Five bad boys with the power to rock you are back, and I couldn’t be more excited!
It’s official, the 90s and 00s boy band Five (sometimes termed as 5ive) is to reunite as a five-piece for the first time in 25 years! This will please many fans of my generation, who remember their infectious energy, addictive melodies and occasional inappropriate lyrics! They are due to tour later this year!
This may surprise some unless you’ve read my favourite albums post, but I am a long-time Five fan. I have fond memories of them being top of the charts with Keep on Movin’ in 1999. I’ve always loved the song’s positive message, one which has lifted me often. For Christmas that year, I received their Invincible album. It was one of the soundtracks to my pre-teen years.
Who are Five?
Five were first formed in 1997 and consisted of Sean Conlon, Scott Robinson, Richie Neville, Abz Love and Jason “J” Brown. They had an incredible run of singles in the 90s and early 2000s, including three number ones (Keep on Movin’, We Will Rock You and Let’s Dance), three number twos and five other tracks in the UK top ten. They split up in 2001 after three albums.
The band first reunited properly as a four-piece in 2012, following appearances on ITV’s The Big Reunion. They would go down to a three-piece shortly after, touring alongside 911, Blue, Damage, 3T and 5th Story on The Big Reunion Boyband tour in 2014.
A Different Kind of Boyband
In my view, Five were a different type of boy band that couldn’t be compared to their contemporaries. While they had the odd ballad, their music was primarily focused on uptempo tunes with commercially edgy arrangements, prominent drum tracks and a piercing vocal style. The lead vocals of J Brown and Abz Love were distinctive, especially when they interspersed elements with a rap or two. Everybody Get Up and If Ya Gettin’ Down are great examples of this. They also had great harmonies as a group.
Despite anything that may have been going on behind the scenes, I always felt that they oozed cool. They had an attitude! They looked fairly trendy as they exchanged rap sections in front of a guitar-soaked backing track. This was coupled with simple dance routines that could be learned by fans; A boyband convention that somehow transcended the usual when Five did it.
Cover Versions and Samples
Cover versions were a regular occurrence during this era of music, even Five had a go once. They teamed up with Brian May and Roger Taylor to record a version of Queen’s We Will Rock You, which opened the 2000 Brit Awards. I thought this was an incredibly cool cover version, one which boasted that they had “Queen on this track”. Regardless of what you think of the modern incarnation of the once Freddie Mercury-fronted band, Brian and Roger’s appearance with Five added much credibility.
In addition to covering someone else’s song, they also sampled many a classic track. No other band was using samples of tracks by AC/DC, Joan Jett and Frankie Valli for use in new compositions. I always felt this gave them a familiar but modern feel, the funky beat and vocal style giving them the edge. It perhaps hasn’t aged well in some cases (looking at you Rock the Party) but it was the “in thing” at the time.
A Few of My Favourites
I have many favourite Five songs that mean a lot to me. I love most of the singles from their heyday, but the albums are somewhat underrated. Most of the tracks on Invincible almost read like the ingredients of a concept album, with songs focused primarily on fame, relationships and longevity. The song C’mon C’mon, featured on Kingsize, is an encouraging joyful composition that picks up on the themes of Keep on Movin’ and runs with them.
Another favourite from the Invincible album is Mr Z, something of a throwaway track that sticks in my mind. It feels like they threw it together in five minutes, but its incredibly catchy!
Listening back to other tracks now, I understand just how near the knuckle some of the lyrics were. I remember the uproar when One Direction used the line “Tonight we’ll get some” in Live While We’re Young; Whoever complained about these words obviously forgot the basis for many a Five banger.
The Big Reunion and the Positive Effect
I got a great sense of sentimentality when the band returned to the limelight in 2012. The Big Reunion was something of a pivotal moment for Millennials like myself, as it felt like the first time we could truly look back and be nostalgic about times past.
I was very lucky to have seen them as part of The Big Reunion Boy Band Tour in 2014 as a three-piece. The show took place at the Brighton Centre. I was very much looking forward to the show, which featured many of their contemporaries, and a supergroup made up of Adam Rickitt, Kenzie, Gareth Gates, Dane Bowers and Kavana. The whole evening was like taking a trip back to my childhood years, wonderful.
I was most excited to see Sean, Richie and Scott just to hear some of those classic numbers. As their name was announced with an image of the three of them, someone behind me said “more like three!”. They weren’t complete, but they did their best to ensure we all had a good time.
How Five Sparked a Turning Point for Me
The arrival of The Big Reunion sparked a significant creative awakening for me as I began reflecting on the happy memories of my childhood. My radio shows started to focus more on 90s and 00s pop music, and I used my experiences as a universal gateway for the audience to connect with.
Given my fandom in my pre-teen years, Five was a huge part of this new revolution. I played them all the time as part of The Pop Show and The Millennium Years and connected greatly with the fan community. I even did a Five centric special for 5IVE DAY, where I interviewed a fan about their journey with the band. It was almost a precursor to what I do now, creating content to connect with fans.
I never got to interview anyone from the band, but I’ll be honest and say that I still wouldn’t reject the idea. Give me a call guys!
A Little Confession…
Now for something of an admission. I shared with you that I got the Invincible album for Christmas in 2000. It was an album that I kept until my mid 30s, when I decided to donate it during a mass purge of my collection.
I gave away around 50 CDs and box sets to Oxfam, many of them nostalgic albums that myself and my sister owned back in the day. It was a moment last year when I felt energised and encouraged to start afresh. I knew much of it could be heard on Spotify and YouTube, so didn’t see the point in taking up room with the physical product of CDs I listen to sparingly.
I have passed that Oxfam shop many times over the last few months. I went in there once to find most of my donations on the shelf. It was a strange feeling to see symbols of my life being sold for charity. Seeing this sight ignited nostalgic feelings, that another person would’ve caved and realised their mistake.
Although it was weird to see, I felt very little desire to buy back parts of my collection. There was only one CD where I flirted with the possibility, Invincible by Five. I knew this wasn’t an isolated feeling, as I had reached for the album only a few days prior before realising it was gone. despite this, I chose not to pick up the album that day.
Every time I have walked past the shop since that day, it has been closed. I could get another copy of Invincible cheaply online, but I’ve said to myself I’ll wait until I know I can’t get my old one; So many memories tied up in it!
I can’t tell you how excited I am that the full band are back together. I know from my previous work in the fandom that fans will be buzzing beyond words.
Here are the current confirmed tour dates!
Five – Keep On Movin’ 2025 Tour
Tour Dates:
- October 31 – Brighton Centre, Brighton
- November 1 – BIC, Bournemouth
- November 2 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
- November 4 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
- November 5 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
- November 7 – AO Arena, Manchester
- November 8 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
- November 9 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
- November 11 – The O2, London
- November 14 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle
- November 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen
- November 16 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Extra Dates Added Due to Demand:
November 28 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
November 12 – The O2, London
November 18 – Co-Op Live, Manchester
November 19 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield
November 22 – SSE Arena, Belfast
November 23 – 3Arena, Dublin
November 25 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
November 26 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle
I have contemplated getting a ticket for the Brighton Centre, but it all depends on how much the tickets are. Based on the presales, the demand is extremely high! Whatever happens, it’s just amazing to see them back once again.
Are you excited about the Five Reunion? Will you be trying to get tickets? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below.
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