This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/entertainment/8225511.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Hello, Dollies: The UK's most outspoken girl group? | Hello, Dollies: The UK's most outspoken girl group? |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Dolly Rockers (L-R): Lucie Kay, Brooke Challinor, Sophie King By Mark Savage BBC News entertainment reporter | The Dolly Rockers (L-R): Lucie Kay, Brooke Challinor, Sophie King By Mark Savage BBC News entertainment reporter |
| This should have been a great week for the Dolly Rockers. | This should have been a great week for the Dolly Rockers. |
| The "girl band with balls" have just put out their first single, Gold Digger, amidst a flurry of wickedly entertaining TV appearances. | The "girl band with balls" have just put out their first single, Gold Digger, amidst a flurry of wickedly entertaining TV appearances. |
| But instead of sitting back and watching the cash roll in, the group have called a crisis meeting with their record label. | But instead of sitting back and watching the cash roll in, the group have called a crisis meeting with their record label. |
| "Our single didn't get playlisted on Radio One," explains 20-year-old Brooke Challinor. "We're not ashamed to admit it... we're very nervous." | "Our single didn't get playlisted on Radio One," explains 20-year-old Brooke Challinor. "We're not ashamed to admit it... we're very nervous." |
| It is "crunch time", admits the band's blonde Mancunian mouthpiece, and the reason is simple: "It's because we're not in the gossip magazines. | It is "crunch time", admits the band's blonde Mancunian mouthpiece, and the reason is simple: "It's because we're not in the gossip magazines. |
| "We've made it into the broadsheets because, apparently, we've established ourselves as a band with a lot to say. | "We've made it into the broadsheets because, apparently, we've established ourselves as a band with a lot to say. |
| "But everything is about celebrity culture now - it doesn't really matter if you've got a valid opinion as long as you've got your boobs out." | "But everything is about celebrity culture now - it doesn't really matter if you've got a valid opinion as long as you've got your boobs out." |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Dolly Rockers - Gold Digger | Dolly Rockers - Gold Digger |
| Celebrity culture is, coincidentally, the theme of the band's latest single - a catty diatribe about a "WAG who's in every mag", trying to snare a rich husband. | Celebrity culture is, coincidentally, the theme of the band's latest single - a catty diatribe about a "WAG who's in every mag", trying to snare a rich husband. |
| "Well she was real plain, had no brain and had no dough," they scoff, in the style of Bananarama rapping a transcript from The Jeremy Kyle Show, "but now she can roll in it and watch her boobs grow." | "Well she was real plain, had no brain and had no dough," they scoff, in the style of Bananarama rapping a transcript from The Jeremy Kyle Show, "but now she can roll in it and watch her boobs grow." |
| "We wanted it to be quite opinionated," says Challinor, "but we've done it in quite a cheeky way so people don't think we're taking ourselves too seriously." | "We wanted it to be quite opinionated," says Challinor, "but we've done it in quite a cheeky way so people don't think we're taking ourselves too seriously." |
| The band say they are "anti-glamour model" | The band say they are "anti-glamour model" |
| To be honest, it is hard to imagine Challinor and her bandmates, Lucie Kay and Sophie King, walking around with the weight of the world on their shoulders. | To be honest, it is hard to imagine Challinor and her bandmates, Lucie Kay and Sophie King, walking around with the weight of the world on their shoulders. |
| Chatty to the point of distraction, the fishnet-wearing, sequin-studded "ASBO Alices" (as they were affectionately called in the Times) cause chaos wherever they go. | Chatty to the point of distraction, the fishnet-wearing, sequin-studded "ASBO Alices" (as they were affectionately called in the Times) cause chaos wherever they go. |
| Radio One DJ Scott Mills was one of the first people to champion the band, after stumbling across their online-only single Je Suis Un Dolly. | Radio One DJ Scott Mills was one of the first people to champion the band, after stumbling across their online-only single Je Suis Un Dolly. |
| The guerrilla-style video saw the trashy trio terrorise the public, bursting into song on the London Underground and performing dance routines in supermarket aisles. People's reactions ranged from mild confusion to mortal fear. | |
| Mills' support prompted EMI to rush-release the song as a free download. The band repaid the favour by going onto his show and saying: "Thank you for stealing our money." | |
| Similarly, when they auditioned for the X Factor three years ago, Sophie turned to the cameras and deadpanned: "We live, sleep, eat, breathe and make toilet for the X Factor." | Similarly, when they auditioned for the X Factor three years ago, Sophie turned to the cameras and deadpanned: "We live, sleep, eat, breathe and make toilet for the X Factor." |
| But the madcap, couldn't-care-less attitude drained away as the Dolly Rockers progressed through the competition. | But the madcap, couldn't-care-less attitude drained away as the Dolly Rockers progressed through the competition. |
| They claim Sharon Osbourne advised them to tone down their natural exuberance for television - but the tactic backfired and they were kicked out just before the live shows. | They claim Sharon Osbourne advised them to tone down their natural exuberance for television - but the tactic backfired and they were kicked out just before the live shows. |
| The X Factor is an amazing programme for people like Leona Lewis, who are really talented but don't want the responsibility of styling themselves, but it wouldn't have worked for us Brooke Challinor | The X Factor is an amazing programme for people like Leona Lewis, who are really talented but don't want the responsibility of styling themselves, but it wouldn't have worked for us Brooke Challinor |
| "Louis Walsh said we were too young and we would have cracked under the pressure," recalls Challinor. | "Louis Walsh said we were too young and we would have cracked under the pressure," recalls Challinor. |
| "We were all suicidal. We thought our lives were over." | "We were all suicidal. We thought our lives were over." |
| With the benefit of three years' perspective - not to mention a recording contract of their own - the band are a bit more philosophical about the experience. | With the benefit of three years' perspective - not to mention a recording contract of their own - the band are a bit more philosophical about the experience. |
| "I love the X Factor, but I don't think it's necessarily very fair to people," says Challinor. | "I love the X Factor, but I don't think it's necessarily very fair to people," says Challinor. |
| "We're very in control of what we do these days. Our style has all come from us. We write our own lyrics, we've not had any media training. If we'd stayed in the X Factor, we would never have had that option. | |
| "It's an amazing programme for people like Leona Lewis, who are really talented but don't want the responsibility of styling themselves, but it wouldn't have worked for us." | "It's an amazing programme for people like Leona Lewis, who are really talented but don't want the responsibility of styling themselves, but it wouldn't have worked for us." |
| Rumours | Rumours |
| Of course, with the pumped-up marketing muscle of the X Factor behind them, the Dolly Rockers wouldn't be worrying about Radio One giving their new record the cold shoulder. | Of course, with the pumped-up marketing muscle of the X Factor behind them, the Dolly Rockers wouldn't be worrying about Radio One giving their new record the cold shoulder. |
| So, what was the outcome of that crisis meeting? | So, what was the outcome of that crisis meeting? |
| "We've got a great press guy who says he's really going to try to get us into the gossip columns for our second single," says Challinor with disarming candour. | "We've got a great press guy who says he's really going to try to get us into the gossip columns for our second single," says Challinor with disarming candour. |
| The group work with Boyzone and B*Witched songwriter Ray Hedges | The group work with Boyzone and B*Witched songwriter Ray Hedges |
| "We tend not to go to the parties that get into the tabloids because they're very pretentious, but I'm sure loads of rumours will be made up about us now. | "We tend not to go to the parties that get into the tabloids because they're very pretentious, but I'm sure loads of rumours will be made up about us now. |
| "Like, we were in the paper the other day and it said 'the Dolly Rockers were up partying all night with Lily Allen and Charlotte Church in their £150,000 Winnebago'. | "Like, we were in the paper the other day and it said 'the Dolly Rockers were up partying all night with Lily Allen and Charlotte Church in their £150,000 Winnebago'. |
| "It's hilarious! Of course we don't have a Winnebago. All I've got is a two-man tent! But I think you've got to play the game." | "It's hilarious! Of course we don't have a Winnebago. All I've got is a two-man tent! But I think you've got to play the game." |
| It is all very well colluding with the press to raise your profile now, I suggest, but that means you can't complain when they turn around and write something nasty six months later. | It is all very well colluding with the press to raise your profile now, I suggest, but that means you can't complain when they turn around and write something nasty six months later. |
| "That's a good point. I never thought about it that way," muses Challinor. | "That's a good point. I never thought about it that way," muses Challinor. |
| "I'll have to go to the label now and say: 'I spoke to this man before and he had a very valid point, so we can't make up any more rumours'. | "I'll have to go to the label now and say: 'I spoke to this man before and he had a very valid point, so we can't make up any more rumours'. |
| "I wonder what they'll think?" | "I wonder what they'll think?" |
| The Dolly Rockers' single, Gold Digger, is out now on EMI. | The Dolly Rockers' single, Gold Digger, is out now on EMI. |