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Scooch
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Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.
Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag (for You)", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after receiving 19 points in the final.
The song reached #5 in the UK Top 40 Singles Chart on 13 May 2007 after having been available for download for two months prior.
tions for an "all-singing, all-dancing pop group" were held between autumn 1997, and spring 1998 in front of the noted songwriters and producers Mike Stock and Matt Aitken and future manager, Steve Crosby.
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Encyclopedia
Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.
Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag (for You)", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after receiving 19 points in the final.
The song reached #5 in the UK Top 40 Singles Chart on 13 May 2007 after having been available for download for two months prior.
Formation
Auditions for an "all-singing, all-dancing pop group" were held between autumn 1997, and spring 1998 in front of the noted songwriters and producers Mike Stock and Matt Aitken and future manager, Steve Crosby. Heidi Range auditioned for the band, however, was declined after it was revealed she was only 14 years old. The final foursome was formed in October 1998. For the first few months the band were kept low-key and spent time discussing what their preferences and opinions were. In 1999 they were signed to Accolade, the pop imprint of EMI-Parlophone, and the group set about creating their image and sound.
The group's name 'Scooch' comes from a term used to ask someone to move up or along a bench or sofa.
Career
Scooch won a contest on BBC One's Saturday morning show Live & Kicking in 1999. They competed against a boy band to have their single released. Even though the bands were already formed, this contest was unique as it pre-dates the format of the first music talent reality show to air in the United Kingdom, ITV1's program Pop stars in 2000, from which the band Hear’Say was created.
Their debut single "When My Baby" charted within the Top 40. This prompted a tour supporting the Irish girl band B*Witched, and promoted their second and biggest single "More Than I Needed To Know". It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 5, and went on to see a global release (including Japan where it hit the top of the record chart).
A promotional support tour for boy band Five provided the group with the foundation for their third single "The Best Is Yet To Come" which charted at number 12 in the UK. The group recorded their debut album "Welcome To The Planet Pop" which was released to Top 20 success in Japan. "More Than I Needed To Know" reached number one in Japan, and due to its popularity there, it was featured in the video game DDRMAX2: Dance Dance Revolution 7thMIX. Scooch performed at every Arena in the UK and spent a year as Ambassadors for the Children's Health Authority.
Scooch's fourth and, until they reformed, final single came in the form of the flamenco-inspired "For Sure" which made number 15 in the UK. It was followed by the UK version of their album entitled "Four Sure" which peaked just outside the UK Top 40 which considering the relative success of their singles, was a disappointing position. Due to this position the band were dropped by their record label and privately split. The group briefly reformed in January 2004 to perform at G-A-Y's Gone But Not Forgotten night in front of a crowd of excited fans. The success of this prompted the band to do a tour of several gay venues and events around the UK.
Other work
In 2006, Russ Spencer took part in the E4 reality show Boys Will Be Girls, in which he attempted, along with two other ex-boyband members, to pose as a girl-group. Spencer and his bandmates were given four weeks to record a single, make a pop video and play live, all the while posing as females. This experiment was not a complete success. Spencer has also become a television presenter, and currently appears on The Great Big British Quiz.
Caroline Barnes and Natalie Powers have both had various parts on the stage in the West End. Powers has also released two solo singles 'Music To My Heart' and 'Unchained Melody' with Almighty Records.
David Ducasse is training to be a teacher and currently runs an academy for up and coming talent in the North East.
Eurovision Song Contest 2007
Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up
On 28 February 2007, it was announced that Scooch were to reform for a Eurovision Song Contest bid.
The group appeared in the UK selection competition Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up on BBC One on Saturday 17 March 2007, singing and performing their song "Flying the Flag (for You)".
The show began with six songs selected by the BBC, which were reduced to two songs after the public had voted, the four songs with the fewest votes leaving the competition. The remaining two songs went head to head in a "sing-off" and the public voted again for the outright winner.
The show ended in controversy as the final result was announced. Fearne Cotton revealed the winner to be Scooch while, simultaneously in a much louder voice, co-host Terry Wogan announced the winner to be fellow entry Cyndi. After several seconds of confusion for the two acts, the crowd and TV viewers, it was revealed that Scooch were the actual winners of the competition and were to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. A confused Cyndi was thanked and hurried off the stage by Fearne Cotton so Scooch could perform the winning song once again before the programme ended.
It was later revealed that Scooch received 53% of the public vote, with Cyndi receiving 47%.
Promotion campaign
On Monday 19 March 2007, Scooch appeared on Richard and Judy on Channel 4, revealing that their dance routine for "Flying the Flag (for You)" in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki will be "camper than ever before" and "may involve strings".
On Thursday 22 March 2007, the foursome appeared on This Morning on ITV1 and in the evening on The Graham Norton Show on BBC One, performing cut-down versions of the song.
On 17 April 2007, Scooch shot the music video for their Eurovision entry "Flying the Flag (for You)" in London. The video was released on 23 April 2007 and could be 'exclusively' seen on the BBC Eurovision 2007 website from 24 April 2007.
On 18 April 2007, it was announced that Scooch had been signed to the Warner Bros. record label. As part of the contract, Scooch recorded several different language versions of "Flying the Flag (for You)", in which the phrases in the song are spoken in French, German, Spanish, Bulgarian and Danish.
Throughout early May 2007, the group appeared on several British television programmes and radio programmes and took part in numerous media interviews to promote the song and themselves further. A "child-friendly" version of the song was performed on CBBC's Blue Peter with several spoken lines changed to reflect the target audience. Changes included "Would you like a snack sir?" instead of "Some salted nuts Sir?" and "Would you like some sweets Sir?" instead of "Would you like something to suck on for landing sir?". The quartet also performed on the National Lottery Draw on BBC One and on the ITV show Loose Women.
Scooch rehearsed in Helsinki for the Eurovision Song Contest Final from May 6 to May 11 and altered several parts of their performance numerous times in the process.
Performance in the ESC Final
On the final night, Scooch finished 23rd out of 24 entries with 19 points; 7 points from Ireland and the maximum 12 points from Malta. This was the first time since 2002 that a UK Eurovision entrant had received the maximum 12 points in the competition; Malta later stated that the 12 points was a protest at how many countries in Eurovision voted for their neighbours.
Although "Flying the Flag (for You)" didn't attract major European attention, the song reached #5 in the UK Singles Chart on 13 May 2007, making it the highest charting UK Eurovision entrant since Katrina and the Waves in 1997 and equalling the group's highest charting song, "More Than I Needed To Know".
After Eurovision
After Eurovision, Scooch announced that although they were staying together as a group, they had no plans to produce new material as they were too busy. However, they said they would be performing live performances and in the future, they will not rule-out releasing more songs. They also stated that three of the individual members of Scooch would be performing in theatrical productions. Russ would be playing 'The Child Catcher', in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Southampton, Caroline would continue her role in The Producers, David will be appearing as the lead-character in Jack and the Beanstalk in South Shields. Natalie, however, planned to take time out to look after her son.
Scooch performed live at Birmingham's Nightingale Club on New Year's Eve 2007.
Notably the songwriter of Scooch's entry Morten Schjolin participated in the national selection again in 2008 with Michelle Gayle's entry on march 1,2008.
Scooch continued to perform live at various locations throughout the United Kingdom in 2008, notably at Birmingham Pride where, Natalie performed with Scooch, despite being 5 months pregnant.
In 2009 Russ and Caroline are set to be reunited again to report for the BBC for their behind the scenes coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. Natalie has recently given birth to a second son and is currently working on recording a solo album.. David can currently be seen in a Homebase advert.
Discography
Singles
| Cover | Title, Release Date, Peak Chart Position | Track Listings |
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"When My Baby"
- Released October 1999
- UK Singles Chart #29
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UK CD
1) When My Baby (Radio Edit)
2) Syncopated Rhythm
3) When My Baby (Almighty Radio Mix)
12" Vinyl
A) When My Baby (Extended Mix)
B) When My Baby (Almighty Mix)
Cassette
A) When My Baby (Radio Edit)
B) Syncopated Rhythm | |
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"More Than I Needed To Know"
- Released January 2000
- Japan Singles Chart #1
- UK Singles Chart #5
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UK CD 1
1) More Than I Needed To Know
2) Don't Look Back
3) More Than I Needed To Know (Splash! Mix)
UK CD 2
1) More Than I Needed To Know
2) When My Baby (Almighty Extended Mix)
3) More Than I Needed To Know (Slewfoot & Grinder Mix)
+ More Than I Needed To Know (Video & Photo Gallery)
12" Vinyl
A) More Than I Needed To Know (Splash! Mix)
B1) More Than I Needed To Know (Slewfoot & Grinder Mix)
B2) More Than I Needed To Know (Original Mix)
Cassette
A) More Than I Needed To Know
B) Don't Look Back | |
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"The Best Is Yet To Come"
- Released April 2000
- UK Singles Chart #12
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UK CD 1
1) The Best Is Yet To Come (Radio Edit)
2) Maybe Tomorrow
3) The Best Is Yet To Come (Splash! Mix)
UK CD 2
1) The Best Is Yet To Come (Radio Edit)
2) Thank You For Being A Friend
3) The Best Is Yet To Come (Doc 'N Saxman Mix)
12" Vinyl
A1) The Best Is Yet To Come (Splash! Mix)
A2) The Best Is Yet To Come (Doc 'N Saxman Mix)
B1) The Best Is Yet To Come (Radio Edit)
B2) Maybe Tomorrow
Cassette
A) The Best Is Yet To Come (Radio Edit)
B) The Best Is Yet To Come (Radio Edit) | |
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"For Sure"
- Released July 2000
- UK Singles Chart #15
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UK CD 1
1) For Sure
2) Forever We'll Be Strong
+ Exclusive Scooch Homemade Movie (Enhanced Portion)
UK CD 2
1) For Sure (Radio Edit)
2) For Sure (Splash! Extended Pop 12")
3) For Sure (Motiv 8 Intrepid Vocal Club Mix)
4) For Sure (Motiv 8 Intrepid Radio Version)
+ For Sure (Video & Photo Gallery)
Cassette
A) For Sure (Radio Edit)
B) For Sure (Radio Edit) | |
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"Flying the Flag (for You)"
- Released 7 May 2007
- UK Singles Chart #5
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UK CD
1) Flying The Flag (For You) (Eurovision 2007 Version)
2) Flying The Flag (For You) (Karaoke Version)
UK DVD
Audio Content:
1) Flying The Flag (For You) (Eurovision 2007 Version)
2) Flying The Flag (For You) (Karaoke Version)
Video Content:
1) Flying The Flag (For You) (Video)
2) 'How To' Special Scooch Dance Feature
Digital Single
iTunes UK Single - Available Versions
Flying The Flag (For You) (Eurovision 2007 Version)
Flying The Flag (For You) (Karaoke Version)
Flying The Flag (For You) (Mile High Remix) |
Albums
| Cover | Title, Release Date, Peak Chart Position | Track Listings |
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"Welcome to the Planet Pop"
- Released June 2000
- Japan Album Chart #19
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Japan CD
1) For Sure
2) More Than I Needed To Know
3) One Of These Days
4) The Best Is Yet To Come
5) Zoom
6) Bird In Flight
7) Stay
8) The Next Step
9) Never Stop Believing
10) Syncopated Rhythm
11) When My Baby
12) Music To My Heart
13) Don't Look Back
14) Forever We'll Be Strong
15) The Best Is Yet To Come (Splash! Mix)
16) When My Baby (Almighty Radio Edit) | |
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"Four Sure"
- Released August 2000
- UK Album Chart #41
- Re-released 2 April 2007
- UK Album Chart #127
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UK CD
1) For Sure
2) More Than I Needed To Know
3) When My Baby
4) One Of These Days
5) Zoom
6) Never Stop Believing
7) The Best Is Yet To Come
8) Stay
9) The Next Step
10) Syncopated Rhythm
11) Music To My Heart
12) Third Time Lucky |
External links
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