Mrs. T gave me Kylie’s new album “Golden” as a tongue in cheek wedding anniversary pressie – it’s been a running joke that I have had a mild crush on Kylie since decades ago which continues to amuse her. This all started when I heard “I should be so lucky” on the car radio when it was originally a hit and turned it off in disgust – the person I was with told me it’s the actress off “Neighbours” (which I had never seen). Fast forward to Thursday night – Top of The Pops. They show the video of ISBSL. I am utterly smitten. I don’t particularly like the song, but her delivery is perfect. Beyond perfect actually – watching it again now, not having seen it for years, it’s not obvious that this cute girl is going to be one of the biggest stars, like, ever, but she absolutely owns it and it’s almost impossible not to be won over.
Of course we all know the story – Kylie has a string of hits with SAW, goes indie and makes a more cutting edge dance/rock album with the Manic Street Preachers amongst others, falls in with more disreputable Aussie rock types like Nick Cave and Michael Hutchence, beats breast cancer, hoovers up awards and gongs, sends herself up and punches Simon Cowell on the nose in a Christmas special with sister Dannii, sells 85m albums and along the way it’s almost impossible to find anyone who doesn’t like her. You might not like her music, but there would have to be something fundamentally wrong with someone who doesn’t feel a slight lift in the heart if Kylie appears on the telly.
The interesting thing about Kylie is her work ethic. She’s pretty, with a decent voice, acts a bit, but this goes for many people and she’s seen pretty much all of them off. The difference is her undoubtable sunny charm, her ability to apply what she’s got in the right way and to work hard. She’s a feminist icon par excellence actually. She’s sold all those albums, been in films (none notable sadly), flogged clothes, perfume….work, work work. She’s aged well, doubtless had a bit of work but not so it shows too much and stays a bit more covered up these days but basically she seems to have stayed pretty much the same for all these years.
In the new CD there’s a flier for the current tour – enormodomes across the country. Obviously she’ll sell them all out, probably did last time she toured and will next time too. I very much doubt anyone could actually see her at Hyde Park – she’s so tiny you’d probably struggle to see her across a pub. But everyone I know who went said she was absolutely superb and filled the whole space with cheezy grin good vibes. I watched it on the telly and had a moment when Jason Donovan came on and the sang “Especially for you”. Shades of the great moment when Charlene married Scott in “Neighbours”. Just, umm, well, lovely.
Her latest album was partially written in “Nashville” and has banjos, acoustic guitars and other country flavours. It’s still a 4 on the floor dance album, but has some cracking tunes. I like it. A funny story from an interview with her was that they came to do the video for “Dancing” and the director asked the dancers to line dance – not only did they not know how to line dance, they couldn’t do it either. A local showed them the basics and they sort of did their version of it. But who cares about the dancers, when stage front is Kylie in rhinestones and sparkly cowboy boots. I mean, come on.
Bargepole says
Two icons together 😉
ruff-diamond says
Honestly, if you don’t have a HUGE smile on your face after watching that there’s no help for you. Pure pop gold.
Tiggerlion says
I absolutely get your love of Kylie. She is absolutely adorable. Live, she always puts on a great spectacle. She understands her limitations but exploits her strengths beautifully.
Ultimate Kylie is an all-time great Greatest Hits and some of her albums are well worth listening to all the way through, a few of them several times. I’m especially fond of Body Language, featuring sexy Kylie (watch the video for Slow if you dare).
I once bumped into Dannii in a record shop. She was promoting her latest single. She’d just finished and I went to the till to buy whatever. I had no idea who she was. It took me aback that this gorgeous looking young woman actually struck up a conversation with me. We exchanged pleasantries. She was completely unfazed that I clearly had no idea who she was. A minder took her away. That night, I saw her performing on the telly and it clicked. I can confirm that she is indeed very tiny but perfectly formed, just like her sister.
Twang says
I trust you’ve seen the Christmas Special? Comedy gold.
minibreakfast says
Her turn on Kath & Kim as the common-as-muck future version of Kim’s daughter is great.
davebigpicture says
My wife just binge watched these and this one was ace!
Look at me. Mini, look at me…..
Black Celebration says
That is brilliant – “the marriage is over – O.V.A.haitch”
“You’ve only been married an hour…”
Moose the Mooche says
Haitch! Haitch!
What is Haitch!
Gatz says
I think you overestimate what ‘we all know’ of her biography, but so far as I can see she’s a good thing and all power to her.
Paul Wad says
I’ve never had a thing about Kylie, but I’ve got to say she looks pretty damn sexy on the cover of her latest album. Almost awakens the remnants of my libido.
Junior Wells says
I guess it is a sign of the times that her magnificent arse, highlighted in video clips and performance,has not been mentioned.
The gay community absolutely love her.
I’ve never seen Neighbours despite being an Aussie and haven’t heard her records in yonks. I might just rectify that.
attackdog says
I am utterly indifferent to Ms Minogue, although I did like ‘Slow’ and those gold pants.
Otherwise I always wondered and sniggered at how someone named after a continence sheet could make it so big.
minibreakfast says
I bought a bootleg 12″ (at a car boot of course) that’s a mash up of Slow and ver League’s Don’t You Want Me. It’s awesome.
Black Celebration says
I agree with the OP but only started to like her after the first phase and the pop hits kept coming. Locomotion, IBSL and Especially for You were dreadful but then Step Back in Time, Hand on Your Heart, Better the Devil You Know were really good and then a bit later Spinning Around, Love at First Sight (which is a choooon) and Can’t Get You Out of My Head.
She’s now an adopted national treasure and she has worked hard to get there. In interviews, she gives nothing personal away but can be engaging and funny at the same time. An advocate for LGBT causes as well and has never appeared to give the remotest of shits how this may affect her “brand”. A good egg all round.
Franco says
Sorry to rudely barge into this Kylie love fest but her musical output was shit in the beginning, shit in the middle and remains heroically shit now. It is as it always was and will be….Shit.
attackdog says
Continence sheet?
Black Celebration says
@franco – glad you came along. I have now seen the light (or should I say *shite*) and it’s all thanks to you. Now that I hate Kylie -what should I listen to instead then?
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Who is this Franco, doesn’t he know I am Mr Bah Humbug? Mentioned on the other thread that Kylie in Brighton ranks as one of my best ever concerts. Live shows I have seen on tv look and sound tremendous, she has made some epic singles and she seems a really nice person. Tried a couple of times to listen to her LPs – can’t do it, no sir. Singles and concerts, that’s Kylie. And God Bless Her for that
Twang says
For every thread, a hater, Lodes. Next time.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
As long as my reputation as fair, open to everything and everybody and above all modest with it remains
Moose the Mooche says
Pluralist ponce.
Mike_H says
T-shirt slogan.
Wheldrake says
Anyone who can’t recognise Can’t Get You Out of My Head as one of the great pop songs frankly has their head up their bum.
bungliemutt says
Or their eyes on hers.
fentonsteve says
The 1994 self-titled album (the one with Confide in Me on) is great, and was much better than the Madge album (Bedtime Stories) of the time.
Where have 24 years gone?
Sniffity says
Thirty years ago, Kylie was a joke – “The Singing Budgie” was nothing but a Stock Aitken Waterman manipulated puppet…just barely talented, rumoured to be Rick Astley tapes sped up (or vice versa).
Then she started going out with Michael Hutchence, and blimey, never saw that one coming, don’t they seem to go well together, hmmm…
Then she went all SexKylie (as one of the magazines dubbed her) and phew, yes, well, maybe, but she’s possibly just trying to get above herself there, I mean really….
Then that LP with Confide In Me came out and I always thought she was really good, but just somehow forgot to mention it during the past seven years.
retropath2 says
What is this site coming to? Abba, Kylie in our once proud anachronism? Pshaw. Where’s yer mama gone, as the man said?
fentonsteve says
Two words: The Bangles.
{screen goes all wobbly, like in the fillums}
dai says
Kylie made a couple of good singles, Abba are in another stratosphere to the height challenged Aussie (barely a) singer.
Twang says
Who? Not been seen for decades.
Rufus T Firefly says
Exactly! Kylie’s a trouper (sp?), she’s very attractive and seems like a nice, if innocuous person. But that voice! Are you all deaf? It’s only when it’s drowned in a decent song (“Can’t get you out of my head” – that one) that it ceases to become truly obnoxious.
My work wife (I think this is a thing) went to see her last weekend, schlepping all the way to London from the Midlands. In the past her musical tastes have been unquestionable. This new development has made me seriously reconsider our relationship…
Gatz says
My work wife is a huge Ed Sheeran fan. We’re trying to overcome these differences and have resolved to stick together for the sake of the databases.
Rufus T Firefly says
I salute you. We are working on this new, shocking development. Frankly, I didn’t see it coming. Isn’t that often the case?
Gatz says
In retrospect her Hello Kitty mug and pencil case ought to have given me some kind of clue. It’s so easy to be wise with the benefit of hindsight.
Vulpes Vulpes says
We all love Kylie at Foxy Towers, and we know that if she dropped by for a cuppa we’d have a good natter, some belly laughs, and wave her off wishing she could have stayed a bit longer. Top woman.
Twang says
I always loved this one. Great video!
MC Escher says
Mmmm… four Kylies… *Homer Simpson drool*
Black Celebration says
Well worth referring to the “Fork Handles” sketch here and somehow shoehorning in a witty bon-mot. Sadly, I’m not yer man.
Wheldrake says
She’s great. Pure pop pleasure once she was released from the grip of SAW. I’ll not hear a word said against her. 🙂
Black Type says
I’m off to see her in October…I’m beyond excited.
Her Christmas show from a couple of years ago, broadcast on Sky Arts, is one of the most joyous spectacles I’ve ever seen.
Franco says
Christ! What the fuck is wrong with you all here? I feel like I’ve just stumbled into a gaggle of 12 year old girls pajama party. Grow up for Gods sake!
salwarpe says
I’ll be seeing her at the end of this month at the O2 – a 50th birthday present from my dear university friends – kinds of appropriate given that Kylie is the same as age (hence Golden, I guess).
It’s good to have some prep listening. That OP clip made me think she was channeling Dolly Parton (country influences, short, blonde, much-loved mainstream entertainer – it seems like a good fit).
And apparently, she was.
Nice one.
Franco says
BAH! I give up.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
I like your style, young (?) Franco. I assume you are the one person who bought my book “Tell It Like It Is You Wankers”?
ganglesprocket says
I think of Kylie, pretty much as I think of Sandie, Lulu and Cilla; a great wee pop star who can do other stuff, who we will be stuck with till her dying day, but that’s totally fine.
This song never gets mentioned, but I really like it. And channeling “Barbarella” in the video is totally cool with me…
Vulpes Vulpes says
Awesome thread, the very epitome of Afterwordacious crispicity.