91: Alexis Strum on pop justice for "Addicted" and "Cocoon" albums, plus Kylie and Rachel Stevens

The most comprehensive podcast episode dedicated to Billie Piper's music ever? We'd be tapped in every day and night, babe!  Depending on your walk of life, you may primarily know Billie Piper as the formidable actress, director and producer she is... or fondly recall meeting her first as a chart-dominating teen popstar of the early 2000s. Since the multi-million-selling "Honey To The B", the sensation from Swindon quickly became a major player in the British pop scene and the follow-up album was when things got super interesting. Joel and David get into Billie's defining second and final album (to date), "Walk of Life", which was released in 2000. Top tier producers and writers include Stargate, Eliot Kennedy (Spice Girls), Kara Dioguardi, Diane Warren and more! Among the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party and Smash Hits Tour of the time; we also dive into the singles, album highlights, b-sides, music videos, photo shoots and live performances that saw Billie shine like never before. Even, earning the title as "the UK's Britney". [Yes, we do get into the three different versions of 'Something Deep Inside']. This is a time capsule about coming of age, pop expression and a whole lot of fun! Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

Hush. Just. Stop. Pop fans, it’s absolutely time that we jumped back into the world of Britney on the podcast! We are travelling back to the year 2000, with location pins dropped from Mars to Miami, to celebrate Britney’s iconic second album “Oops!… I Did It Again” and its accompanying world tour, which saw her in the very same room as our very own Joel Babbington for the first time in London.  This massively successful, Diamond-certified teen-pop album marks an 18-year-old Britney Jean beginning to evolve after the industry-shifting success of her debut “…Baby One More Time”. Whether it was showcasing a fiercer image on ‘Stronger’ with video director Joseph Kahn, or painting a portrait of a trapped celebrity in ‘Lucky’ - it’s clear Britney has something to say. What U See (Is What U Get). From the commanding MTV VMA performance of her Rolling Stones cover ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ to the softer, sensual side of the Herb Ritts video for ‘Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know’; Joel and David are taking you on a deep-dive like no other of this era. (Apologies in advance for the Southern Belle impressions, y’all!) Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

We are delighted to be chatting with one of our all-time favourite British pop songwriters, Hannah Robinson. Over the past two decades; you would've no doubt had on repeat the tracks Hannah worked on. Many of which were hit singles and eternal pop fan favourites like 'Some Girls' and 'So Good' (Rachel Stevens), 'Bittersweet' and 'Me & My Imagination' (Sophie Ellis-Bextor), 'Chewing Gum' (Annie), 'You Won't Forget About Me' (Dannii Minogue), 'Love Never Loved Me' (Geri Halliwell) and more.  In this very special episode, Joel and David sit down with Hannah to chat about how she went from recording Steps covers to writing with Richard X, and the aforementioned 2000s pop icons.  She spills about the outrageous and unforgettable lyric from Geri Halliwell she rejected and their colourful sessions, a scandalous Frankie Bridge solo track, Nicola Roberts demos that were buried in the woods, and her career highs working with Lana Del Rey and Kylie! Undoubtedly the best "HR" meeting of our lives. Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected] Follow Hannah Robinson https://twitter.com/hazzarozza https://www.instagram.com/hazzarozzasongs/ 

In celebration of Kylie's "Body Language" album coming out on vinyl, your fun-loving 2000s pop explorers Joel and David are diving deep back into 2003 and 2004 to rediscover this iconique body of work.  This is one of Kylie's most underrated albums with plenty of fan-favourites, including hits like the chart-topper 'Slow', 'Red Blooded Woman' and 'Chocolate'. The sensual and confident mix of electro-pop and R&B really took Our Kylie to a new dimension.  Together, we revisit and discuss the music videos, photoshoots, album highlights, b-sides, promo performances, and that spectacular one-off "Money Can't Buy" show in London, later issued on DVD as "Body Language Live".  From "Kath & Kim" to Justin Timberlake, Britney, Dannii, Cat Deeley, Sean Paul, Ludacris, Ms Dynamite and Alexis Strum... what a truly unique mix of characters and nostalgia connected to the "Body Language" era!  Buckle up, baby, 'cause we're going from zero to 60 on this throwback ride! Let the games begin.  Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

We love a bit of pop justice, don't we?! And today we're fist-pumping through a ton of it in our bubbly and inspiring catch up with Alexis Strum, one of Britain's best kept pop secrets of the 2000s.  Kylie and Rachel Stevens recorded Alexis's songs, which became everlasting fan favourites. She has written with Billy Steinberg (Madonna, Cyndi Lauper), Brian Higgins and Richard X and yet, tragically, neither of her two major label albums ever saw the light of day... until 2023 when Alexis managed to get them released officially, two decades later.  At last, fans can enjoy "Addicted" and "Cocoon" - the two contrasting and sumptuous sides of Alexis Strum's 2000s output. "Addicted" - a self-dubbed "sexy, electro bitch" body of work - almost was her official debut. The once-lost album features 'Nothing Good About This Goodbye' (done with Xenomania, later released by Rachel Stevens) and 'Still Standing' (recorded by Kylie on her "Body Language" album). The following album, "Cocoon", presented a more authentic, singer-songwriter artiste - featuring the single 'Bad Haircut', 'World Without Your Love' and 'Go My Own Way'.  Joel and David find out how Alexis has navigated the ups and downs of being a popstar in the 2000s, how she has harnessed the power of social media to tell her story and re-written her narrative. This is an episode unlike any other!  Buy "Cocoon" here: https://slinky.to/Cocoon Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Alexis Strum https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisstrumofficial https://www.instagram.com/alexisstrum/  https://twitter.com/alexisstrum Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

Pour yourself a dirty martini and get ready to go from Girl Power to Flower Power as we celebrate 20 years of Emma Bunton's "Free Me" album. Widely recognised as one of the best solo Spice Girls albums, this iconic body of work - with its lush 60s pop, Motown and bossa nova influences - completely revamped Our Baby's career with four UK Top 20 hits: 'Free Me', 'Maybe', 'I'll Be There' and 'Crickets Sing For Anamaria'. From sexy Bond Girl vibes to cheeky cruise ship bops, Joel and David will be getting into the singles, music videos, photoshoots, album highlights, live performances and b-sides for a complete, all-inclusive celebration of this Emma era! This year also marks 30 years of Spice Girls' formation, so if you'd like some more 2000s solo Spice episodes... you better tell us what you want. What you really, really want. Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

"Face to face, it's Murder on The Dancefloor. Cut to the chase, just give us what we came for!" Pop fans, we hear you loud and clear. It's a new year and the dawn of the Sophiessance Age! Joel and David are jumping in that time machine with the dials set for 2009 to 2011 for Sophie Ellis-Bextor's "Make A Scene" era - her clubbiest body of work yet! This all-killer-no-filler fourth album marked the closing of Sophie's club disco chapter in the 2000s but she's not leaving the dancefloor without a bang! 'Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)' with Freemasons, 'Can't Fight This Feeling' with Junior Caldera, and 'Not Giving Up On Love' with Armin Van Buuren - these titan dance collaborations that are still beating strong in her discography were born from this time.  Whether you're new to Sophie's work or a card-holding member of the 'Murder' cult; we all need to be bumping these tracks and getting them back up the charts. We got classy, Sophisticated offerings like 'Starlight' and 'Bittersweet' ("It's like a £20 bottle of wine!") to grittier indie club-friendly cuts like 'Under Your Touch', and retro Calvin Harris with 'Off & On'... it's time to get on the revolution! Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

Happy New Year, pop fans! In celebration of Our Sophie returning to the Top 10 with her classic hit 'Murder On The Dancefloor' - thanks, Saltburn! - we are reissuing Episode 46, our very first Sophie Ellis-Bextor episode.  Recorded and launched back in 2021 (where did the time go?), Joel and David dived into Soph's first two albums "Read My Lips" and "Shoot From The Hip" - covering her career from 'Groovejet' through to the hits 'Take Me Home', 'Get Over You', 'Music Gets The Best of Me' and of course, 'Murder...'.  For us steadfast Sophie fans, this Sophiessaince is long overdue. Whether you're new to the Ellis-Bextor fandom or not, it's always the right time to get into our Kitchen Disco Queen's discography. We also cover her third album "Trip The Light Fantastic" on Episode 62, if you fancy another one! Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

Get those Cheetah-licious winter coats on because we are heading down Santa Claus Lane for a festive Disney Girlies Christmas Special! Join your RBAY! boys as they hand-pick some of their favourite 2000s holiday tunes by Disney Channel icons that lit up our screens and CD players. Whether they're beloved classics remade with "11-out-of-10" performance shimmer or originals you can't get out of your head, there's a bop for everyone and no one is going home empty handed from our party! Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus's head-banging cover of Brenda Lee's 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree' and Ashley Tisdale giving Big Sharpay Energy on 'Last Christmas' are must-haves for The JB. Stomping hip-hop, R&B and pop fusions are what David "Ann" Lim is bringing to the table with The Cheetah Girls' 'Cheetah-licious Christmas' and Keke Palmer's original 'Home For The Holidays'. Elsewhere, Hilary Duff's 'Santa Claus Lane', Aly & AJ's rockeh 'Greatest Time of Year', and Christy Carlson Romano's 'Best Time of The Year' will have you jumping around the living room after a few Chrissy cocktails, before we mellow it down with Vanessa Anne Hudgens' jazzy cover of 'Winter Wonderland'.  Big thank you to everyone who has listened, supported and shared our podcast! 2023 has been an amazing year and we're so thankful to have you with us. Here's to more 2000s pop fun in the New Year! Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]

Welcome to our first ever Right Back At Ya! Book Club episode. It's a new thing we're doing to cross into the world of literature, just like so many of our popstars-turned-authors. For our very first attempt at this spin-off series; we're speaking with respected pop music journalist and author Michael Cragg, who released his first book - the very 'right up our street' - "Reach for the Stars - 1996-2006: Fame, Fallout and Pop's Final Party", which is now available in paperback. Hello, Christmas stocking filler! This 'pop bible', as hailed by Joel, is a super fun look at the golden years of pop from Spice Girls through to the dawn of the reality show eras of Pop Idol, Popstars and The X Factor. Michael has literally spoken to so many legends in this book, including members of Spice Girls, 5ive, Steps, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Blue, as well as hitmakers like Brian Higgins and Miranda Cooper of Xenomania, Richard X, MNEK, and industry legends like Peter Lorraine, Pete Waterman, Louis Walsh and... our very own Joel and David. Michael chats with our RBAY boys about his process in putting together this incredible pop oral history, and spotlights three songs by three artists he spoke with for the book. If you have any suggestions for a future Book Club episode; email, comment or DM us right away. The library is open! Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us [email protected]