Category: Music

K3: Suitable for framing

Long term, printing digital photos doesn’t make sense, so for Carol’s (too close to Christmas) birthday, I gave her a Kodak M820 digital multimedia frame. These things have a ways to go, but they’re starting to be at least workable. It can play videos, but not completely smoothly. But heck, it’s still a nifty gadget. I kept the lights low so the screen wouldn’t wash out, and the camera made everything look more yellow than it is.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/K3onKodak.flv 640 480]

For you rabid K3 fanatics, here are the ladies presented on DogRat for the first time in full TV resolution. This was taken in October. Bright red coats for a cold, gray day in Holland!

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/K3Eindhoven.flv 624 352]

Beatles song titles hidden in ‘Emma’

Last summer I did a post on the anime called Emma. The second season is now out on DVD, and we’re watching it. Tonight we spotted a moment in a show where a ledger is being shown, but then we realized that instead of being an accounting of financial transactions, it’s a bunch of Beatles song titles. I’ve tried to make them legible in this image.

\"Emma\" anime

UK3

My post last night about French pop star Alizée elicited a comment from Joachim Mairböck in Germany Austria. (Google translation into English of his blog is here.) Joachim pointed out a YouTube link from Studio 100 UK.

I had talked about Studio 100’s ambitions of expansion beyond Belgium and the Netherlands, yet I’m disappointed that even as they were promoting K3’s tenth anniversary they were auditioning for an English-speaking K3, to be called UK3.

In September, Studio 100 posted a video of Wir3 from Germany with an English overdub. The caption reads “Basic version of U.K audition pop song. Learn the words and the basic dance moves to increase your chance of being chosen. Good luck. Best Regards Peteer”. As often happens, YouTube got the shape of the image wrong, so I’ve corrected it here.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/UK3HEYMAMAH.flv 448 268]

Then, just a week ago, Studio 100 posted the results of that audition, with this caption — “Emily, Lauren and Tahnee, 2 days after meeting for the first time ever, create a decent music video in less than 4 hours. Amazing!”

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/UK3demo.flv 512 288]

Well, there it is. The house that K3 built moves on. Karen, Kathleen, and Kristel are now all 30 and over, and it’s time for younger women, who are native English speakers. UK3 looks like just another fabricated fluff girl group, and I couldn’t be less interested. Again I say it’s the people, not the package. Studio 100 got lucky with K3, who were already together before Studio 100 found them. Less than six months ago I didn’t know K3 existed, and now it’s disconcerting to contemplate that they may be getting closer to the end of their run.

Alizée in French and English

All of my K3 posts combined haven’t equaled the online hits to my single mention of Alizée three months ago. Five years ago, Alizée had a mega hit with “J’en ai Marre!” or, in English, “I’m Fed Up!” Is it French vs. Flemish that makes Alizée so popular compared to K3, or is it the way she dishes up sex so shamelessly, yet sweetly? And what is the significance of the cute sailor’s collar and the fanny fish?

I haven’t done a lot of background reading about Alizée, and I’ve watched only a few videos of her doing other songs, but I have to say that Alizée in “J’en ai Marre!” is unforgettable if not sensational, and the song itself is an excellent piece of pop penmanship and production. This performance in French is from Top of the Pops.

K3 found success in going for the kid’s market, and Alizée also took a crack at it, albeit in a more modest costume.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/AlizeeDisney.flv 480 360]

And if you’re thinking the song would be better in English, here’s another appearance from Top of the Pops.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/AlizeeEnglish.flv 480 360]

I think it loses a lot in English, so it’s just as well that’s an abbreviated take of the song. The charm just isn’t the same, leading me to wonder if K3’s appeal for me as an American would suffer if their songs were in English?

The introduction to this live performance of “J’en ai Marre!” demonstrates how effectively a simple, well-constructed song can pull in an audience.