“Fun, Love & Money!”
by Iain Denholm.
Sisters, Mel & Kim Appleby had a dream! A dream to make their lives better. To sing and dance... to have fun, find love, and to make enough money to provide security...
…and in 1986, hungry to make that dream a reality, they launched a bid for pop stardom which would see them go from anonymity to worldwide fame in under 6-months. With chart entries as far-reaching as the Philippines, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, America, South Africa, the UK, and extensively throughout Europe, Mel & Kim injected some much-needed energy into an arguably stale late-80s music scene, and became the girl duo of their generation, whilst setting the foundations for a musical legacy which, quite remarkably, continues to resonate some 38+ years later.
But, of course, things hadn’t always come so easily to the girls...
Born in East London, to a British mother and a Jamaican father, in a time when interracial relationships and being of dual-heritage was often met with ignorance and prejudice, the young family experienced more than their share of adversity. After a number of years together, the girls' parents divorced, leaving their mum Gladys to raise her two daughters on her own. In difficult circumstances and financial hardship, the three moved into one room of a single woman's hostel, and life was undoubtedly tough. Money was always scarce, but Gladys strived to ensure that love and laughter were in abundance. Reflecting on the girls' upbringing, record producer Pete Waterman reflected, "Mel & Kim were working class girls who had had it rough all their lives. They came from such a poor background, that they took on the world - literally!"
Throughout their childhood, music had come as a happy distraction, and both sisters had fantasized about becoming 'pop stars', and changing their lives and futures. Kim recalled, "We always had music on [and we] grew up wanting to do something to do with the entertainment world. I loved to dance - Melanie was more of the singer; to be quite honest... but I always did see us 'up there'". Of course, this was a time long before the internet, when fame and being noticed were a lot harder to achieve, and the realities of life soon took over. Kim left school - quickly followed by Mel - and both tried a string of jobs, although struggled to find their niche. “We were in and out of jobs", remembered Kim. "We've worked in 'Fine Fare', in the factory, done reception... gosh, loads of things!” “I was useless”, added Mel, laughing. “When we used to work in the factory, we would keep the guvnor happy and wear a mini skirt, so he'd be, like, 'yeah, I’ll pay her a lotta money', you know? (Laughs)” In truth, Kim actually excelled as a five-thread over-locker in an underwear factory, but it was Mel who really struggled to hold down a full-time job... that was until her mum Gladys took inspiration from the British 'Page 3 girl' phenomenon and suggested that she try her hand as a glamour model. Mel recalled, "My mum said, 'you've got the figure, why don't you send a picture off?' And I goes, 'no way!' So, she goes, 'Go on! It ain't nuffink!' So, I said, 'Well, you sort it awt then'". Gladys took a Polaroid of Mel and sent it into 'The Star' newspaper, and the stunning 18-year-old soon found herself in demand from photographers and achieving huge success as a topless and nude model. Later, Mel laughed as she recalled, "Yeah, I was a 'Star Bird'. To be truthful with yah, I think it helped sell my records, you know what I mean? So, if it keeps up, it'll be handy"
As the months passed, Mel's modelling career went from strength to strength, and she soon found herself mixing with 'the right people' within the entertainment industry. Outwardly, she was ecstatic about her sudden success, but secretly, Mel still harboured her childhood ambition to be a singer, and she hoped that her modelling career would be the stepping-stone she needed into the music industry. It was whilst modelling that Mel met the music manager, and ex-Marmalade band member, Alan Whitehead, who was immediately bowled over by her charisma and star quality. Alan recalled, "Mel was a naturally gifted blues singer and she had a vibrancy and ‘star’ written all over her. Mel loved to sing, and she had a quality to her voice that was just brilliant!" Recognizing Mel's potential, Alan invited her to sing lead with his new club act, 'The Glamour Girl Roadshow'. The act, which Alan envisioned as the female version of The Chippendales, toured Britain’s Mecca chain nightclubs, and comprised of Mel singing cover versions of chart hits; such as the Mary Jane Girls - Wild & Crazy Love, and Work That Body, by Diana Ross, whilst flanked by a group of scantily clad fellow glamour models. It was evident to all who saw the act that Mel outshone the rest of the group, and the experience solidified her determination to leave modelling behind and pursue a future in the music business. Alan reflected, "Mel was the featured girl! She was the most talented singer and she was naturally charismatic. If you look at her on the Glamour Girl Roadshow, the focus is all on her. She just had it! Whatever ‘it’ is, she had it in bucket loads. Mel was a really beautiful, great, fun, zany, girl. I always remember her laugh! Without Mel, the Roadshow was nothing!"
(Mel performing with Alan Whitehead's Glamour Girl Roadshow, in the Coasters Nightclub , Edinburgh, 27th March 1986 )
Shockingly, just as Mel’s modelling career was taking off, the 18-year-old discovered that she had contracted cancer of the liver, and although she recovered quickly, the operation ended her lucrative modelling career overnight. Mel was keen to leave this experience behind her and, rather than dwell on her misfortune, she began to pursue her dream to become a singer with a new sense of determination. Still convinced of Mel's talent, Alan focused his attention on helping her to break into the music industry, and he introduced her to his friend, record producer Steve Rowland. "Mel was such a beautiful, talented girl", shared Steve. "She was a sensational singer with a really great, soulful voice. Mel had the looks; she had the personality, and she certainly had the vocal ability to be a big star." Encouraged by Steve's belief in her, Mel went into the recording studio, and the pair produced a four-track demo tape, which Steve then took to Nick East, who was the managing director of the independent record label, Supreme. Nick loved the way that Mel sounded, and he was undoubtedly impressed, but with a successful female solo act - Princess, who had provided Supreme with a huge hit with Say I'm Your Number One - already signed to his label, he was set on a group or double act being his next signing so, rather reluctantly, he passed. Rowland returned from his meeting with Nick, and fearing that Mel may be disappointed by his news, he made light of the situation. "I kinda made a joke out of it, and asked her if there were any more at home like her? And she said, 'Yeah, my sister! She is better than me, she's a brilliant singer, and she is gorgeous... she's better looking than me!" Laughing at the memory of this revelation, Steve added, "I almost fell over!" To his amazement, rather than feeling disheartened, Mel was elated, as she viewed this as the perfect opportunity for herself and her sister to become the 'pop stars' that they always dreamed they would be. Kim later also recalled how Mel kicked off their career in music. “I remember, she called me at the factory, and she went, ‘Kim, I met this geezer, and he said that we can be pop stars’, and I was like, 'yeah, right' (laughs).” Over the next few weeks, Steve re-recorded the demo with both girls, and he took the tape back to Nick, at Supreme. Needless to say, Nick was suitably impressed with 'Kimmel', (the duo's original group name), and they were signed. Nick recalled, "Mel & Kim were the real deal! I liked them the moment I met them. I remember, Mel came in wearing a big leopard print coat, and she had that infectious laughter, and just a great personality. As soon as I met them, I knew they were great, I knew they had the charisma, and I figured the public would like them."
Supreme was closely linked to the, then fledgling, production team of Stock, Aitken & Waterman, and so they brought them on board to produce the sisters' début, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Keen to repeat the success of Princess’ Say I’m Your Number One (which had also been written and produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman), the first song that the team wrote for Mel & Kim, which was titled System, followed a very similar musical path. But, as the recording progressed, the team realised that the track's soul/RnB vibe felt out of step with the sisters' personalities and energy. Mike Stock shared, "There was nothing fresh enough about that sound for those girls. We needed to find a style for them that no-one else was doing in the UK". Kim later reflected, "Initially, they were thinking, 'two black chicks from East London. We'll take them down the Princess route. Then they took us down the pub, and we were all, ‘Cor blimey, mate, 'ow’s your father?’ Pete said, ‘Scrub the track. We need something tough for these girls!’ Mike Stock added, "My creative radar was on full alert, because they were just so open and funny. A couple of bottles of lager and they were away! We were falling off the chairs! There was plenty of scope for me as a writer." The team were now glaringly aware that they had found something very different with Mel & Kim, and they wanted to match the sisters' sound to their feisty and fun personalities. With an incredibly fast turnaround, Pete Waterman linked the duo with the 'Chicago House' sound that was emerging from the London club scene, and the writing of Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend). was hastily undertaken. Pete reflected, "They were larger than life - fabulous and effervescent! The moment we met them, we realised we could write songs in a different style. Songs about 'Mel & Kim'."
Released on 14th of September 1986, Showing Out proved to be a slow but persistent burner that built a steady following with UK clubbers, before crossing over into the mainstream and entering the UK singles chart at number 67. Mel & Kim tirelessly promoted their single with months of club dates up and down the UK, and, with every passing week, Showing Out slowly crept up the lower end of the UK singles chart - and all without the backing of airplay from Radio One. That all changed following a chance opportunity to appear on the hugely influential UK music chart show, Top Of The Pops. At that time, you had to be in the UK top 20 in order to appear on the show, but an unexpected cancellation to the bill, on October 30th, 1986, resulted in Mel & Kim being asked to perform their song to a huge UK audience - and that three-and-a-half-minute performance propelled Showing Out into the UK top ten. The Top Of The Pops performance was the sisters' very first T.V. appearance, and Kim later referred to it as the moment in her life she would most like to relive, as well as being, "the scariest moment of both our lives!"
Showing Out eventually peaked at number 3, a staggering ten weeks after its release, and the worldwide pop charts immediately followed. Of the track's unfamiliar title, Mel explained, "Say, you're out at a disco, and you're boogieing it awt... Showing' awt means, when a guy is playing up to you, and he's trying to chat you up. He's flirting!" Everybody now knew 'the hats', as they were dubbed by their European fans, and Mel & Kim were suddenly the 'pop stars' that they had always dreamt of becoming. But, of course, it wasn't just about the music... The duo effortlessly struck a balance between uber-cool and ultra-lovable. They were both stunningly beautiful, and their distinctive, self-styled image, which combined chic high fashion with trendy urban street wear - and of course those hats - created as much interest as their music, leading many to initially assume that they were actually established fashion models. However, there was much more to the cool Cockney girls than just a pretty package, and they quickly proved themselves to be as talented as they were beautiful, and with their feet firmly on the ground... something which sat in complete contrast to the sophisticated aloofness associated with the model elite. Matt Aitken shared, "I think, Kim was always kind of in control of the pair of them. Mel would sit there and listen to you, and she would nod her head and go, ‘Oh, yeah, yeah...’, but you knew that there was a joke coming at the end of all this... and she had this real thigh-slapping laugh. It’s how I will always remember her". Pete Waterman also reflected, "They're two 'jack the lads', but female. They're so independent! They reverse the role. You'd walk into a bar and say to them, "Do you want a drink, love?" and they are immediately going to say, "Stuff you mate - do YOU want a drink? They had a very modern outlook on life, and they were so confident." Kim later recalled, "We weren't always this confident. Mel was a lot more confident!”. Mel then added, “Well, I was a lot more confident because I knew it was gonna ‘appen. I was determined!”
By the end of 1986, Mel had been proven right! Showing Out was a smash hit in the UK, and all across Europe, and the girls' newly acquired fans were smitten, and eager to hear what the sisters had in store for them next...
(Mel & Kim, pictured between takes ,on the video set for their first single Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend) August 1986 )
Mel & Kim's second single Respectable, which was released on the 23rd of February 1987, was, once again, written by Stock, Aitken & Waterman, and the production team continued to inject the girls' colourful backgrounds and vibrant personalities into its lyrics. Written as a tongue in cheek response to the tabloid media's, now, incessant attempts to derail the girls' career by shaming Mel for the shots of her in her, "birthday suit", as she jokingly described the revealing images, Respectable perfectly incapsulated the sisters’ youthful, streetwise energy and infectious humour, whilst also making a clear statement that they were not, and would not be, ashamed. Producer, Matt Aitken shared, "It’s a brilliant record, and the girls just sang it brilliantly! It did feel as much their composition as ours". Despite only being Mel & Kim’s second release, careful consideration was given to developing their sound, and a conscious effort was made for Respectable to be more radio-friendly than the heavier club-sounds of its predecessor. Showing Out had fundamentally been a club record, so its unexpected crossover onto the mainstream pop charts had come as a happy surprise to everyone involved, but its success had also created a lot of pressure to follow it up with something bigger that could be embraced by the radio stations as easily as the clubs. Respectable's production successfully fused the edgier Chicago House sounds of Showing Out with a far more commercial Pop/House sensibility, and a memorable hook-line, created by it's, now iconic, "Tay, tay, tay, tay, t-t, t-tay, tay, tay, tay" vocal loc. A hook which still remains instantly recognisable, and which played a major part in propelling the song to number 1 across the globe - and Mel & Kim - to worldwide fame!
Pre-empting the dizzying heights that the single would achieve, the video for Respectable, was a much bigger affair than its predecessor. Recalling their second video shoot, Kim said at the time, “There isn’t really a storyline. Just two girls making it good under the watchful eye of a copper!” The video's director Simon West shared how, even an unexpected press call, mid-video shoot, couldn't dampen the sisters' enthusiasm. "Back then, it was quite unusual to shut down right in the middle of shooting to do interviews’, and to have photographers shouting at them, ‘over here’, ‘over here’, but they were really being followed and hounded by the press. That said, they were just the same as always. Still just two, kind, big-hearted young girls who were really excited to be there! I always remember Mel’s laugh! I mean, the windows would rattle when she laughed! It was huge!"
Whereas, Showing Out had taken time to build momentum, before taking over the pop charts, Respectable was an instant smash. Pete Waterman shared, "Suddenly, we were at number 1 in the pop charts, with an act that we had made as a, sort of, house music band! Suddenly, there the girls are on kids and prime time television, every day of the week, and suddenly we were selling 800 000 singles when at that point, everyone thought that the format of 'the single' was dead. It changed everything for them, and for us as producers". As Respectable reached the number 1 spot in the UK, then repeated that success across Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the US, Mel & Kim were truly living their dream, although the demands of their success, and their relentless promotions schedule, were beginning to take their toll. Despite their palpable excitement, both girls were exhausted, and Mel had begun to suffer from a persistent pain in her lower back, which she laughed off, initially thinking it was a result of the dance routines required by their endless performances. As the 'Mel & Kim' juggernaut charged forward, there were photo sessions, interviews, and worldwide television and club performances booked, as well as the recording of their début album to complete. With so much at stake, there was no time in the schedule to be unwell.
Photographed by Dave Hogan, in Victoria Park (East London) on 24th March 1987, as Respectable reached Number 1 in the UK chart
The next few months built anticipation and excitement for the sisters' début album, titled F.L.M., which was released on April 13th 1987. Publicly, 'F.L.M.' was an abbreviation of ‘Fun, Love & Money’, but privately, the true meaning was the far less innocent ‘fucking lovely mate’. Pete Waterman shared, "Every three minutes, Mel would come up [and say] 'fuckin' lovely mate'. 'How's this Mel? 'Fuckin' lovely mate!'" Recalling their shock when Mike Stock told them that this would be the title of a new track that he had written for them, Mel explained, “When we went into the studio, they had this little computer, telly box fing, and it had F.L.M., but the real words! And we went, ‘The song can’t be called that!’ We can't sing that on Top of the Pops! (Laughs)! ".
The F.L.M. album provided a great platform for the sisters to showcase their vocal capabilities, and to express their musical influences. Of course, the Chicago House/London House vibe was there, but the album also included a strong and diverse collection of RnB and soul tracks. The title track, like Respectable before it, sampled the girls' talking in the studio. Mel laughed as she recalled the songs' spoken line, ‘Boyfriends are boring.’ “That’s ‘er bleedin’ one, you know! (They asked), ‘Do you have boyfriends?’ And Kim goes, ‘Boyfriends? Boyfriends are boring’. Then they goes, ‘would you sleep wiv a guy who bought you a fur coat? And I said, ‘leave it out…independence!'” Once again, the sisters' down to earth nature and strong personalities where evident in their music. Far from being Hit Factory puppets, they were young women who were expressing their strength and asserting that power in a feminine and fun way. Mike Stock recalled, "We reasoned that, with the two of them, you couldn't really do personal love songs. So there's a lot of songs on their album where their best mate has fallen in love with this rogue, and they're giving her advice."
The F.L.M. album also included a cover of Austin Howard’s 1986 release I’m the One Who Really Loves You (which went on to receive remix treatments courtesy of Robert Clivillés, later of C+C Music Factory fame, for its U.S. single release), Who’s Gonna Catch You, (which echoed one of the girls' childhood music-idols, Stevie Wonder), and the energetic and urgent sounding From A Whisper To A Scream, (which Mel & Kim co-wrote with Mike and Matt). There was even a heartfelt ballad, More Than Words Can Say, with the lead vocal sang by Kim, which went on to receive a limited single release in Sweden.
Exclusive melandkim.com Edit
Mel & Kim perform their upcoming third single release - F.L.M. - on the second night of The Montreux Pop & Rock Festival, 15th May 1987
The third single is seen as a crucial point for any artist, especially when an album is already high in the charts, so it's title track F.L.M. was given a mini-makeover to provide a more comfortable sonic-progression from the two singles that had preceded it. Pre-release promotion began at The Montreux Pop & Rock Festival, in May 1987, just under two months before the F.L.M. singles' release, with the duo debuting the album version, alongside their other 2 singles. Mel & Kim were now on top of the world, and footage from those performances show them giving each other knowing looks, disbelieving glances, and wide smiles, as the crowds roared their approval. Originally, the sisters were booked to perform at all three nights of the famous European music festival. However, this had to be cut short when Mel appeared to slip in a restaurant, following their second performance, and the back pain which she had been experiencing had then become intolerable. Full-scale single and album promotions had to be drastically scaled back, although cover shoots and interviews with the UK's two biggest music magazines at that time - Smash Hits and Number One - went ahead. Once again, Mel laughed off the severity of her pain in both magazine interviews, and the sisters were soon flying off to Japan, to restart promotion, this time for Showing Out, at The Tokyo Music Festival. The sisters flew out on June 13th, 1987, but alarmingly, Mel's back pain quickly worsened, and their 10-day visit had to be extended to three and a half weeks before Mel could be flown home. The girls arrived back at London's Heathrow airport, with Mel being pushed by Kim in a wheelchair, although reassuringly, both were full of smiles, and Mel laughed and joked with the collective press who had rushed to photograph their ominous return. With both the F.L.M. album and single racing up the global music charts, and an imminent world tour still booked (which was planned to take in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and America), international success was truly theirs, and the girls' dreams were seemingly coming true. Despite Mel having seriously injured her back, to the outside world this was merely a temporary blip. However, behind the public smiles, the world tour was cancelled, and Mel was given the news that, despite being only 20 years old, she was about to embark on her second battle with cancer.
On Mel's insistence, the officially promoted story was that her fall in the Montreux restaurant, back in May, had resulted in a slipped disk and crushed vertebrae in her spine, and recovery meant that she would be unable to fully promote the F.L.M. single and album, as planned. Ambitious plans for the F.L.M. promotional video were downsized, and footage of one of the Montreux performances of the track was quickly intercut with a strange storyline involving a private investigator and two string puppets, representing the duo, (Supreme's attempt to poke fun at a recent, scathing press article on the girls, which labelled them both as 'Pop Puppets' with questionable talent and intelligence). As ambiguity swirled over her sisters' health, Kim initially and courageously soldiered on, under pressure from the record company to fulfil their contractual agreements to promote. Meanwhile, Mel underwent a course of intensive treatment and remained out of the media glare. Within weeks, the UK tabloid publications began to run persistent headlines and stories about Mel, under hurtful and preposterously despairing headlines, and the media, desperate to break the true nature of her withdrawal from public view, resorted to desperate measures to secure the exclusive rights to her 'story'. As Mel embarked on her treatment, and her family, and Supreme Records, scrambled to deal with the reality of the situation, the girls endured journalists dressed as doctors, attempting to break into Mel's hospital room, hospital staff being bribed for information, and members of the family being followed. A journalist even turned up at Mel's mum's house, whilst Mel was home from hospital for a few days, claiming to be a nurse who had been sent by the hospital to provide treatment! Yet, somehow, in amongst all this chaos, Mel & Kim found themselves able to look ahead and plan for their future. Just as it had when they were children, their shared love of music provided a very welcome distraction from the grim realities of the day-to-day toil that both were forced to endure. The sisters spent hours discussing what their comeback image would be, and what they now wanted to say as artists, and they also began writing their own songs for their planned, second album.
In November 1987, 4 months after Mel had withdrawn from public view, Kim attended the PWL studios alone, to record a 'guide only vocal' for, what would potentially be, the next Mel & Kim single. Mel was still undergoing serious medical treatment, but the plan was that the construction of the track would take place between Kim and the producers, and Mel would give her feedback, and then re-record the track with her sister, when she felt well enough. Mel longed to record with Kim again - a goal which, no doubt, pulled her through some tough times during her treatment - but it would be one late evening in January 1988 before she was finally strong enough to sign herself out of hospital, and travel back to the P.W.L. studios, with Kim, to record her vocals for That’s The Way It Is... and she loved every minute of it. Pete Waterman reflected, "I remember when we did That's The Way It Is after Mel had had a lot of chemotherapy. At that stage, no one knew she had cancer. We recorded the track at 10.30pm, with no staff around, except for myself and a couple of others. Mel arrived, and the shock knocked me sideways. The whole thing was awesome, but Mel knew it... so the first thing she did was make us laugh and put us all at our ease. She never stopped laughing. She had us in hysterics." Kim later also recalled that the recording was “exactly the tonic (Mel) needed." Being back in the studio lifted both girls' spirits, and they were even encouraged to record one of their own newly written compositions, a song titled You Changed My Life, which was then used as the B-side to That’s The Way It Is, and demonstrated just how good Mel & Kim had become at crafting a cracking pop tune of their own. Meanwhile, the critics were also beginning to sit up and take notice, and the duo received a Brit Awards nomination, on the 8th of February 1988, for 'Best British Breakthrough Act'!
That’s The Way It Is was released on February 20th, 1988, with the story of Mel's 'slipped disk' still being given by Supreme Records as the reason that the sisters could not film for the promotional video or promote the track in person. Much of the promotion for the single was made up of telephone interviews with the worldwide press, although there was also the unusual move of a live telephone interview on the British children’s Saturday morning show, Going Live. Mel & Kim sounded as chirpy and happy as ever, reassuringly laughing about their future plans, their recent interior house decorations and Mel being sent a ‘Gordon’ soft toy by a fan ('Gordon the Gopher' was a hand puppet character on the show). However, during the interview Mel had to deflect a very forward call from a young fan who asked her outright about the press reports that she had cancer. At the close of what must have been a difficult interview, Mel & Kim received a round of applause from those in the Going Live studio, and it was clear that many already knew the truth and wanted to express their respect, support and admiration for Mel, Kim, and their family. Unfortunately, the tabloid media’s lack of visual access to the girls during the promotion of the single, led to a price being put on Mel’s head. A price that was too big for even someone close to her to turn down...
On March 27th, 1988, a UK tabloid publication ran a front-page exposé, titled, ‘Mel’s First Steps’, which included an unrecognisable photograph of Mel, which had been taken whilst she was receiving intensive chemotherapy. It is important to keep in mind that back in the 80s, the general understanding of cancer, and what it meant to be diagnosed, was far less informed than it is today, and so it is easy to underestimate the ignorance and stigma that surrounded the disease back then. The cover story continued inside with a two-page ‘exclusive’, presented under a cruel and hugely hurtful headline, alongside more photographs of Mel, which had been sold to the paper by Kim’s ex-partner. When asked about this later, Kim recalled, “I was so angry… but Mel was so great about it. She just said, nonchalantly, ‘Oh well…’. It was just some low-life trying to make some money. It was bad for Melanie to be seen that way, but it was something that we coped with!” The pictures had been taken in Kim’s house, as part of a family celebration to welcome Mel home from hospital for a few days (to celebrate Christmas), and the accompanying text, which spoke of Mel’s purported ‘torment’, was tasteless, and showed a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of a brave and frightened 21-year-old girl, or her loved ones... Yet, the photographs, although undeniably shocking, captured the incredible courage, strength, and determination that Mel possessed – and, quite unbelievably, despite the trials that she was evidently going through when the images were taken, they show her laughing!
On March 24th, 1988, three days before the publication of the photographs, Mel made the difficult decision to hold a press conference, in an attempt to take the wind out of the impending, and unwelcomed, tabloid exposé, and the shock factor out of the very personal images planned to be published that weekend. The duo may have sung the line, “We ain’t ever gonna be respectable”, but the sight of an incredibly brave young girl, leaning on her fiercely supportive big sister, as she hobbled slowly, with the aid of walking sticks, into the Russel Hotel conference room, earned the respect of the gathered press instantly - and you could have heard a pin drop. Those present did not know what to expect, given that the ‘outing’ of Mel’s illness had not been of her own doing… however, any nerves and discomfort soon vanished when Mel looked out at the gathered press and laughed loudly, before announcing, "Yeah, I’m wearing a wig! I’m as bald as a coot! Don’t anyone in here open the window, otherwise a wind will blow through and me wig’ll come off!” She then dissolved into more giggles, as she explained, “I was having to take steroids, so my weight went up to 11 stone. Only a couple of weeks ago, I looked like a cabbage patch doll!” It wasn’t only Mel’s humour that was in evidence - her strength of spirit was also shining out! As was the determination that had gotten her this far. "I WILL make a full recovery!", she declared categorically, before adding, "I’ve never thought I'm gonna die. I’m not gonna let that happen!” When asked how she had felt about the impending tabloid story, and those photographs being made public, Mel commented, “If people want a cheap thrill out of seeing me looking ill, that’s up to them! What [the photographs being published] has done is made me show myself in public, much earlier than I wanted to. I don’t feel any pain at all now, but believe me, if I’d have come out in public a few months ago, my face would have been screwed up, because of the pain!” When asked about maintaining her humour throughout such a life-threatening experience, Mel laughed loudly and said, "Me and Kim have had a sense of humour throughout the treatment. We've had to laugh at a lot of things. I feel I could handle anything now. You've got to keep looking up. Don't look on the downside."
After the initial shock of the story breaking, both girls admitted that it was a relief that the truth was now finally out there, albeit as a result of an enforced ‘outing’ by the UK tabloids. Mel was feeling stronger and the effort of hiding herself had been taking a heavy toll on her and her family. Kim later recalled, “It became really hard keeping it a secret and hiding her from people, when the news broke, it was a big relief.”
On April 29th, 1988, a few weeks after their press conference, the sisters appeared on the hugely popular prime-time British talk show ‘Wogan’, where they charmed the studio audience, TV viewers, and the host - Sir Terry - with their fun-filled banter and unfaltering optimism. Within minutes, the sisters were full of laughter, sharing stories from their shared life experiences, and warmly referring to the show’s host as "Tel!" Mel looked far improved from the photographs that had been published the previous month, but she was still bloated from her punishing medication regime, and she was wearing a wig. During the interview, Mel shared with the audience her continuing struggles to get on her feet. “At the moment I am still working on my walking, ‘cause I walk with sticks, but by summer, I should be getting it together.” Despite the obvious seriousness of Mel’s condition, the conversation was peppered, as ever, with fun and laughter, and it remains a very personal and touching interview, showing both girls' strength, humour and tenacity. In addition, the interview also showcased a verse of a new song, penned by the sisters. While chatting about writing their own songs, they were asked to sing, and launched into a faultless rendition of a track that they called, 'Oh Yes, I’m Leaving' - in acapella, no less. Certainly, any prior questions over the girls' vocal talents were immediately silenced, as the sisters harmonised together, pausing only for Mel to mimic the track's bass guitar line, and to, as always, laugh! (This track was later re-titled If You Cared, and became Kim’s fourth single release from her first solo album).
A second TV appearance followed in August 1988, this time on the British early-morning show TV AM, to promote the need for more teenage cancer wards in UK hospitals. It had only been a few months since the sisters triumphant appearance on The Wogan show, but Mel's continued recovery was apparent. She had lost much of the medication-induced bloating she had experienced, and her hair was now growing back. With Kim protectively by her side (and sporting a short hair cut to match her sister's), both girls sounded positive, and, although Mel sounded a little tired, her fighting spirit was still clearly in evidence. When asked about a return to the pop charts, Kim answered, “The fact that Mel is back, is enough for me. Whether we have the career again... it’s just not important”. To which, Mel quickly interjected, saying, “Well, we WILL have the career again! We're just lyin’ low!". Kim then quickly clarified, “She’s the leader on that!", to which Mel, half in fun and half in pure defiance, raised a fist into the air, and did what she always did – she laughed!
(Mel & Kim's last TV appearance, in a pre-recorded interview with Anne Diamond, for TV-AM, August 1988)
Shockingly, this would be the last TV appearance the sisters would make as a duo, and on the 18th of January 1990. Mel passed away, with Kim and her family by her side. A simple cold had developed into pneumonia, and her immune system, badly weakened by the last few years of intensive chemotherapy, had not been able to fight off the infection. She was 23 years old.
Sisters, Mel & Kim Appleby had a dream! A dream to make their lives better. To sing and dance... to have fun, find love, and to make enough money to provide security...
…and, against all odds, they made that dream a reality whilst securing themselves a place in pop history. The global success that they achieved together was nothing short of phenomenal, and their instantly recognisable songs, which continue to be played today, elicit joy and stir memories of a different time. Memories that, despite the cruel way that things ended, have their foundations firmly rooted in fun, laughter, and great, great pop music.
More years have now gone by since Mel’s passing than the 23 years that she was alive, yet her spirit continues to live on through the sisters' music and the love and affection that still remains for them both. Undoubtedly, Mel & Kim will long be remembered but, perhaps, it is a memory shared by Kim that is the most poignant. When asked what her lasting memory of her sister was, Kim answered, “Her bubbliness. She really loved life. She laughed - a lot - and was a bit of a scatterbrain. She was just a very warm person. I always think of the good times... now and again, the negative stuff creeps in but, mostly, I have this image of Mel... laughing!”
