BANANARAMA REWRITE RULES
By LOUISE COMPTON
Sun Online

THEY’VE had more hits than The Spice Girls, they’ve been around longer than Kylie and they’ve got more attitude than Girls Aloud. But there’s more to Bananarama than a simple nostalgia-fest. The punk-pop pioneers are back and they’re looking and sounding better than ever! With a new single out on Monday and an album in the pipeline, Keren Woodward and Sara Dallin are ready to rock the charts once again. And when gorgeous Keren popped into The Sun Online HQ for an exclusive webchat she revealed the duo - both now in their 40s - simply won't let age get in the way of a good time. She also reminisced about the groups’ rock’n’roll heyday - when they were the biggest-selling girl group since the Supremes - and told us all about those crazy days living with The Sex Pistols. The star cringed as she recalled insulting the Thai royal family during the band’s infamous world tour in 1989! And revealed which singing superstar has penned a song for the group's next album, what she and Sara think of cosmetic surgery and why they'd never appear on reality TV.

You and Sara have been friends for years and years. How do you REALLY get on? Are you still best friends?
Kenny, Isle of Wight
Hi Kenny. Yes we are still best friends. I think people find it hard to believe that we actually get on. But we’ve known each other since we were four years old, we went to the same nursery and we’ve been virtually inseparable ever since. I moved to Cornwall about 10 years ago and I think Sara was a bit annoyed with me then. I think she felt I was abandoning her. But I think it was a healthy move because we were living in each others pockets. It sounds funny to say it but I think it’s helped us grow up. Recently I’ve been staying at Sara’s in London and we are such a bad influence on each other. We’re like teenagers, always giggling and being mischievous. We even lay around sending stupid texts to people. It’s probably time we grew up!

Dazzling duo ... girls say age is just a number
Do you think men are intimidated or scared of you?
Clive Beesley, Toronto in Canada
Yes, I do actually Clive. When Sara and I are together we can be quite intimidating.
I think a lot of men are put off by girls who are confident and successful – and we are that.
That's why I'm so lucky with Andrew (Ridgely – her husband and Ex-Wham! star). Our relationship is so secure which means there’s no jealousy and no insecurity so we don’t have those petty misunderstandings.  We've been together for almost 15 years but it doesn’t mean I’m no fun or that I’ve given up and settled down! I still do loads of girlie stuff and I wouldn’t give up my girls’ nights out for anyone.

How do you feel about the whole girl power phenomenon? Do you think you’re responsible for it?
Daisy, Walton On The Naze
Maybe without thinking about it we were. The whole girl group thing is weird because you’re always asked where you sit when it comes to feminism and girl power. When we first started out there weren’t any other girls around and we came into a male dominated business and just dealt with it. We didn’t feel that we were any less capable just because we were women. Of course, we encountered sexism but we just rose above it. We certainly didn’t go into it with political leanings - we just wanted to have a laugh.

Do you feel nostalgic when you look at bands like Girls Aloud now?
Jeanette Lawrence, Borehamwood
Hi Jeanette. I honestly don’t think we feel nostalgic. We’ve always been keen to get back into the UK scene and get a record deal but that’s not to say we've ever felt bitter towards groups like The Sugababes and Girls Aloud. I feel strongly that there should be as many girls in the music business as possible. We’re hugely different to Girls Aloud, we are much more of a do-it-yourself band, we got ourselves together and we more or less managed ourselves.

What has been your most rock and roll moment as a group?
Paul, Harpenden
Do you know what Paul, it’s difficult to pin-point one moment but a certain four months do spring to mind! In about 1989 we did a world tour and it was unbelievably rock and roll.
It was hilarious because we refused to fly across the USA and insisted to do the entire tour on our tour bus – there were plenty of Spinal Tap moments! And then we were in Thailand doing a massive gig where the air conditioning system was completely broken. So, we came off stage feeling really dreadful and there was a serious lack of oxygen throughout the building. Then our manager came backstage and said: “Girls you’ve got to come out, the Queen of Thailand and the princes and princesses are all here and they want to meet you.”
But we told her to pass on the message that they would have to wait until we have cooled down. And then myself and Sara literally passed out on the bathroom floor.
When we woke up the royals had gone and we were mortified at how rude we had been! 

Hi Keren. Is it true you used to live in the Sex Pistols' rehearsal room? Are you still pals with any of the guys?
Eugene Cleaver, Leicester
Yes, it’s true. We had just been kicked out of where we were living and we knew Paul Cook because we had met him in a few clubs. So, he offered for us to live above their rehearsal room temporarily, warning us that there was no hot water, toilet or bath. But we ended up staying there for about 18 months! It was great because we were teenagers who were really into the whole punk scene. It was amazing, we were surrounded by the Sex Pistols drawings all over the walls and our furniture was straight out of the film The Rock And Roll Swindle.
That’s really where Bananarama started off because we would muck around with all their instruments and sing backing vocals for them. It was Paul who suggested we put out a single, in fact he produced it.

Who are your most famous celebrity friends?
Isla, Orpington
We don’t have a huge amount of celebrity friends. Obviously I’m friends with George Michael and I love getting together for a dinner with Janet Street Porter and The Pet Shop Boys. We have a fantastic gossip – we love a good bitch! George loves the new single, Sara and I had a boozy lunch recently and decided to drop in and see him. So we called over and made him listen to it and he described it as “very good”. Actually, he says he’s going to rustle up a song for us to sing. He says he’s got the perfect one, so I must chase him up about that.

You went through a bit of a rough patch when you were dropped by your record label soon after Jacqui left. Did it change your opinion on the music industry?
Fun, Hong Kong
No, it was actually a very natural break. I remember sitting with Sara at her house and saying, “I just don’t think I can do this any more.” I had my little boy Tom right in the middle of it all and I was seeing Andrew so for once I wanted to have a life outside Bananarama. We were literally busy all day every day and we had no free time so I decided I needed to be a bit selfish. But then after a break we wanted to get back going again and couldn’t get a record deal - typical!

Would you ever appear on a reality TV show? What do you make of shows like Celebrity Big Brother?
Alice, Essex
I don’t like Big Brother at all but I did quite enjoy Celebrity Love Island. I didn’t want to like it but I got sucked in! I  really enjoyed watching Janet Street Porter on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here -  I found it hugely entertaining. But I don’t think I could do it, I wouldn’t want to expose myself like that.Gorgeous ... sexy Keren answers your questions

Hi girls. You both look fantastic. Have you ever or would you ever consider cosmetic surgery?
Tony, Zante
Hi Tony. I have considered it and I wouldn’t rule it out. But to be honest I don’t think either of us want to look 17 again. Obviously there are signs of aging we would rather not see but we’re both fairly happy with our looks. I think plastic surgery is a bit of  a slippery slope.

You’re famously anti-endorsement and turned down loads of advertisment campaigns in the 1980s. What do you think of groups who are tied up in millions of pounds worth of sponsorship?
Billy, Shepperton
It’s a tricky one to comment on really because if someone offered me a multi-million pound endorsement deal tomorrow I’d jump at the chance! In the old days we had more principles because we were the only girls around and we felt that if we were seen to be advertising hair products and make-up we would be seen as models not performers. But times have changed.

Hello. What did you make of Siobhan's music with Shakespeare’s Sister and solo after she left Bananarama?
Bradley Gilbert in Middlesex
I liked it. I particularly liked some of the first stuff she released and I thought Stay was brilliant. I didn’t speak to Siobhan for seven years after she left the band and that wasn’t because we were angry, it was more to do with the fact that she moved to LA. It was difficult because myself and Sara were happy to be an out and out pop act whereas Siobhan wanted to have more of an edge – that’s why she left.

Did you ever consider recruiting a third member to join the band for your 2005 revival? Maybe you should launch a reality TV-style search?
Denny, Detroit, Michigan 
No way! When Siobhan left we didn’t want to recruit another singer, but the record label was adamant Bananarama was about three people. So that’s when we asked our friend Jacqui to join. But it was hard for her because she never really fitted in, she was more of a paid performer.

Hi girls, I’m a massive fan and think your new single Move In My Direction is fantastic? Have you recorded any tracks for an album?  Any plans for a tour?
Larry, Margate
Hi there Larry. We’ve got one track left to record and then our album is complete. Out sound is very varied but each song is a good pop song. And we are desperate to do another tour – performing is what we like doing most. But we’ll have to work out what everyone thinks of our album first! We played a show at G.A.Y a week or so ago and it was fantastic, we went down realty well and it was great fun.

Your new tracks have been compared to Kylie’s electro-pop sound. How do you feel about that? Are you a fan of her sound?
Olivia, Wheathamptead
I can understand the comparison. I wouldn’t say we were influenced by her sound but we’re certainly fans of her music. I like the way she has totally reinvented herself and gone from strength to strength. Even when people tried to write her off she continued to plough on – she’s an inspiration.