The Royal Mail has released a special collection of stamps to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Spice Girls, making them the first all-female pop group to be featured on a stamp collection by the postal service.
The top 10 stamps highlight memorable moments from the 1997 Brit awards, such as Geri Horner’s iconic union jack dress made from a tea towel. They also showcase headline performances and the band’s reunion at the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony.
Additional photographs include portraits captured during the filming of the 1997 movie Spice World.
The Spice Girls came together in 1994 under the direction of Bob and Chris Herbert, a father and son team. They were determined to form a girl group that could compete with the popular boy bands dominating the music charts. The duo placed an advertisement in the Stage, seeking young women aged 18-23 with singing and dancing talents. They eventually formed a five-member group, which included Michelle Stephenson, later replaced by Emma Bunton.
The group was closely controlled in Maidenhead and eventually gained control over their management. They grew impatient with their lack of progress and declined to sign a contract based on the recommendation of Victoria Beckham’s father. In March 1995, they allegedly left their home in the middle of the night, took their master recordings from the management offices, and used the phone book to locate a songwriting partner, Eliot Kennedy, who had previously seen them perform at a showcase.
In July 1995, the group acquired new management under Simon Fuller and entered into a contract with Virgin Records. One year later, they launched their hit single “Wannabe”, which topped charts worldwide and became the highest-selling debut single by an all-female group. This was also the first of nine No. 1 singles in the UK for the band, including three that reached No. 1 during Christmas time.
A sheet of information provided with the stamps states that they were the catalyst for their own success in dominating the charts during a period when girl groups were not seen as financially feasible. Their catchy pop style and confident “Girl Power” ideology revolutionized the music industry and influenced a whole generation of musicians.
The band informally separated in 2001, but came back together for live concerts in 2007 and 2019. There are still rumors about potential future performances, but Melanie C and Horner have stated that although the group is open to the idea, nothing has been officially confirmed.
The stamps will be available for purchase starting on January 11th in different versions for collectors.
Source: theguardian.com
