Celebrity knocks

12:49pm Tuesday 20th January 2004

OPPORTUNITY knocked a second time for pop stars Tony Hadley and Peter Cox when they joined the list of celebrities for primetime ITV reality show Reborn In The USA.

For those who missed the lethal cocktail of talent and egos here is a brief synopsis. The programme dug up ten pop stars from yesteryear and gave them the chance of re-discovery. The ten artists got to travel around famous musical cities in the USA plying their wares to unsuspecting local American audiences to whom they were unknowns. Each week they visited a different city and performed versions of songs connected to the city they were in. Week by week they were nominated by the local US audience and a phone vote by UK TV viewers decided the evictee.

The fame game involved the many forgotten talents of Dollar, Elkie Brooks, Gina G, Haydon Eshun, Leee John, Mark Shaw (replaced by Peter Cox), Michelle Gayle, Sonia and Tony Hadley. Cynically you could be forgiven for thinking they were all eager to get back on television but it's refreshing to find out that initially overall winner Tony did not want to do it and (should-have-come-second) Peter was very apprehensive.

Tony explains: "I thought there would be hidden television cameras and I was not going to have my private movements aired every minute on television. I came round to the idea though when the producer explained that it was more like a travel documentary on the road in America where I got to tour and sing. So I agreed after all it raised my profile and I got paid for travelling and seeing bits of America like Nashville which I'd never seen before.

"Touring was great fun and we all pulled together along with our egos. When Mark Shaw of Then Jerico had differing opinions and walked off they called in my old Chrysalis labelmate Peter to replace him. That was good because there was me, Pete and Leee who formed a trio of friendship which, I believe, helped support the others."

Peter says: "When I was first approached I was really apprehensive about reality television. You see the music industry is unpredictable. I've had my fame but I've also experienced the disappointment and rejection. You know to have had success and want to keep it but to a large extent you have gone out of fashion. But music still excites me. I still write. I still sing and I've found in this business you've got to be doing music because you're passionate about it not because you want the fame. I was worried about Reborn at first because I thought it was all about fame and egos rather than music especially after reading the tabloid reports of Mark Shaw, Dollar and Sonia. But I'm glad I went for it because like Tony I enjoy performing and in retrospect it was a good opportunity to get out there and rekindle the passion."

The two were tipped to be the finalists due to their powerful and distinctive voices but the fate of their supremely confident performances was presided by the fickle dialing hand of the audience at home. The outcome made Tony the winner and surprising second place fell to an actress cum singer Michelle Gayle.

Despite the result the fame bug must have bitten Tony and Peter because they both teamed up soon after the show to perform a one off date at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London.

Peter says: "I really enjoyed performing with Tony that night. Obviously Reborn had raised our profile because we had a sell out audience, but it was great being on stage as a singer just enjoying the performance. You know having the fans sing a song back at you there's no better feeling."

After that the pair decided to showcase the voices that made them stars not once, but twice over, in a tour which began on Wednesday and will end on March 31.

The tour is titled Tony Hadley versus Peter Cox and it is coming to the Swan Theatre on Tuesday, January 27. The show will feature the pair performing some of their best known material: the 80 hits; solo material; duets and of course songs from Reborn in the USA.

Peter says: "Tony's a very loud singer and like all singers he likes to hear plenty of himself. So standing next to him is a challenge in itself."

Tony laughs: "I think it's a good humoured competition, and obviously the angle of the tour is Tony versus Peter but obviously it's not a competition. What we enjoy about this is that Spandau fans will come to the show and Go West fans will come to the show and the audience are there to cheer their favourites on, which of course makes for a little extra energy in the audience which is obviously the point of the tour which is a nice thing."

Peter adds: "I'm enjoying performing more than ever because the pressure's off a bit. There is no record company to satisfy. It's all very good natured.Tony sings an entirely different way than I do and, as people will see on the tour, his choice of material is gonna be different to what I'm going to be doing. So hopefully, there will be something in there for everyone."

You don't have to vote but it will be worth seeing so telephone 01494 512000 for further information.

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