- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.