I can't remember what year it was, but it must have been between 1997 to 2000 that the band were to set up stage in the middle of a rugby stadium and do a gig in front of all the supporters!! Carol was wearing a T-Shirt with the band's website address on!! What an ingenious means of publicity!!
I think it was because she had links with people due to doing the Rugby League World Cup anthem. Parts of the concert were shown on Sky Sports.
The birth of Carol and Richard's first child
It was announced on Carol's website that Carol had given birth to a girl, Scarlett Olivia on the 2nd June 1998 and weighed in at 7lbs. Carol joked "Labour lasted 23 hours. I have never reached so many high 'C's' in my whole life!!"
"The bambino has arrived!!"
There was a mention of 'reddish hair' in a certain light!! Like mother, like daughter!!
Carol and Richard were delighted.
Carol would have been pregnant whilst recording what was to be T'Paus 4th studio album.
Red
After 6 months in the studio, which I would say spanned the latter part of 1997 to the beginning of 1998, T'Pau emerged to perform an orchestrated version of "China" with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Princess Diana Tribute Concert at Althorp in June 1998.
It was broadcast live around the world, and later in a BBC primetime show. All this was no mean feat as Carol had been pregnant throughout the recording of the album and gave birth to her first child just 3 weeks before the Diana concert! Carol looked fab at the concert.
What with performing at Wembley at the Rugby League World Cup, broadcast globally, and the Diana Concert also broadcast globally, these two events must have been Carol's biggest televised audiences!!
I can also remember Carol appearing on 'Through The Keyhole, not so long after the Diana concert, and she looked great!! You would never have guessed she had given birth just an handful of weeks prior!!
The album was released in September of 1998, shortly before a tour entitled 'The Red Tour' commenced. Carol and Rafe McKenna (Ash, The Warm Jets, The Corrs, Electronic) produced the album.
Here is the track listing :
- With A Little Luck
- Now That You're Gone
- Do The Right Dance
- Wing And A Prayer
- Giving Up The Ghost
- Make Love To Me
- Say You Will
- Love Song
- Let It All Fall
- Sweet Dreams
The American version was a two-disc set and included :
- Heart And Soul '97
- China In Your Hand (live And unplugged)
- Do The Right Dance (the demo)
The following two are from the bonus disc on the American version of "Red." You have already heard "Heart And Soul '97."
China In Your Hand Live And Un-Plugged
I'm not 100% sure, but I think this may have been the version Carol and the band sang on VH-1. Fantastic vocals and arrangement. A great picture too that I have never seen before.
Do The Right Dance Demo
This song is very folky and catchy.
The above link is to download the UK album version, not too much different from the demo.
Here is somebody's review of the album on iTunes :
"This is the 4th album from the legends that are T'Pau. Carol Decker is still probably the greatest female rock voice of all-time!! Starting the opening track With A Little Luck , through the beautiful Giving Up The Ghost (one of my favourite T'Pau songs ever), the power of Let It All Fall and finishing with Sweet Dreams, which could have fallen straight off the first album Bridge Of Spies. This album rocks!! In summary, if you liked their other three albums then don't hesitate even for a split second, get this".
The band were about to embark on a 36 gig UK tour. 'The Red Tour'.
The tour was accompanied by a radio promo single, "With A Little Luck," and a massive amount of radio and press, notably a live session for Virgin Radio and a new live appearance on VH-1. Carol also filmed material for VH-1 in New York.
The 'new' single was also performed on GMTV.
With A Little Luck
This was to be the first song on the album, and it is a very catchy, melodic tune, with a definite 'T'Pau influence' to it.
Bearing in mind Scarlett was born in June and was 3 months old, obviously Carol needed somebody to look after her whilst she was on stage etc..
Carol was quoted as saying "Luckily mum's coming on tour with me to help look after Scarlett. She's even bought herself a new leather jacket-she's a rock'n'roll granny!!"
The Red Tour Dates
The last date of the tour saw the band play at the prestigious 'Jazz Cafe', where Carol was to perform a cover of the Robbie Williams' hit 'Let Me Entertain You'. Went down a treat!! The gig was a sell-out!!
We were waiting outside for a while and could hear the sound check and it sounded amazing!!
Some of this tour's gigs had been recorded for a future 'live' album!!
I certainly can't miss the following song out for you to hear. It is such a powerful ballad sung with such passion and emotion. Sometimes you can just disappear in the 'narrative' of the lyrics, I know I do.
Now That You're Gone
"If I seem ok, It's just a masquerade. The face I let you see hides the emptiness in me" has to be the most powerful line in the song!!
Finally, I couldn't finish with Red without giving you a taster of Carol 'rocking it out'. This song is a belter!! When she sang it at Ronnie Scotts' in Birmingham, it went down a treat!!
Let It All Fall
T'Powerful stuff!!
There wasn't an 'album preview' on You Tube for "Red" so I have made one myself just to give those who do not have a copy to hear samplers of all the tracks. This album is just as good as previous T'Pau releases, but some people might not know it's out there.
It was released under Carol's "Gnatfish Records" and wasn't available commercially as previous albums. It sold very well at gigs though, and it has appeared on i-Tunes in the last few years.
Please believe me when I say this album is a must for 'all' T'Pau fans, and there is a little i-Tunes 'download' button underneath the album cover earlier on this page.
Red Preview Video
The funny thing was that at Ronnie Scotts, people were sitting down having meals at some tables, and Carol said something amusing that when she's about to sing a real 'rocker' she could see the ketchup going everywhere!!
The Red Tour was a success and people were loving the new material!!.
Here is a collage of some photos I have only recently acquired. They were taken outside Croydon's Fairfield Hall during the Red Tour. I had never seen them before! They're great aren't they!!
There was more to come for Carol and co. in 1998!!
Status Quo invited T'Pau to support them during November and December of 1998 on the German and UK leg of their Tour "It's Good To Tour".
Status Quo Tour December 1998
Here are the tour dates :
- 17/11/98 Germany, Dreasden - Schlachthof
- 18/11/98 Germany, Cottbus - Stadthalle
- 19/11/98 Germany, Schwerin - Kongresshalle
- 21/11/98 Germany, Lemgo - Lipperlandhalle
- 22/11/98 Germany, Kiel - Ostseehalle
- 23/11/98 Germany, Lubeck - MuK
- 25/11/98 Germany, Koln - E-Werk
- 26/11/98 Germany, Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle
- 27/11/98 Germany, Bremen - Pier 2
- 28/11/98 Germany, Suhl - Kongress Zentrum
- 01/12/98 Germany, Eppelheim - Rhein-Neckar Halle,
- 02/12/98 Germany, Ravensburg - Oberschwabenhalle
- 04/12/98 UK, Manchester - MEN Arena
- 05/12/98 UK, Glasgow - S.E.C.C.
- 06/12/98 UK, Newcastle - Arena
- 08/12/98 UK, Cambridge - Corn Exchange
- 09/12/98 UK, Doncaster - Dome
- 11/12/98 UK, Bournemouth - B.I.C.
- 12/12/98 UK, London - Wembley Arena
- 13/12/98 UK, Oxford - Apollo
- 14/12/98 UK, Ipswich - Regent Theatre
- 16/12/98 UK, Cardiff - Arena
- 17/12/98 UK, Bradford - St. Georges Hall
- 18/12/98 UK, Nottingham - Royal Concert Hall
- 19/12/98 UK, Birmingham - N.E.C.
- 20/12/98 UK, Brighton - Centre
- 22/12/98 UK, Plymouth - Pavilion
- 23/12/98 UK, Swindon - Oasis
Here is a review that was written by Rick Norman following his trip to see one of the gigs at Doncaster Dome on December 9th :
"Had a brilliant time at the Dome last night. Gig sold out, 3020 fans.
T'Pau were awesome, they were on stage for about 45 minutes. Carol Decker can definitely belt out a rocker. Her backing band were enthusiastic and certainly enjoyed themselves.
The capacity crowd, who all seemed to be in attendance during T'Pau, gave the band the support they deserved. I must say that T'Pau at Donny was better received than Paul Rodgers at Sheffield last year.
On the basis of their performance, I would pay to see them in a headlining capacity!
The new album seems to be a belter from the selection of tracks that I've heard. I'm sure that it'll be successful for them!"
What a great review! This tour saw them play to an audience of around 90,000 people!! Carol was back performing at Wembley and Birmingham N.E.C. where she belongs!!
Also in December, Carol was to record a session for Virgin.
Carol was to perform "China" on Ireland's top rated Kelly show on New Years Eve to finish off this hectic year!!
What a busy 1997/1998!!
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| Created by Deano Hollett July 2012 |
I know her daughter, she likes Mario.
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