WHITE HOT! ALL SAINTS GET FRESH
Words: Alex Rayner
October 2000 - Ministry Magazine

"We're like fkin' Oasis - mad fer-it," rasps All Saints' Natalie Appleton in a very bad Mancunian accent. And then, in an even dodgier one, "It's fuckin' top, eh?".

She's talking about her band's reputation for constant partying, bad press and bust-ups. Now, your immediate reaction might be to tell the lovely Nat, no, it's not top actually - the Gallaghers never wore bra tops and never dated Jamie Theakston, but the girl, tounge tightly in cheek, is making a point. For all their lip gloss and teeny bop fans, All Saints couldn't be pop stars if they tried.

'Propper' pop stars wouldn't, say, get drunk and flash their boobs, get stoned and shack up with bass players, hang out at raves and end up in a film about porn. They wouldn't induldge in road rage, snog rock stars, hang out in ibiza, kick off at each other at a TV show, or sing a song about shagging in a lift. They also wouldn't skip over every A-list velvet rope in the land, leaving a trail of eligible suitors to sell their story to the papers.

Nor would they return, three years later, with a white-hot album [Saints And Sinners] of classic urban pop soul. Most haven't got the longevity, sex drive, or out-and-out balls. You see, All Saints are a lot more like Noel and Liam than S Club 7 or Steps. Want proof? Digest these:

Nicole on their formation...
"Me, Mel and Shaz got really drunk at TGI Frdays, this Mary J Blige song came on and we all sang it. That night they decided I was in the band."

Shaznay on finding fame...
"I think everyone shat their pants when they realised it was going to take off; we weren't prepared. The whole hype was really sudden."

Natalie on men...
"This guy came up to me recently and was like, 'Would you ever go out with an ordinary guy?', and I said, 'Well, would you go out with an ordinary girl? I'm normal too, you know. Just don't breathe alcohol all over me, sober up and maybe you'd have a chance'."

Melanie on the music business...
"People don't look for excitement any more. You end up with a homogenised product; people like Britney. They're talented... but music should free your mind, not control it."

Now, that's not the sort of thing you'd hear Scooch or A1 coming out with, would you?

Melanie
It's a little-known fact that Melanie Blatt's first performance with Nicole Appleton wasn't as an All Saint.

Mel met Nic at the future star factory that was the Sylvia Young Stage School, where they queued up for lunch alongside Denise Van Outen, Samantha Janus and Ernma 'Baby Spice' Bunton. All of them had to perform in the end-of- year show, but while their counterparts practised twee numbers from Annie, Mel and Nic flipped the script.

"We sang the theme to Revenge Of The Nerds," says Mel [they later admit to a owning a sizeable geek-streak]. "We greased our hair down and stuffed pens in our pockets, just like in the film." They also wore Mel's dad's flares to complete the look. The turn didn't do a lot for British performing arts, but it did cement the pair's friendship. I can't remember exactly when we met," says Mel, "we were in the same class and then, BAM! We're best mates, solid for a year."

Mel's anti-establishment upbringing clicked with Nic's inherent bolshiness. Mr and Mrs Blatt were a football-mad couple of hippies who took Mel to her first Man. United game when she was 18 months old and took her to Glastonbury when she was just six. I remember going on anti- nuclear marches, chanting, 'Hi-rosh-I-ma', 'Nag-a- sak-i"' recalls Mel, I didn't know what it meant, but it the singing was fun."

In fact it was her love of singing that led to her ill-fated spell at stage school - I don't owe my success to Sylvia Young," she says emphatically - where she studied for two years. Instead, Mel learnt her trade at recording studios across West London and central London dancefloors, getting down to r'n'b, garage and drum'n'bass. As a result, she's mates with most of the garage producers and cusses the promoters of London's best r'n'b night, Rotation,--- costhey always make us queue up". [She thinks the capital's clubs are pretty weak these days].

She's pro weed legalisation, though she dislikes heavy pot smokers. And she explains how she ended up in the porn industry drama, Dog Eat Dog; the producer, former Radio 1 DJ Mark Tonderai, met her at a garage rave. Nor is she the least bit fazed recounting a recent night out on the town with US boy band N-Sync [good friends] and Christine Aguilera [not so good], as they club-hopped between home in Leicester Square [crap] and The Hanover Grand [crap upstairs, good downstairs]. "They were playing Bobby Brown and Colour Me Badd," she recalls, "we had the best time."

Nicole
Like the girl in the Southern Comfort ad, Nicole Appleton doesn't go to parties, they just kinda happen around her. Take her holiday in Florida. I flew my mum to Miami for Mother's Day," she recounts. "We wanted a quiet time together." Unfortunately, they stayed at the infamous Delano on Miami Beach, and, as luck would have it, arrived to see Pete Tong [who, apart from Wing, holds a lofty position at the All Saints' record label] and [Madonna/ Massive Attack producer] Nellee Hooper standing on the steps. Nicole had come during the height of dance music industry rave-up, The Winter Music Conference. I told my mum, 'It's going to be great, we're going to see Goldie and Moby' was meant to be on holiday with her!"

This was just one in a long line of booze - fuelled celebrity mixers that she took full advantage of when the might of Never Ever broke into the mainstream. As we speak, she's preparing herself for another, as All Saint's Ibiza concert is the day after our interview [see p 1601. She's never been to the island before, and is planning to stay for a couple of extra days, not so she can rave it up at Manumission, but because... I have friends out there. I'll be like, 'Ohh, take me away.'"

Could "friends" mean Liam Gallagher and co? As you all know, the Oasis singer has been romantically linked with Nicole and brother Noel owns a villa on the island. She remains coy about their relationship but lets it slip that she first came into contact with the Monobrowed Mutineer via Meg Matthews, who is linked with the girls' management company. She first met Noel, and then "the other one". We probed further.

Ministry: He's called Liam.''
Nic: "Ha, ha, yes."
Ministry: "So are you two an item?"
Nic: I can't answer that, I promised. If you ever happen to see a picture then that's fine - but I can't do it"

"Oh my God! Have you got it? Dan-dan DAH! Don't tell me, what am I doing in it? WHAT AM I DOING IN IT?"

We hand the magazine to her.

"Look at the picture they used of me! Oh, god! Okay." She reads. "Okay, that's kinda true. Well..." Pause. "Okay. Is that it? Meaning true, we saw them in Paris but I, er..."

Ministry: "Oh, come on"
Nic: "He's a great guy, that's all I'm saying"
Ministry: "Have you spoken to Robbie Williams recently?"
Nic: "Sure, I've spoken with him. We've been apart around two years now but he's been supportive."
Ministry: "But have you spoken to Robbie much since these rumours started
circulating?"
Nic: "Absolutely not!"
More pauses and laughter.
Ministry: "Okay, so Liam is a really great guy, Robbie is a really great guy, which is the greater one?"
Nic: "Liam..."

Shaznay
Shaznay Lewis is probably the All Saint least at ease with fame. She's the only member who didn't attend stage school and, though she has moved out of home, still takes her laundry over to her mum's place in Islington.

She's unnerved by the bitchiness of the pop game, recalling how, when they won awards at The Brits, industry figures ran from their tables to where the girls were sitting, "...just so they could be in camera shot when we were rejoicing. That's ugly," she says. "Do they have no self respect? How can they go home at night thinking, 'I was trying to make friends with Shaznay today, 1 think I'm gonna be her best friend.'?"

The frictions that arise from being in a band seem clearest with Shaz. She'll talk about the time she whipped her left nipple out at a record company shindig, only to see a photo in the tabloids the following week. It was just a Polaroid," Shaz remembers, "I'd like to know who sent it in". As a result, she's careful when it comes to photographers. I know they won't come down to Subterrania because they don't want to snap a load of niggaz," she says, "but if 1 go to Chinawhite [trendy London bar] they show up. It doesn't bother me any more. I'm good at that dashing to the car thing. 1 see them before they see me." She also prefers to speak her mind rather than indulge in industry bullshit. "When it comes to drugs 1 believe in each to their own," she says, "Just don't chop up lines in front of me."

And she'll say what she likes about the other All Saints. Me] was a tomboy, Nic used to be much bubblier, but the industry has taken that out of her. I remember when 1 first met Nat too. 1 thought [she apes Vera Duckworth] 'Oh, she's glam." Shaz laughs, "She looked really cool, very American." Shaznay admits that she preferred the way Natalie used to dress.

These all hint at a band who live their own seperate lives. Later, Shaznay sits apart from the Appleton sisters during the photoshoot, and she heads off almost immediately after it's finished. She admits the band have been through a rocky patch. "We were needed in the same country at the same time," she recalls. "We didn't know - what's that phrase? - our arses from our elbows. We were close to cracking up."

Natalie
Nat Appleton is, on first impressions, the most hard-nosed All Saint. Her two major problems with London are: a] the petrol is too expensive and b] The roads aren't wide enough to drive a Hummer, the huge 4X4 off- roader favoured by Arnie Schwarzenegger. Natalie doesn't own one, but this hockey player she had dinner with does. It was a white convertible. I was so jealous."

The said hockey player played for the San Jose Sharks and was, according to Nat, "...drop dead gorgeous. 1 walked into the restaurant and it was like, 'Ohh!"' Natalie, like most women, is attracted to rich, goodlooking, famous men. "Success is sexy," she says. It makes you feel good about yourself."

Her love of glam and success means she finds Britain a "negative place." I can't watch those depressing British soap operas," she whines. "Ugh! I like to watch glamour, good things. Glamour! 1 know this is crap, but I love Jerry Springer and Dynasty. The British soaps are sad and depressing." Nat is, as she confesses, a snob. I was the poorest snob," she remembers. "Even when 1 was signing on 1 wanted more."

It's not that this particular Ms Appleton hasn't had to deal with some heavy shit in her short life. She was, for a while a single mum, staying in England to look after her younger sister, but still striving to make it.

The Appleton sister's parents were divorced when Nic and Nat were kids and the pair were pinballed across the Atlantic, from parent to parent. Natalie had a child by Clive Robinson, dubbed nothing but "a former stripper" according to The News Of The World. "That's all he was," says Nat. "He was a model too and wanted to move into acting but it never really worked out for him." They split acrimoniously. I could respect him 100% had he helped me and Rachel, but he gave us nothing." To top it all her sister was being bullied at school so Nat stayed in London. "Otherwise 1 would have gone to school in Canada," she says, "and 1 could have been a doctor by now."

So, despite her showbiz ex-boyfriends [Jamie Theakston, Johnny Lee Miller], her celeb mates [Mel C, Donna Air] and her heavy rotation on the party circuit [she's "a real party person"], Natalie is troubled. "When someone hurts Nic it hurts me. Sometimes I have to be professional and not get involved, but you can't help but get hurt."

Then we indulge in celeb chitter-chatter. Nicole explains how she'd like to rediscover her Canadian roots and backpack across North America. She even says she'd like to do more work with animals and children [She doesn't fancy Liam too does she? - Ed]. "So I've got to get healthy," she jokes. "Lay off all that partying." And then, as the tape stops, she chirps "NOT!" And with that, she skips out of the room.

Surrender
Another William Orbit collaboration, that is, according to Mel, very Shaz. "I love this song," says Mel. "It's Shaz's kind of thing. William was crossing over to our side a bit more on that one."

Love In An Elevator
A cover of the Areosmith late-'80s rock classic. Natalie is a big fan. "It was a big secret," she says, "you're the first to know."

SHAZ'S FIVE STEPS ..TO SPENDING A GRAND IN A DAY
1. Pay for a car to drive you round all day. "That's a good first step."

2. Pay a visit to Abercombie & Fitch. "Like Gap, but with a better cut."

3. Eat at Scillini's on Walton Street, behind Harrods. "Proper garlic bread and proper spaghetti, very traditional."

4. Go get yourself a top manicure and pedicure. "This one's just for the girls."

And, finally, to end a perfect day, go to the Rock nightclub [on London's embankment] on the last Wednesday of the month. "it's a great r'n'b and hip hop club."

NIC'S TOP FIVE ..RUMOURS
1. That she had plastic surgery. "This was quite funny, though I wouldn't ever!"

2. That she sold a story recently to a paper. "That was such a big lie. I didn't!"

3. That they're splitting up. "We fight in public all the time. Me and Shaznay came to blows at the Jools Holland show. That doesn't mean we'll split."

4. That she fucked Leonardo di Caprio in a toilet. "That is a fucking lie, and I didn't call him immature either. He's actually a sweet guy."

5. That she went on a date with Sid Owen. "Or the rest of them. I haven't met half of 'em! Lies!"

MEL'S TOP FIVE ..ALL-TIME FAVE CLUBS
1. Rotation, Fridays at Subterrania
"Mind you they never let us in free and the security are bastards."

2. Hanover Grand, Thursdays
"We went there a while back and it was wicked!"

3. Camouflage Complex, Saturdays
"It was the only place that would play hip hop on a saturday night."

4. Jungle night @ Raw, Wednesdays
"A great jungle night from a while back. I can't remember what it was called."

5. Hanover Grand, Wednesdays
"This used to be great, but I dunno what it's like now."

All Saints know that for all the partying and tabloid stories, the number one success of Pure Shores has only raised the stakes higher. They're the only group from this side of the Atlantic who can lay claim to matching the skills and success of their peers in the US. All Saints are girls who are far too young for rock'n'roll and too bad to tow the line. They're r'n'b stars because they sing r'n'b and because they are, undoubtedly, stars. Saints & Sinners is out on London on October 16th. The single Black Coffee is out now

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