
[20]
NZ
[22]
SWI
[29]
US
[30]
US Dance
[2]
"Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)"19863121181181781F.L.M.
"Respectable"198711114121111

So they did pretty well in a number of countries, even the USA dance charts. Everywhere but Ireland. That's only the English speaking world plus places that speak English better than those in England like The Netherlands :). So I don't know about India. I'm not sure how many British and US acts do well in India or China or Nigeria or Brazil. But apparently 'Respectable' got to number 2 in South Africa.
 
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Why do people bother to write "never heard of them"?
Just Ignore these people. They demonstrably have nothing of value to contribute. I don’t even give them the time of day.

If they really bother you, click on their profile -> more options -> Ignore. This feature has made TB a much more worthwhile experience for me.