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MY LIFE WITH THE KITTENS This is a bit of a special, as it's a year since Whole Again went to number 1. It's also a bit of an anniversary for me too, as it's exactly a year since I lost my job that I loved. This is a two parter which I've been meaning to do for ages. Part One is about the first time I met the Kittens, which was pretty early in their career. Part Two is about the last time I saw them up close as part of my job, and about how I felt about losing my job on the same day. All that's left to say is that after I lost my job, The Kittens cheered me up on a daily basis and kept me going through a really bleak time in my life. It's probably not as good a piece of writing as I would like, but it's tough to write about things you are emotionally attached to. |
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MY LIFE WITH THE KITTENS
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The first time I met the Kittens was way back when they were just about to release See Ya. Well it isn’t quite that simple. I filmed them at Steyning Grammar School on around 7 February 2000. That didn’t work out, so we decided to go back and film them in Oxford, at Bayswater Middle School the next week. That’s when I met them for the first time. I stopped over in Reading the night before, and caught a lift up to Oxford the next morning at the unseemly hour of 6 am. I was meant to be meeting Griff, our producer/director at the school along with Rich, our music producer, but Rich never showed (jetlag from a trip to Texas). So in the bright sunshine of that crisp February morning, Griff and I set up our cameras and planned out our shoot, with me filling in for the Kittens as we worked out our best shots (not the only time I’ve played at being a Kitten!). At about 8:30 the kids started to file into the hall, all bursting with that energy and excitement that lift you up and carries you along, regardless of whether you want to join in or not. After the usual school announcements the headmaster turned to his charges and said “This morning we have a very special treat for you...” at which point three voices came from the back of the hall, “y’aright?” and three girls bounded in, mics in hand and not a care in the world, greeting everyone like their new best friends. They hit the stage and kicked into See Ya. Kerry all manic energy bundled up in a Ralph Lauren jumper and cap; Liz, slinky in her Miss sixty top; Tasha, all spangly glamour in her pink and white. Song over they dived into the kids for questions with Liz even snogging some lucky kid. and Kerry flirting with everyone. My head was spinning as fast as my camera, as I tried to keep up with them. Oh, and I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing, but then again that always happens. Then the disco whirl of Right Now, and all the kids were on their feet dancing. Griff is making me laugh coz he keeps on telling me to stop trying to flirt with them by waving and trying to get them to play to the cameras. I didn’t have to try, Liz wanders over, flashes me a smile and a wink then drags off some hapless teacher for the next bit. Kerry pokes out her tongue and giggles as she nudges past me. All the teachers are hauled up and made to dance with the girls to I want your love. Kerry gets some kids to give her a kiss and more questions with Liz putting on all sorts of comedy accents. Then Kerry throws a mock strop and goes off to chat with the kids while two girls are dragged up and do Britney’s Baby one more time, with Liz and Kerry as their dancers, pirouhetting down the aisle. Then it’s the last song, and it’s the bubbling dancing mix of See Ya. But first the girls do the plug and promise everyone a signed card (and as good as their word they do) and teach everyone the words to See Ya. As the last line rings out Kerry points in my direction and gets all the kids to shout See Ya, wouldn’t wanna be you down the camera. Outside the girls are all a buzz with the excitement,
Kerry bounds over and gives Griff a big smacker on the cheek, while I
stand there sheepishly hidden in my Arnet wrap-arounds..... |
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