Mel and Kim

Mel and Kim were a British pop duo, comprising sisters Melanie and Kim Appleby. They achieved success between 1986 and 1988 before Melanie succumbed to terminal illness.

Biography

Sisters Melanie and Kim Appleby, born to British and Jamaican parents, were noticed dancing in a nightclub in their native London and signed a recording contract with Supreme Records under the guidance of production team Stock Aitken Waterman in 1986, and began releasing records under the name of Mel and Kim.

"System" was intended as their first single, but they and the producers were unhappy with it, and it became the "B-side" of their first single "Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)" which reached number three on the British charts and number one on the Dance charts of the USA. Their next single "Respectable" reached number one in Britain and became one of the year's biggest hits. They became well known celebrities, particularly in Britain, and were known for their visual style which combined urban street wear with high fashion; prior to their music career Mel had worked as a glamour model. Their single "FLM" reached #7 in the UK, while "That's the Way it Is" reached #10, giving them four top ten hits out of four.

During a promotional visit to Japan in June 1987, Mel became ill with a suspected spinal disc herniation, after complaining of a back problem for several months. Upon returning to the UK, Mel was diagnosed with secondary cancer of the spine, after previously being treated for liver cancer when she was 18, prior to the duo's rise to fame ^[1] . The cancer was malignant paraganglioma. The sisters withdrew from publicity while Mel underwent treatment, and footage from their Montreux Festival performance was used to compile the "FLM" music video. While the media speculated that Mel was terminally ill, both sisters categorically denied this, stating that Mel had suffered a debilitating back injury.

Eventually, it was confirmed that Mel had been diagnosed with cancer, following the release of a new single, "That's the Way it Is", in February 1988. Mel discharged herself from hospital to record the vocals for the track^[2]. Work on a second album was not continued, however, due to Mel's illness. Both sisters appeared on the Wogan show in April 1988 while Mel was still undergoing treatment, as part of European Cancer Week^[3]. She died of pneumonia on 18 January 1990, after contracting a cold; her immune system weakened by chemotherapy.

After Mel and Kim

With the aid of her boyfriend, ex-Bros bassist Craig Logan, Kim launched a solo career with much of her debut solo album composed of songs co-written with Mel, for what was intended to be the next "Mel and Kim" album. The album, Kim Appleby, contained her debut solo single "Don't Worry" which reached number two on the British charts in November 1990. A follow up single "G.L.A.D" was also a UK Top 10 hit. Subsequent singles from her debut album were "Mama" [#19] and "If You Cared" [#44]. Kim's second album "Breakaway" was not a commercial success and had a limited release. She released three further singles, "Light of the World [#41, 1993], "Breakaway" [#56, 1993], and "Free Spirit" [#51, 1994]. A download only single called "High" was released in 2007.

Discography

Album

• 1987 F.L.M. (#3 UK, #2 Australia, #16 Germany)

Tracklisting:

1. F.L.M. (3:55)
2. Showing Out (5:11)
3. Respectable (5:41)
4. Feel A Whole Lot Better (4:24)
5. I'm The One Who Really Loves You (3:40)
6. More Than Words Can Say (4:08)
7. System (4:08)
8. From A Whisper To A Scream (3:24)
9. Who's Gonna Catch You (3:34)
10. Showing Out (Freehold Mix) (4:36) (Does not appear on Vinyl LP)
11. Respectable (Extra Beats Version) (6:11) (Does not appear on Vinyl LP)

Singles

Certification

• "Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)" - (UK) Silver
• "Respectable" - (UK) Gold
• FLM (album) - (UK) Platinum

References

External links

• Kim Appleby Myspace
• KimAppleby.Com - Kim Appleby website.
• Mel & Kim - Myspace Music
• Stock Aitken Waterman.Com - SAW fan site.