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HITTING BECK

Dane Bowers claims he and Victoria Beckham were robbed of No1 spot in boozy chart battle

IT WAS the chart defeat that hit Victoria Beckham’s reputation nearly as hard as a furlough U-turn.

And two decades after the Spice Girl’s dreams of a debut solo No1 single were shattered, her collaborator Dane Bowers has claimed the pair were robbed.

 Victoria Beckham's dreams of a debut solo No1 single were shattered in 2000
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Victoria Beckham's dreams of a debut solo No1 single were shattered in 2000Credit: Darren Fletcher

The former Another Level pop star sang with Posh on Out Of Your Mind, which stalled at No2 in 2000.

Dane said: “Victoria was desperate to be No1 because three of the other Spice Girls had already achieved it. There was this big rivalry between them, like all bandmates.”

But Italian DJ Spiller and then-unknown singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor took the top spot with catchy dance track Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love).

Dane, 40, said: “We were 10,000 copies ahead all week then we ended up 2,000 behind in a day, which we didn’t feel was possible.

 Posh's collaborator Dane Bowers has claimed the pair were robbed of the No1 spot with song Out Of Your Mind
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Posh's collaborator Dane Bowers has claimed the pair were robbed of the No1 spot with song Out Of Your MindCredit: Getty Images - Getty

“We were told their record label sent people out on the final sales day and literally bought up loads of records, which overtook us.

“I don’t think I’ve said this before but I don’t care now.

“I’d heard of these things happening before and when we were told it happened with Spiller, we were proper upset about it. We sold a quarter of a million records in a week and went to No2.”

It was humiliating for Victoria, who had dragged out husband David — then a title-winning player with Manchester United — to help promote the single and believed No1 was a certainty.

 The defeat was humiliating for Victoria, who had dragged out husband David to help promote the single and believed No1 was a certainty
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The defeat was humiliating for Victoria, who had dragged out husband David to help promote the single and believed No1 was a certaintyCredit: Getty Images - Getty

There had been huge hype behind the Spice Girls while her solo debut was created by hot production duo True Steppers, who gave the track the garage sound that was popular at the time thanks to up-and-coming artists such as Craig David.

Dane was confident too, describing the decision to sign Posh for the follow-up to his solo debut track Buggin’ as an “absolute dream”.

He recalls: “Buggin’ was a really big tune in the garage world, so I wanted to do a sequel.

“That song was about girls bugging guys. So I thought, ‘Why not do a duet and do it the other way round?’

 The lengthy promo trail for the track showed Posh in a completely different light to the serious fashionista she is now
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The lengthy promo trail for the track showed Posh in a completely different light to the serious fashionista she is nowCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

“The label said, ‘Who would you do it with?’ And I said, ‘How about a Spice Girl?’ They laughed in my face.

“But it was lucky timing as Victoria wanted to do a single anyway.

“She loved the style of music on the song. She said, ‘I’d love to do it’ and we got into the studio.”

But their rivals constantly ribbed the Spice Girl’s determination to land her first No1.

 Out Of Your Mind stalled at No2 in 2000, despite selling a quarter of a million records in a week
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Out Of Your Mind stalled at No2 in 2000, despite selling a quarter of a million records in a weekCredit: Wikipedia

For his part, David was taken by Victoria to an in-store appearance at Woolworths in Oldham to generate extra publicity for the single.

“It wasn’t a great day, that,” recalls Dane. “We ran over a fan’s leg in the car park.”

And Sophie said at the time: “For someone who is supposedly interested only in the music, she is doing an awful lot of promotion.

“I can’t think of anything my boyfriend would like less than me dragging him around the shops.”

 Italian DJ Spiller and then-unknown singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor took the top spot with catchy dance track Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)
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Italian DJ Spiller and then-unknown singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor took the top spot with catchy dance track Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)

But Dane accepts the constant digs benefited both parties.

He said: “David and Victoria was a massive Press thing for us, and Sophie and her team were trying to attack these guys. Otherwise they were never going to beat us.

“But it was good for both sides. We would never have sold as many records without the battle.”

The lengthy promo trail, which kicked off after they recorded the track in May 2000, right through to the single’s release in August, showed Posh in a completely different light to the serious fashionista she is now.

 Dane claims Spiller and Sophie's record label 'sent people out on the final sales day and literally bought up loads of records'
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Dane claims Spiller and Sophie's record label 'sent people out on the final sales day and literally bought up loads of records'Credit: Big Pictures

These days she only talks to high-end fashion bibles and rarely lets her hair down in public.

But back then, she promoted the track through speaking to every newspaper, radio and TV station, as well as appearing on Ant and Dec’s Saturday morning ITV show SM:TV Live THREE times.

Vic and Dane also went on European TV shows — and one particular interview was memorable.

Dane says: “We spoke to these German guys. Their sense of humour wasn’t quite the same as ours.

 Dane says Victoria was 'desperate' for a No1 because three of the other Spice Girls had already achieved it
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Dane says Victoria was 'desperate' for a No1 because three of the other Spice Girls had already achieved itCredit: PA:Press Association

“During the interview I blurted something out and she wet herself. Literally, in the chair.

“We had to stop so she could sort herself out in the bathroom.”

The clothes Victoria wore to perform would never make it on to one of her runway shows today.

Dane explains: “She was very involved in our outfits. They were very PVC and futuristic. She had a bandana on and wore a fake lip ring.

 The clothes Victoria wore to perform would never make it on to one of her runway shows today - with many 'PVC and futuristic' outfits
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The clothes Victoria wore to perform would never make it on to one of her runway shows today - with many 'PVC and futuristic' outfitsCredit: PA:Press Association

“She wanted to look quite sexy, so there were pieces missing from her outfit. She loved that side of it.”

And the fun didn’t stop there. Dane says the pair rarely performed the song sober.

He reveals: “We were p***ed out of our brains. I don’t think we ever performed when we weren’t drunk.

“We got trains all over the UK to various gigs and we were always on the vodka or champagne.

 Dane's then-girlfriend Katie Price grew increasingly frustrated with the amount of time he was spending with Victoria
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Dane's then-girlfriend Katie Price grew increasingly frustrated with the amount of time he was spending with VictoriaCredit: Alpha Photo Press Agency

“One time, we were travelling to Newcastle and Victoria and I left first class to party with our dancers in another carriage. Music was being blasted out. It was one big party.

“A train guard came over and told us to pipe down but Victoria just sweet-talked him, saying ‘Have a drink with us’.

“We had to go on stage and we were thinking, ‘S***, we’re drunk’.”

As well as playing gigs all over the country, the pair also performed in Magaluf’s BCM nightclub, famous for its debauched foam parties.

 Dane says the pair rarely performed their song sober
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Dane says the pair rarely performed their song soberCredit: Darren Fletcher

Dane says: “After the gig, I did a DJ set so we would all stay in the club having a drink.

"I see her in the middle of the dance floor with a microphone wearing a furry bra and pretending to MC, going ‘wiggity wiggity Victoria’ and God knows what else.

“Everyone was crowding around loving her. She was such a laugh.”

Dane got on well with Posh’s husband David, but the relationship between the Spice Girl and his then-girlfriend Katie Price wasn’t so good.

 Dane says there was a 'big rivalry' between Victoria and the other Spice Girls
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Dane says there was a 'big rivalry' between Victoria and the other Spice GirlsCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

The former glamour model was desperate for a crack at the charts herself but Dane was never interested in working with her.

Katie grew increasingly frustrated with the amount of time he was spending with Victoria and her pal Sarah Bosnich — ex-wife of David’s former Man United teammate Mark — who regularly joined them on tour.

Dane recalls: “Katie hated that I was doing music with Victoria. She was giving me so much grief. Victoria used to bring Sarah on tour with us.

“Katie thought something was going on between us. I didn’t handle the fact she was a glamour girl very well. I stopped her doing topless stuff.

 Dane says his record label laughed in his face when he said he wanted to do a duet with a Spice Girl
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Dane says his record label laughed in his face when he said he wanted to do a duet with a Spice GirlCredit: Virgin Group

“But while I was on tour with Victoria, Katie was jealous and she said to me, ‘I’m going to do this calendar shoot and it’s going to be topless’ to get a rise out of me.

“I said, ‘If you do that, it’s over’ and she did it. When I came back, I split up with her.”

Dane and Victoria teamed up again when he wrote a song for her album and a B-side for a single.

He now DJs for a living but is hoping to make a return to the charts with new group Boyz On Block, featuring Boyzone’s Shane Lynch, Abz Love from 5ive and Phats And Small’s Ben Ofoedu.

 Dane now DJs for a living but is hoping to make a return to the charts with new group Boyz On Block
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Dane now DJs for a living but is hoping to make a return to the charts with new group Boyz On BlockCredit: Rex Features

Dane, who is now based in Dubai, admits he and Posh have not seen each other for years.

But as it has been so long since they last spoke, can he now give an honest assessment of Victoria’s voice?

Dane says: “She used to say to me, ‘I’m no Mariah Carey’ and I would agree. She wasn’t amazing but she could hold a tune.

“Victoria was a much better drinker.”

Spices' solos

1998

 Mel B (featuring Missy Elliott) I Want You Back (first single)
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Mel B (featuring Missy Elliott) I Want You Back (first single)

1999

 Geri Halliwell Mi Chico Latino (second single)
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Geri Halliwell Mi Chico Latino (second single)

2000

 Mel C (featuring Lisa Left Eye Lopez) Never Be The Same Again (third single)
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Mel C (featuring Lisa Left Eye Lopez) Never Be The Same Again (third single)

2001

 Emma Bunton What Took You So Long (second single)
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Emma Bunton What Took You So Long (second single)
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