Visit the official Doctor Who website

Visit the official Doctor Who website
Look to the future

Asylum seekers...

Asylum seekers...
Refuge of the Daleks

Doctor Who picture resource

Doctor Who picture resource
Roam the space lanes!

Explore the Doctor Who classic series website

Explore the Doctor Who classic series website
Step back in time

Infiltrate The Hub of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood

Infiltrate The Hub of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood
Armed and extremely dangerous

Investigate The Sarah Jane Adventures

Investigate The Sarah Jane Adventures
Fearless in the face of adversity

Call on Dani’s House

Call on Dani’s House
Harmer’s a charmer

Intercept the UFO fabsite

Intercept the UFO fabsite
Defending the Earth against alien invaders!

Uncover the secrets of the Dollhouse

Uncover the secrets of the Dollhouse
Programmable agent Echo exposed!

Hell’s belles

Hell’s belles
Naughty but nice

Love Exposure

Love Exposure
Flash photography!

Primeval portal

Primeval portal
Dressed to kill or damsels in distress?

Charmed, to be sure!

Charmed, to be sure!
The witches of San Francisco

Take on t.A.T.u.

Take on t.A.T.u.
All the way from Moscow

Proceed to the Luther website

Proceed to the Luther website
John and Jenny discuss their next move

DCI Banks is on the case

DCI Banks is on the case
You can bet on it!

On The Grid with Spooks

On The Grid with Spooks
Secret agents of Section D

Bridge to Hustle

Bridge to Hustle
Shady characters

Life on Ashes To Ashes

Life on Ashes To Ashes
Coppers with a chequered past

Claire’s no Exile

Claire’s no Exile
Goose steps

Vexed is back on the beat!

Vexed is back on the beat!
Mismatched DI Armstrong and bright fast-tracker Georgina Dixon

Medium, both super and natural

Medium, both super and natural
Open the door to your dreams

Who’s that girl? (350-picture Slideshow)

Tuesday 16 October 2007

Sibling Rivalry?


I wonder which of the Minogue sisters is the more successful? How do you judge their success? Financially or artistically?!! I don’t suppose they care or even see it in that way. The public sees Kylie as the dominant one but it’s Dannii who has the most air time, currently on British TV, appearing as one of the judges in “The X Factor”. I can’t offer an opinion as to whether or not she’s any good in this role because I’ve never watched it and never will. As far as I’m concerned, appearing on a talent show in order to try and find fame in the pop industry is a waste of time. Join a band. Form a band. Rehearse. Play gigs. Old fashioned approach, I know, but maybe that’s why the songs of yesteryear are way better than most of the ones on offer today. Dannii may be on our screens more than her sister, at the moment, but Kylie is the one with the anticipated tenth album “X”. And it’s Kylie who’ll be on our screens Christmas Day!

Dannii was initially considered the more successful of the pair in the Minogue’s native Australia. Both sisters were first seen in the UK in daily soap operas but Dannii was already successful as a regular performer on the weekly music programme “Young Talent Time”. Kylie only started to overshadow her younger sister when she took on the role of the girl next door type in “Neighbours” while Dannii tried her own hand at acting as a teen tearaway in rival show “Home and Away”. I wonder if these two parts have had a knock on effect where Kylie is seen as the nice one and Dannii the nuisance. The public do tend to take these things to heart, often believing that characters and the actors and actresses who play them are one and the same, interchangeable personalities, even if only subconsciously! I’ve even seen Dannii described as always looking constipated whereas, once upon a time, I thought she was the more attractive of the two girls.

Both of the Minogue sisters went on to have successful pop careers although Kylie’s has, without doubt, far eclipsed Dannii’s. I must confess to not being able to remember a single song title by the younger sister despite having watched her on numerous occasions on the now sadly defunct “Top of the Pops”. When I worked in a CD store during the Eighties, it was a running joke how much I couldn’t stand Kylie. But, I have mellowed towards her which is more than will ever happen regards Robbie Williams, with whom the poor lass once had the misfortune to duet! On the plus side, I think her work with the Manics but especially the duet with Nick Cave, “Where the Wild Roses Grow”, helped me enormously in appreciating her a little more. I was particularly partial to the languorous “Confide in Me” which allows itself some room to breathe where the more robotic disco of “Can’t Get You out of My Head” somehow lacks soul. Still a very good pop single though.

Both Minogue girls’ careers definitely seem to be going through a bit of a renaissance and it’s nice to see Kylie’s positivity following her recent health problems. Both sisters are also, undeniably, better grounded than a certain Miss Britney Spears. While the American seems content to wallow in sleaze, Kylie and Dannii - at least - still know the meaning of fun!

6 comments:

Steve said...

I must confess I've never liked the music though some of Kylie's later stuff has impinged quite positively on my psyche... but I always preferred (or rather "more fancied) Dannii... but then I've always preferred brunettes. I quite liked Dannii's character in Home And Away too (back when I used to watch soaps) so I've always lent towards giving her a positive spin.

Old Cheeser said...

In actual fact, Dannii is meant to be a bitch in real life. Actually that sentence kind of contradicts itself doesn't it - "in FACT she's MEANT..." But I had heard she was a bit of a madam and liked to throw her weight around. She chucked wine all over Mark Lamarr once I think.

As for the music, you're right, Kylie has eclipsed her sister on that front -in terms of her musical output and chart successes anyway. However, like Madonna I think a lot of her success has been down to shrewdness and working with the right producers and songwriters - certainly they've helped to prolong, if not revitalise her career! Just like you in the 1980s I thought she was pretty naff to start with, what with all those cheesy SAW produced songs, but she really has blossomed since then. The "Light Years" and "Fever" albums are Kylie doing the best kind of pop. And it can't be denied she is a great performer and knows how to put on an excellent show - look at the "Showgirl" tour...

To be fair to Dannii, she has done some good stuff too. The more adult "Put the Needle On It" and "I Begin to Wonder" were excellent as was her last studio album.

Karen said...

When I was younger I loved Kylie. I went through a phase of disliking her music though and it's only been in the last few years that I have come round to liking it again.

When I first saw Dannii on Home and Away I actually prefered her to Kylie. At the time I was really disappointed that she appeared to not do as well as Kylie. I've never really thought about it since though and like you couldn't name a single song.

TimeWarden said...

It's all coming out now, all you guys admitting to watching soaps! Oh, alright then, I saw Dannii in "Home and Away", too, but don't tell anyone!! Strange that... 'cos I've never seen an episode of "Coronation Street" in my life!!!

Maybe Dannii had good reason to throw wine over Mr Lamarr? Perhaps he insulted her good name or, worse still, her music! I wonder if it was red or white and what colour shirt he was wearing?!! Regarding the music, I'd rate both sisters more highly than, say, Sonia or Rick Ghastly!!!

Old Cheeser said...

I think Mark did insult her but apparently she has a short fuse. Ah yes, I once knew someone who produced Jonathan Ross' radio show which she was guesting on...Mr Ross made a sarcastic joke which she didn't take kindly to and she walked out of studio whilst on air!

Er, I think a lot of singers rate more highly than Sonia, Tim...well certainly the quality of the songs anyway!!

TimeWarden said...

Mentioning Sonia, I had in mind a rep who once worked for Chrysalis records and found it soul-destroying having to sell in such crap, each and every week, to the record stores he visited on his rounds!

It's about time Wossy's salary was reduced or, alternatively, he should be forcibly made to present "Midlands Today"!!