Depending on how old you are Smash Hits is either just another magazine you have to choose from the vast variety of music publications you read on a regular basis or, if you are in your twenties plus, the music bible you had to read every fortnight to keep in touch with the latest news about your favorite bands. The Poll Winners Party is a kids version of the Brit Awards minus the music industry big wigs, the drawn out speeches and the controversy which surrounds it. The concert is two hours of the biggest pop acts performing in front of an audience of young girls holding dirty banners telling 'Lee' from 'Blue' what they would like him to do with them. Moving from the London Arena in the Dockland area to Wembley Arena broken by a years gap thanks to poor interest the awards are back on full form and bigger than ever. It's the second time that the Channel 4 youth flagship show 'T4' has been associated with the event to gain more attention because of the slight lack of sales from the magazine itself. You probably caught it on TV over the weekend, don't worry if you didn't as it's probably going to have its annual repeat at Crimbo (Smash Hits jargon for Christmas!), but here's the lowdown on what happened behind the scenes thanks to our Access All Areas pass.
The surface of the backstage car park had the shadow of the arch belonging to the new stadium which is being built ready for 2007, although judging by the past history and trouble the building has had it would be safe to add a few more years to that date! Also in the car park were tour buses which traveled various boybands across Europe from venue to venue in the vain attempt that the passengers didn't end up as bargain bins has-beens, which is now all too common in the 'crazy world called Pop'. The heavyweights of the fickle popworld such as Blue, Busted and Girls Aloud were all present as well as new acts including 'Freefaller.' Other acts which were welcomed by screams and blowing whistles were McFly, Natasha and Daniel Bedingfield, Rachel Stevens, The 411, Goldie Lookin' Chain and V. We managed to creep our way into the dressing rooms area and fish out some poptastic gossip which 'Sneak' magazine would die for..
Because of our busy social life here at ABLE2UK you can appreciate that we don't have time to follow soap operas and the only time we are aware of a soap star is when they hit the headlines for snorting cocaine, surfing single women websites or slitting their wrists in the fear of being gay. So when we shared a table in the VIP room with an Emmerdale actress and a Corrie star we didn't have a bloody clue who they were - and still don't! The two nervous actors were there to present an award, a job which Big Brother's Nadia also managed to blag. X Fator's Louis walsh was also present with his band, G4 and other pop hopeful, Tammy. Which was a pretty good turnout for us as we managed to wangle tickets to the X Factor final out of them!
Girls Aloud have pop candy since their early days performing on a reality TV show and we managed to catch the young ladies getting changed from their tracksuit outfits into sexy white outfits ready for their performance. Nadine made a quick dart to the ladies loo wearing curlers in her hair before retreating back to the bands locked dressing room which, like all the other changing areas, could only be opened by a combination. Next to the girls room were three more young ladies, the 411 who were being filmed for a forthcoming video promo. The cameraman was trying to catch the girls walking from their dressing rooms, down the corridor and onto the stage. A simple bit of film footage caused more trouble than its worth thanks to other bands walking up and down the busy area. One of these was Daniel Bedingfield, a popstar who looks as if he has just stumbled out of bed, misplaced his shaver and necked a few pills. We still can't quite understand the attraction he attracts from teenage girls, but his sister, Natasha just goes to prove that the ugly stick only touched one member of the Bedingfield family!
Because of the layout of the arena dressing rooms and offices are positioned either side of the arena. The press room, on the stage facing right side had the UK press snapping and interviewing the various pop acts with the standard in-depth Smash Hits questions. After being asked their favorite color and what they had for breakfast the celebs made their way to the Hard Rock Cafe situated in the VIP room where burgers, chicken wings and ice cream was served all day free of charge and a table football saw James from Busted competing against Daniel Bedingfield trying to kill time until the grand finale.
As we have already stated, each act had their own dressing room, except one. The Smash Hits Hall Of Fame winner was given her own suite and didn't make an appearance outside the front door. Kylie was treated like a pre-Madonna during the day and even boycotted all the journalists. Although we managed a quick meeting with her and spoke about her tour in 2005 which she told us she's really looking forward to. Probably because the pop princess will make a packet out of ticket sales and merchandise!
Once hosts Vernon Kaye and June Sarpong bid a farewell to the T4 viewers it was time to travel across the jammed streets of Wembley to the after show party at The K Bar in Sheperds Bush. Part of K West four star hotel the venue is gradually becoming a celebrity haunt which welcomed the likes of The Thrills and REM earlier in the year. A few of the acts from the awards showed their faces including Brian McFadden who started dancing to the tunes playing from the DJ booth. Unfortunately he looked a bit out of place seeing as a. He was the only person dancing and b. There was no bloody dancefloor! Still, it was an improvement on his dancing days in Westlife, pity his personality hasn't changed with it!
So, until next year when a plethora of new boybands wet the teenage girls appetite and the work 'Blue' will only relate to a shade of color we can put our banners away, stick our banners in the bin and wait for music talent shows on ITV to manufacture the cover stars of Smash Hits for the next twelve months.
WHO WON WHAT?
SMASH HITS STAR OF THE YEAR
1. McFly
2. Busted
3. Rachel Stevens
BEST UK BAND
1. McFly
2. Busted
3. Blue
BEST SOLO ARTIST
1. Usher
2. Rachel Stevens
3. Britney Spears
BEST SINGLE
1. Busted - Thunderbirds
2. McFly - Obviously
3. Eamon - F*** It (I don't want you back)
BEST ALBUM
1. McFly - Room on the 3rd floor
2. Busted - A Present For Everyone
3. Will Young - Friday's Child
BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND
1. Maroon 5
2. Black Eyed Peas
3. OutKast
BEST ROCK ACT
1. The Darkness
2. The Rasmus
3. Blink 182
BEST DANCE ACT
1. Shapeshifters
2. Eric Prydz
3. 3 Of A Kind
BEST R'N'B ACT
1. Usher
2. Nelly
3. Jamelia
BEST HIP-HOP ACT
1. Eminem
2. Black-Eyed Peas
3. 50 Cent
BEST VIDEO
1. McFly - That Girl
2. Blue - Curtain Calls
3. 3 Of A Kind - Babycakes
HOT NEW TALENT
1. Natasha Bedingfield
2. The 411
3. V
FAVOURITE RINGTONE
1. Busted - Thunderbirds
2. Britney Spears - Toxic
3. McFly - Obviously
FAVOURITE DOWNLOAD
1. Westlife - Flying Without Wings
2. Natasha Bedingfield - These Words
3. Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
MOST FANCIABLE FEMALE
1. Rachel Stevens
2. Britney Spears
3. Cheryl Tweedy
MOST FANCIABLE MALE
1. Danny McFly
2. Matt Busted
3. Usher
TOP POP MOP
1. Matt Busted
2. Christina Aguilera
3. Rachel Stevens
FLOP POP MOP
1. Marilyn Manson
2. Simon Blue
3. Peter Andre
BEST DRESSED STAR
1. Rachel Stevens
2. Danny McFly
3. Usher
WORST DRESSED STAR
1. Will Young
2. Britney Spears
3. Christina Aguilera
BEST TV SHOW
1. EastEnders
2. The X Factor
3. Friends
BEST TV PERSONALITY
1. Shane Ritchie
2. Ant & Dec
3. Vernon Kay
BEST MOVIE
1. Shrek 2
2. Mean Girls
3. Thunderbirds
BEST MOVIE STAR
1. Orlando Bloom
2. Will Smith
3. Lindsay Lohan
SPORTING HERO OF THE YEAR
1. Kelly Holmes
2. Wayne Rooney
3. Johnny Wilkinson
SMASH HITS HALL OF FAME
Kylie Minogue
Sharon Osbourne was
meant to appear on stage
with Tammy - but she
didn't turn up!