They're the hottest group to come out of Great Britain since the Spice Girls. They've got a fresh, new sound-a mixture of pop, hip hop, funk, and rap over a thick layer of unstoppable beats and stirred up with polished harmonies. They're not just another group of young male singers. They are songwriters, dancers, and spectacular performers. They are J, ABS, Rich, Sean, and Scott, and together they are Five--five guys who are serious about their music, but know very well how to have fun; five guys handsome enough to each star on his own TV show; and five guys who each have a look and personality all his own, with attitude to spare. Five has taken Europe by storm and now they've set to their sights on America.
When they first came on the pop music scene in the summer of 1997, Five had an identity crisis. Some music fans confused them with another group called Take 5, and others felt there wasn't room for another boy band on the radio. However, it didn't take very long for Five to prove themselves. Within a few short months, all of Great Britain was hooked on their first single, "Slam Dunk (da funk)" and the rest of Europe quickly followed suit.
Five introduced themselves to music fans through their videos, performances, and a wave of publicity and promotion. By the end of the year, half the world knew who Five was and had fallen in love with the talents, looks, and yes attitudes, of Abs Breen, 19, Ritchie Neville, 19, J Brown, 22, Sean Conlon, 18, and Scott Robinson, 19.
Five is not your typical pop group and they are quick to tell anyone who'll listen that they're as different from the Backstreet Boys, Boyzone, and N Sync as Hanson is from Wu Tang Clan. They write their own music, their songs don't all sound alike, they don't wear matching outfits, and they're not afraid to say what's on their minds. They're British, they're brash, and they're brazen, but they are not a boy band.
One thing Five definitely is, is misunderstood. They're not an angry group. They hold nothing against anyone. They feel that every band has its place, and theirs is at the top doing what they love to do-writing songs, recording music, and performing for their fans. Their self-titled debut album has been a hit machine, so far churning out three chart toppers in the United States and six overseas.
"When The Lights Go Out" was a monster hit overseas, and when it was later released in America in 1998, it became one of the biggest hits of summer. Several more hits followed, including "Got The Feelin'", "It's The Things You Do", and "Until The Time Is Through". What put them over the top though, was the song that hit number one, led to an award-winning video, and proved to be Five's anthem- "Everybody Get Up."
By the close of 1998, Five had taken over the pop charts and won the hearts of girls all over America. By the start of 1999, J, Abs, Sean, Scott, and Ritchie had reached the very peak of pop music. They'd left their marks on radio stations, video music channels, record stores, concert arenas, and teen bedroom wall all over the planet. The coming year has plenty more excitement in store for the cheeky quintet, but, true to their characters, Five is ready for anything.
