WigWam
Boo hoo-ha: It's 1990, and everyone's doin' the do, ie frugging to the fab hit single by a Scots-Malaysian pop sensation named Betty Boo. Dressed in slinky catsuit, kinky boots, and sporting a black bob hairstyle, Betty Boo looked like an Asian Barbarella and sounded like all your pop dreams come true. Boo's real name was Alison Clarkson, but her cartoon alter-ego seduced young pop fans and spawned a generation of "Boo-ettes". Even Madonna was smitten, offering the young star a deal with her Maverick label. Alas, Clarkson's mother became ill and so Alison put away the sexy space gear and settled down to nursing her ailing mum. Betty Boo was through, and there was nothing we could do.
Wam bam: Fast forward to 2006, and Betty Boo is back, only this time she's swopped the spacesuit for a tent. A wigwam to be exact. In what may be the most unlikely pairing since Nick 'n' Kylie, Clarkson has joined forces with Blur bassist Alex James to form WigWam, a duo dedicated to creating spiky, sexy pop music with lots of silly bits and singalong choruses. Just like old Betty Boo records. The pair filmed the video for their eponymously titled single outside London's Groucho club, long known as the Blur boy's second home, inviting fans to come down and join in the fun. The video was directed by Dom Joly of Trigger Happy TV fame, but this is not some pop biz prank. WigWam are seriously hoping to pitch their tent in pop fans' consciousness, and maybe have a little fun in the process.
Boo hear now: So, how did the Boo babe and the Blur boy hook up? It's a long story. Alex had been enjoying success with Blur for many years, but still found time to form Fat Les with his mate Keith Allen, scoring a hit with the novelty World Cup anthem, Vindaloo. Meanwhile, Alison had been coaxed out of semi- retirement to co-write a song for a TV-manufactured band, Hear'Say. Pure & Simple became the fastest-selling debut single in UK recorded history, and Alison went on to write songs for those made-by-TV babes, Girls Aloud. The pair met through Alex's mate Paul Toogood, who happens to be Alison's husband. When Alex was looking for a perfect pop diva to front his new project, Alison naturally came to mind.
Pop art: Alex has become a bit of an art buff in recent years, and was commissioned to create a soundtrack for an exhibition at London's Whitechapel Gallery. The chorus of WigWam's debut single goes like this: "Checkin' out my wigwam, wigwam, wigwam/Checkin' out my boo, boo, boo." Alex and Alison hope to follow up with a full album, but meanwhile you can't miss the single: the cover features a fiendishly simple and clever teepee logo. There will also be a new Blur album in the near future, but I doubt if it will reach the same level of wonderful silliness.
Kevin Courtney
