My Last.fm Top 30 Female Singers Q&A

...and now for some serious diva time... 

1. How did I get into Madonna?   By opening my rebel heart...

2. What was the first song I ever heard by Dusty Springfield?  I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU

3. How many albums by Barbara Cook do I own?   16 (not counting the cast recordings)

4. What is my favourite song by Kirsty MacColl?   THEY DON'T KNOW

5. What is my favourite album by Mary J. Blige?   GROWING PAINS

6. Is there a song by Aretha Franklin that makes me happy?   YOU SEND ME

7. What was the first song I ever heard by Carole King?   IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER

8. What is a good memory I have involving Beverley Knight?   Bumping into her on Great Marlborough Street in the early 00s and telling her how much I loved her music

9. Is there a song by Marianne Faithfull that makes you happy?   Um... SOMETHING BETTER maybe

10. How many times have I see Chris Clark live?   Twice, and I count myself very lucky as she's a shy soul

11. What is the first song I ever heard by Lulu?   SHOUT

12. How many albums by Brenda Holloway do I own?   Three, all compilations (and all signed!)

13.Do I have a good memory involving Bessie Smith?   Hearing there was going to be a 10 cd series of all her recordings

14. Have I ever seen Barbra Streisand live?   Yes, once at Wembley Arena.

15. What is a good memory involving Amanda Palmer? Seeing her a few days ago and getting a big hug and kiss

16. How did I get into Peggy Lee?   Through LADY AND THE TRAMP

17. What is my favourite album by Cher?   My VERY BEST OF double compilation

18. What is my favourite song by Angie Stone?   I AIN'T HEARIN' U.

19. What is the first song I ever heard by Grace Jones?   LA VIE EN ROSE

20. What is my favourite album by Diana Ross?   I'M STILL WAITING (SURRENDER in the US)

21. What is my favourite song by Bjork?   BIG TIME SENSUALITY.

22. How did I get into Shelby Lynne?   Through the reviews for the album I AM SHELBY LYNNE

23. How many times did I see Tammi Terrell live?   Never, wipes tear away...

24. What is my favourite album by Alicia Keys?   THE DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS

25. What was the first song I ever heard by Laura Nyro?   WEDDING BELL BLUES

26. What is my favourite song by Mary Wells?   YOU LOST THE SWEETEST BOY

27. What is my favourite song by Bernadette Peters?   FAITHLESS LOVE.

28. Is there a song by Buffy Sainte-Marie that makes you happy?   INDIAN COWBOY AT THE RODEO

29. What is my favourite album by Sinéad O'Connor?   THROW DOWN YOUR ARMS

30. How many albums do I own by Dinah Washington?  4 cds

On Tuesday evening Owen and I were exposed to a force of nature - no not Bob Crow and the striking Tube workers - but the awesome Mary J. Blige at the O2 aka BackOfBeyond2.

We saw Mary in 2008 when she was promoting GROWING PAINS and were blown away by her powerful presence on stage. Up until then, although I had enjoyed her albums, I was always wary of seeing her. On the way to Greenwich I read something that reminded me of the first time I heard of her - and why I had doubts about seeing her live.

There was much vocal discontent at the Forum on Monday night when Big Boi from Outkast performed a set which was - with encore - less than an hour. Back in the day when I worked at First Call, I remember a quiet midweek evening being interrupted by phone calls from angry punters outside the Hammersmith Apollo complaining that they had paid good money to see the new NY hip-hop sensation - one Mary J. Blige - who was on and offstage within 45 minutes. We were quickly told by the promoters to remind them that the event was just billed as a "Personal Appearance" but I remember sympathising with their complaints and, despite liking her a lot when I finally got to hear her, remembering those angry calls.

Well that was then... and this is mos' def' Now!The evening got off to a great start with finally hooking up with blog pal David of David's Daily Dramas albeit sitting in the atmosphere-free zone that is the O2 exclusive bar! It was nice to finally hook-up - after 3 years of trying. Doing this we also eschewed the charms of support act Lemar.

We had seats in Block 102 so were relatively close to the stage and after an opening aural soundscape of Mary's name being read out at award shows, news broadcasts and celeb endorsements, the stage was ablaze with light and there she was launching straight into the fabulously autobiographical MJB DA MVP and we were off.With great lighting accentuating her gun-metal lurex cat-suit, Mary staggered and swaggered across the stage, stomping and swaying to her backing band. She looked sensational - and apart from two homies who appeared occasionally to bounce around ineffectually behind her - she was out there on her own... no dancers to take up the slack every 20 minutes or so, no pyrotechnical displays, only one quick costume change... just Mary and her voice.

Mary always give good value too, each song usually are mini-medleys of at least three of her songs which can be infuriating - just as you think "Oh Wow I love this one", she's moved on to the verse and chorus of another song! However, when you have 18 years of material to draw on you might as well do as many as you can. Oddly enough it means she never concentrates on her latest album as most artists would and there were quite a few tracks from STRONGER WITH EACH TEAR that I was expecting to hear but didn't. I would have given plenty of 8 to 5 that she would have done her volcanic cover of WHOLE LOTTA LOVE - it was after all issued on the UK release of SWET (ew) - but we were left wanting.

She sounded utterly fantastic, soulful and strong, and she gave us fierce renditions of REAL LOVE, YOUR CHILD (with a wonderfully angry sung denouncement of all fathers not dealing with "your respon-si-bil-it-y" which got an awesome response from the audience) and EVERYTHING. She misjudged how well the audience knew the lyrics to Chaka Khan's SWEET THING but there were no such problems with the mass choir on NOT GON' CRY and in particular on I'M GOIN' DOWN - I was belting it out!She ended the show with a scorching version of the NO MORE DRAMA - an ironic experience as Mary *always* brings the drama singing it, her powerful voice seemingly whipping her about the stage and leaving her (and us) breathless at it's conclusion. She encored with one of my all-time favorites JUST FINE as well as FAMILY AFFAIR and BE WITHOUT YOU.Even the usual Hell of getting away from the O2 hasn't dimmed the power that Miss Mary put out... All hail the Queen.

As you can see by the little widget on the right I am on the music network site Last.fm, and good fun it is too. I was poking about on there this afternoon and found a few good music questionnaires so here's one I am nicking off Janell from America:

"Post your top fifteen bands/artists, the first song you heard of theirs, a song you love, and your current favourite" 

1) Kirsty MacColl
First: They Don’t Know
Love: Soho Square
Currently: Caroline

2) Madonna
First: Material Girl
Love: Holiday
Currently: Give It To Me

3) Mary J. Blige
First: Real Love
Love: Baggage
Currently: Just Fine

4) Gladys Knight & the Pips
First: Midnight Train To Georgia
Love: No One Could Love You More
Currently: Bourgie Bourgie

5) Sugababes
First: Overload
Love: About You Now
Currently: Surprise

6) Prince
First: I Wanna Be Your Lover
Love: I Would Die 4 U
Currently: Chelsea Rogers

7) Lulu
First: Shout
Love: Only One
Currently: Dream Lover

8) Diana Ross & The Supremes
First: Baby Love
Love: Come See About Me
Currently: Falling In Love With Love

9) Aretha Franklin
First: I Say A Little Prayer
Love: Your Song
Currently: A Rose Is Still A Rose

10) Barbara Cook
First: The Ingenue
Love: Errol Flynn
Currently: Losing My Mind

11) Pet Shop Boys
First: West End Girls
Love: Being Boring
Currently: My Girl

12) Morrissey
First: This Charming Man
Love: The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get
Currently: Hairdresser On Fire

13) Dusty Springfield
First: I Only Want To Be With You
Love: People Get Ready
Currently: Every Day I Have To Cry

14) Clydie King
First: The Thrill Is Gone
Love: Missin’ My Baby
Currently: Ready Willing & Able

15) Darts
First: Daddy Cool/The Girl Can’t Help It
Love: Get It
Currently: I Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love

MY 10 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR!