7 d. ago Transvision Vamp’s Wendy James on scandals, reunions and her beef with Elvis Costello

She became an 80s pop icon – and a media hate figure. Now, reforming her group after more than 30 years, James recalls her painful path through through the music business, surviving ‘Harvey Weinstein-type’ situations, and working with punk’s finestBy 1989, Wendy James and her pop-rock band Transvision Vamp had reached the UK No 1 spot with their second album, two of their singles had been in the top five, and James, with her peroxide blond hair and fondness for lingerie and leather, had crossed the pop-rock divide as a cover star for both Smash Hits and NME. “I thought I was going to be bigger than Madonna,” she says, “and I was pretty sure I was going to win an Oscar.”Instead, everything unravelled within two years: the band split up after their third album was poorly received, and James vanished from the public eye for a decade. She later built a solo career, and hasn’t wanted to revisit the past. “Everyone fucking reforms,” she says, sat in a cafe in Toulouse close to where she h...

Politics

3 w. ago London protests latest: Calls for Musk to face UK sanctions after ‘disgusting’ Tommy Robinson rally speech

Among comments made in conversation with Robinson, Musk claimed a ‘dissolution of parliament’ and ‘change of government’ is needed in the UK

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3 w. ago Starmer says Britain must never surrender flag after London protest amid backlash over Musk

Prime minister’s first comments since ‘Unite the Kingdom’ protest come amid a backlash over Elon Musk’s ‘disgusting’ remarks made to Tommy Robinson

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3 w. ago Rock band’s frontman 'disgusted' after song used in Tommy Robinson protest

Rock band’s frontman Tim Booth, lead singer of the band James, is looking into his 'options' after his song Sit Down was played in the background of the Tommy Robinson protests

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3 w. ago London protests latest: Musk’s speech at Tommy Robinson march denounced as ‘disgusting and inappropriate’

Musk made his comments in conversation with Robinson, also claiming a ‘dissolution of parliament’ and ‘change of government’ is needed in the UK

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3 w. ago Rock band James say they are 'disgusted' Tommy Robinson march used their hit song Sit Down and say protests are the 'antithesis' of 'where we stand'

Sit Down was used in a video reposted by Robinson on X which included aerial footage of the rally - highlighting the size of the protest.

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3 w. ago James frontman ‘disgusted’ after Tommy Robinson uses indie band song ‘Sit Down’ at protest

Far-right figure used band’s smash hit ‘Sit Down’ in video posted to highlight size of demonstration he organised in London on Saturday

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