BLAST FROM THE PAST: BETTY BOO

I have a friend, Paulie Paradiso.

Paulie was the King of cheesy dance pop during the early 90’s. Ce Ce Penniston, Seduction, & Crystal Waters were all on his endless loop mixtape.

One of my faves of Pauls’ dance goddesses was Alison Moira Clarkson (Born 06 March, 1970 in Kensington, London, UK) better known as Betty Boo. If you’re over “un certain age” you have surely bopped to “Doin’ the Do”, Betty’s big Gay dance hit. But, did you know that Betty is also an accomplished songwriter?
Chris Herbert, The Spice Girls original manager actually asked her to write songs for them. Turns out Betty Boo was the original inspiration for The Spice Girls! Herbert was actually trying to form a girl group of 5 Betty Boos.
Who knew?
Btw, Simon Cowell turned down some of her first songs including, “Pure and Simple” which was “reimagined” as the debut single for J-Pop group Hear Say which went on to be the groups best selling hit without her permission.
The experience left a distinct distaste for the type of “manufactured” pop process that Cowell was to later excel at. “This audition-based pop star thing just didn't exist when I was around, or at least I wasn't aware of it. I came from a hip-hop background, did very credible underground music. As a pop artist, I had my own image. I had got to help the directors with the videos, I worked very closely with an art designer on the sleeves and stuff. It's completely different now...
Popstars was the whole thing I completely loathe in pop music. I don't like the idea of people being auditioned to be in a pop band. They may as well be working on a cruise liner. Pop music will not evolve if it carries on like this. I think Popstars exposed how a pop group is made. It should put an end to it completely. Even if Pure and Simple was a successful record, I'm not that passionate about it. I'm more passionate that the programme itself might have changed people's view about pop.”
Today, Alison is working with such megastars as Girls Aloud and Danii Minogue. In addition , she is working on the musical version of Kate Williams’ biography of Emma Hamilton “Englands Mistress, The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton”.
Betty Boo may be retired, but Alison Clarkson is “Doing The Do”!

BETTY BOO
Discography
Albums
• Boomania (1990) UK #4, AUS #68
• GRRR! It's Betty Boo (1992) UK #62
• Doin' the Do: The Best of Betty Boo (1999 - comprises tracks and remixes from Boomania only)
Singles
• "Hey DJ / I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)" / "Ska Train" (Guest vocal for the Beatmasters) (1989) UK #7
• "Doin' the Do" (1990) UK #7, AUS #3
• "Where Are You Baby?" (1990) UK #3, AUS #19
• "24 Hours" (1990) UK #25, AUS #94
• "Let Me Take You There" (1992) UK #12, AUS #97
• "I'm On My Way" (1992) UK #44
• "Hangover" (1993) UK #50
• "Catch Me" (1993)- not released as a single in the UK
• "Thing Goin' On" (1993)- not released as a single in the UK
• "Wigwam" (2006) as part of WigWam with Alex James UK #60
• "Take Off" (Jack Rokka vs. Betty Boo) (2007) UK #92