Fare thee well, Destiny's Child

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Yep, can't say I'm too surprised, but according to the BBC they're outta here. here's the article:

R&B group Destiny's Child have confirmed they are splitting up.

The trio of Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams told 16,000 fans at a concert in Barcelona they were going to call it a day.

"We realised that now is the time to pursue our personal goals and solo efforts in earnest," the chart-toppers said in a statement.

The group will tour North America before they split, with their final show in Vancouver on 10 September.

Greatest hits

Their comeback album, Destiny Fulfilled, made number one in the US and has sold 2.7 million copies.

In the UK, Destiny's Child scored a string of hit singles from 1998 to 2001, including chart-toppers Independent Women and Survivor.

The trio disbanded to make way for solo projects, with Beyonce Knowles proving the most successful on both sides of the Atlantic.

Kelly Rowland sang the duet Dilemma with rap star Nelly, which also topped the charts in the US and UK.

But the threesome's comeback track Lose My Breath narrowly failed to become a UK number one, while their album stalled at five.

Reports of their split were initially denied by the UK arm of their record company, Sony/BMG.

In previous interviews, Destiny's Child insisted they reformed because it was enjoyable - not because it was a shrewd business move.

"We did this record for ourselves, not to sell a million the first week out," Knowles told Billboard in an interview last year.

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 13 June 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

― N_RQ, Monday, 13 June 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

If the music were to vanish with them, I'd shed a tear. But we all know that won't happen, so....

Bring on the Grebtest Hits!

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 13 June 2005 14:45 (twenty years ago)

everything they've done since 'TWOTW' has been rub*

*slight exaggeration, i'd save 'lose my breath'.

― N_RQ, Monday, 13 June 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/pm/11201acs.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 13 June 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 13 June 2005 15:10 (twenty years ago)

that drawing is pretty great

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 13 June 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

Farewell, Kelly and Michelle. Hi again, Beyoncé!

For a while back in 1999-2001 Destiny's Child were probably my favourite group...they were kind of perfect for the turn of the century.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 13 June 2005 15:38 (twenty years ago)

9/11 CHANGED EVERYTHING MAN.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 13 June 2005 15:41 (twenty years ago)

everything they've done since 'TWOTW' has been rub*
*slight exaggeration, i'd save 'lose my breath'.

Seconded. Except that TWOTW was pretty crap too.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Monday, 13 June 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

It seems like they might've at least a wee bit foreseen this coming in their future when they named the album Destiny fucking Fulfilled.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 13 June 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

I'm still eagerly awaiting Destiny Disembowled.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 13 June 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

"girl" is their best single since "say my name"

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Monday, 13 June 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

Yes, it almost makes up for "Soldier".

― Leon C. (Ex Leon), Monday, 13 June 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

I might have to see that final show in Vancouver.

― donut e-goon (donut), Monday, 13 June 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

if "girl" almost makes up for "soldier" what about "Cater 2 U"?

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 13 June 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

You can watch the video for "Cater 2 U" here, my favorite part is trying to figure out which one of them wants to cater 2 the dude with the furry hat.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 13 June 2005 17:39 (twenty years ago)

I like Beyonce's evil plan for world domination and feel it is well served by her henchwomen.

I also like the part in the "Girl" video when Beyonce tells Kelly she's known her since they were ten, and looks at her own ten fingers with some odd surprise. It's the only time I can actually sort of believe they are all friends.

― theodore fogelsanger (herbert hebert), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:01 (twenty years ago)

Where is this overwhelming need to make up for "Solider"? The hell, people? Or person?

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

"Soldier" blooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwsssssssssssssssss. It's so joyless and boring.

― Leon C. (Ex Leon), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

"soldier" is almost unbelievably bad

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

"Say My Name" is still my favorite and Rodney Jerkins' greatest moment.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

Soldier is great but yea this is good news....I cant wait until Beyonce's contrived Janet-Jacksonesque lesbian moment half a decade from now to boost her sagging record sales. Until then, the next album oe two might be worth looking forward to

good luck kelly and michelle!!

― Vichitravirya XI, Monday, 13 June 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

"Soldier" blooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwsssssssssssssssss. It's so joyless and boring.

OK, I know that's in English, but I do not understand what you're saying at all.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 13 June 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

It was a eerie, stormy night in the mountains of Colorado. Jandek & Beyonce layed half naked on a bearskin rug in front of the fireplace in Jandek's winter cabin. The fire danced in the fire place and cast wierd shadows across the room, Beyonce looked intently into Jandeks eyes and whispered "Baby I'm ready"

Just then a peal of thunder clamoured thru the heavens. Beyonce yelped and jumped into Jandeks arms. He held her tightly, She looked at him again with her eyes seemingly saying "Take Me"

"Baby I'm ready too" Jandek whispered into Beyonces mocha colored ear "whenever you are......."

To Be Continued

― sleeve (sleeve), Monday, 13 June 2005 20:09 (twenty years ago)

'girl' is pretty good and 'soldier' is GREAT.

I sense a DC POX in the offing.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 13 June 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

DC finished as a creative force after The Writing's on the Wall, but when you make one of the key albums of the decade, who cares what you do after?

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 13 June 2005 22:12 (twenty years ago)

just because Survivor doesn't quite match up to the heights of one of the best albums of the 90s doesn't mean it should be dismissed, have we forgotten 'Bootylicious' so quickly?

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 13 June 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

I like Survivor well enough, and "Bootylicious", and everything else, but I just felt kind of cheated after TWOTW.

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 13 June 2005 22:46 (twenty years ago)

Akshully, what I mean is that after TWOTW they've all done their best work solo, yeah?

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 13 June 2005 22:48 (twenty years ago)

haha Kelly and Michelle certainly haven't. And personally I think 'Bootylicious' > 'Crazy In Love'.

The first half of Survivor is pretty much perfect.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

Survivor is probably a better album than TWOTW, although the latter's run of 4 singles is impeccable and unparalleled. I don't really like many of the album tracks on TWOTW except "So Good" and especially "Hey Ladies", whereas Survivor has stuff like "Perfect Man" and "Apple Pie A La Mode" and "Independent Woman Pt 2".

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:18 (twenty years ago)

'Hey Ladies' is stunning - "you been rewindin' it, stoppin' it", that incredible echoed beat. 'Where'd You Go?' is probably my second favourite TWOTW album track.

in some ways TWOTW's patchiness works in its favour, as you get some respite from the Beyoncé Express - Survivor can be rather tiring even with eg 'Fancy' and 'Sexy Daddy' ('Perfect Man' is my favourite Survivor non-single though!).

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:46 (twenty years ago)

TWOTW feels better paced, and the un-singles do feel almost like the Skits on hip-op albums, except entertaining and worthwhile. But more importantly, you get "Bills Bills Bills", "Bug a Boo", "Jumpin'" and "Say My Name" and nothing they've done since has touched those songs. It's prob'ly the last album where they had remotely equal power, too, so they might as well go their separate ways now. (Till the reunion in about 4 years, when they up the ante again).

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 13 June 2005 23:53 (twenty years ago)

i wonder if kelly's solo record will be named in earnest

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 03:59 (twenty years ago)

The only Destiny's Child songs I will ever need in my life are "Independent Women" and their cover of "Emotions," which should have won a Nobel prize for its arrangement of the closing notes.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 06:37 (twenty years ago)

I always thought "jumpin" was the pinnacle

― jb, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

i never liked 'independent woman' but yeah 'jumpin' has it.

― n_RQ, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 21:24 (twenty years ago)

Goodbye Destiny's Child: I'll be pleased if I never hear one of your songs again.

― PB, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 21:28 (twenty years ago)

"Jumpin'" is the one that's lodged permanently on the Radio Disney playlist, because it jumps the most, I'm sure.

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 23:19 (twenty years ago)

they had two great songs and the rest was basically a whole career dedicated to "No Scrubs". Except for their last three singles, which are even worse. Peace, girls.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 23:35 (twenty years ago)

MENTALISTS "Can't Nobody" PWNS!

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

"Bills Bills Bills" technically predates "No Scrubs"! Oddly, so does Pink's "There You Go"!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 05:35 (twenty years ago)

I thought their best track was "Get On The Bus." Agree with Henry re. TWOTW + "LMB."

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 05:45 (twenty years ago)

Bill, you're nuts. Which singles don't you like?!

― deej.., Wednesday, 15 June 2005 05:46 (twenty years ago)

Destiny's Child have never had a bad single. Not one. In fact apart from 'Girl', which was just OK, all their singles have been pretty fucking magnificent. Agree with Marcello about 'Get On The Bus' being one of the best - I still can't believe it was the lead single for TWOTW.

DC POX non-singles:

Hey Ladies
Where'd You Go?
Fancy
Perfect Man
Independent Women Part 2
Nasty Girl
So Good
Sexy Daddy
Apple Pie À La Mode
Through With Love

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 06:39 (twenty years ago)

POX:

"So Good" (!!!)
"Independent Women Pt.1"
"Soldier"
"Jumpin"
"Bugaboo"
"Hey Ladies"
"Survivor"
"No, No, No Pt.2"
"Bootylicious"
"Through With Love"

The greatest hits is going to be amazing.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:04 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't "Get On The Bus" from a soundtrack pre-TWOTW, then included on that album as a bonus track?

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:26 (twenty years ago)

It's not on my TWOTW! Is it any good?

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:31 (twenty years ago)

I didn't know that about 'Get On The Bus'! Colin, it's incredible.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:32 (twenty years ago)

I'd probably rank it slightly below the singles from the album (but definitely above, say, "Where'd You Go" or "Confessions"). Mind you I never listened to it as much because it came at the end of so many ballads.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:33 (twenty years ago)

It's definitely one of DC's more consciously experimental moments.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:39 (twenty years ago)

initially i thought they were a poor tlc knock-off, which i think bears out now. 'fanmail' is as good as 'twotw', any road. if their people had decided 'get on the bus' was the right direction for them, things could have turned out very different. but let's face it, beyonce is a malign force in the world. this wasn't obvious at first, but with 'survivor' and imo 'independent woman' it was right in your face.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:40 (twenty years ago)

"Survivor" is a brilliant single! One of my favourites. On what grounds is it malign?

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:41 (twenty years ago)

"Independent Women" is also great. I wish Survivor wasn't weighed down by ballads.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:47 (twenty years ago)

I listened to 'Survivor' yesterday and was completely bowled over by how magnificently snotty it is - the "I'm better than that!" bridge is certainly one of the best things DC have ever done. And come on, the line "I'm not gon' diss you on the internet, cos my MAMA TAUGHT ME BETTER THAN THAT!"

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:48 (twenty years ago)

OTM.

I think people just assume that shrill self-righteousness is automatically a bad thing in pop music.

But we should be asking: is it shrill self-righteousness done badly, or shrill self-righteousness done absolutely awesomely?

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:49 (twenty years ago)

I think people just assume that shrill self-righteousness is automatically a bad thing in pop music.

Haha, which people?

Shrill self-righteousness done badly: "Nasty Girl"

Shrill self-righteousness done absolutely awesomely: REST OF CATALOGUE TO THREAD

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:52 (twenty years ago)

"I think people just assume that shrill self-righteousness is automatically a bad thing in pop music."

yep, we do assume that!!!! can some awful be done badly or well? no, i submit. it is bad, it cannot be done well. can really bad lyrics be done well? no, end of. i don't like 'survivor' because it's trite and shrill and overblown ('get on the bus' and 'no no no' are minimal) and has a fascist video.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:55 (twenty years ago)

Shrill self-righteousness is virtually DC's raison d'être - that whole "we are so so good, you are not, can you handle us?" vibe.

I love the "my mama taught me better than that" line because after a whole song of thrusting their success in the haterz' faces and little jibes and insults disguised as self-confidence, they finally pull out the trump card of social status - not only are they prettier and more successful but they were also raised better.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:56 (twenty years ago)

'Nasty Girl' is awesome too! "Cleavage from here to Mexico"!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 07:57 (twenty years ago)

that whole "we are so so good, you are not, can you handle us?" vibe

this is ultimately why tlc are the better band, even on '99 lps. could d-child have made 'unpretty'? no. but there were also too god-fearin to do 'silly ho'.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:02 (twenty years ago)

"Silly Ho" is awesome yes. "Unpretty" is just okay. I would consider "Girl" to be in a rather similar ballpark to

"Haha, which people?"

Most people. I don't want to single out N_RQ as a lot of people I speak to hate on "Survivor" specifically and for similar reasons. I would agree that as a general rule shrill self-righteousness comes across badly in the music but I think "Survivor" is an exception.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:17 (twenty years ago)

"Silly Ho" is awesome yes. "Unpretty" is just okay. I would consider "Girl" to be in a rather similar ballpark to it actually.

"Haha, which people?"

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:17 (twenty years ago)

I think part of DC's appeal is that they would never, ever have even thought the sentiments expressed in 'Unpretty'. Not even contemplated for one second that they were anything other than the Chosen Ones.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:18 (twenty years ago)

er, lex, can you not see that that is dud? if you met someone who thought they were the Chosen One, you'd think they were a tadpole, no? if 'girl' is the most recent 45 (which is dire dire dire) then 'unpretty' pwns it to fuck, jaysus.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:30 (twenty years ago)

There are a lot of pop/rock/hip hop stars I love who I reckon would be dud in real life!!

The show that DC should have parodied was Desperate Housewives, which accords more closely to their stated values. I love the characters of DH; I'd probably dislike all of them in real life though.

"Unpretty" is better than "Girl" yes.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:33 (twenty years ago)

well yes, I don't think DC would be very pleasant to know in real life. their image is quite clearly based on them being those girls at high school (and I don't think they even try to play this up consciously!) - TLC on the other hand were those other girls, the ones who were organising safe sex clinics and self-esteem workshops while DC organised the cheerleading squad and competed to be prom queen. Both are equally great in a pop context.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:54 (twenty years ago)

Am I the only person who, every time I hear "Bootylicious" on the radio, stops and thinks "Oh, wait, this didn't always have Nirvana as a backing track?"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 09:00 (twenty years ago)

I get that in the case of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and 'Hard To Explain' more - the minute you hear the one-note Stevie Nicks riff in the 'Bootylicious' intro it erases the sonic memory of the bootleg quite rapidly. Whereas with SLTS and HTE I hear the musical intros, and always expect DC or Xtina to come in...and then get very very grumpy if they don't.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 09:07 (twenty years ago)

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