Betty Boo

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Betty Boo (stagename of Alison Moira Clarkson, born 6 March, 1970 in Kensington, London) is a British rap artist, singer and songwriter

Contents

1 Career
2 Discography

2.1 Albums
2.2 Singles

3 See also
4 External links

Career

Clarkson studied sound engineering at college before having a string of hits between 1989 and 1992. Originally nicknamed "Betty Boop" for her similarity to the cartoon character, she changed it to avoid trademark disputes with Boop's owners. Of mixed Asian and European descent, she had an unusual, striking look and dressed in mildly provocative and revealing outfits.

A sampled version of her 1990 smash hit Doin' The Do was used as a title tune for the 1991 videogame Magic Pockets by the Bitmap Brothers.

Boo started off working with the group the She Rockers, before going solo. Her big break came on the 1989 #7 UK smash "Hey DJ/I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playing", with the Beatmasters. "Doin' The Do" followed and was another Top 10 single in 1990. The song was banned on children's TV programmes for its alleged references to oral sex. Her debut album "Boomania" was hailed by many as a witty, contemporary pop masterpiece and sold very well. "Where Are You Baby?", Boo's greatest solo hit to date, hit #3 in August of 1990. "24 Hours" (December 1990) was the last single from "Boomania", and although it was a hit, it was less so than previous releases. An Australian tour was promptly cancelled when it became public that she was lip-syncing to tapes whilst performing, in 1991. This was scandalised and many cite it as the beginning of the end of her solo career. However, Boo still returned with a new record deal (WEA Records) and follow up album, GRRR! It's Betty Boo, in 1992. Alas, the album itself suffered very disappointing sales in the UK, reaching only #62. It did, nevertheless spawn a large hit single in 1992's summer: "Let Me Take You There". "I'm On My Way", which featured musicians from The Beatle's "Lady Madonna" was very well received by the media. It did not sell well though, and the next single, "Hangover" fared even worse, barely scaping the Top 50. "Thing Goin' On" failed to even reach the UK Top 75 singles chart. This was in 1993. In 1999 a "Best Of" compilation was released and sold moderately well.

After her solo career floundered, Boo turned to songwriting and had success co-writing the song "Pure and Simple" for Hear'say and has also written for Girls Aloud and The Tweenies.

As of 2006 she is in a new band called WigWam, with Alex James, bassist from Blur.

Discography

Albums

Boomania (1990)
GRRR! It's Betty Boo (1992)
Doin' the Do: the Best of Betty Boo (1998 - comprises tracks and remixes from Boomania only)

Singles

"Hey DJ/I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)" (with the Beatmasters) (1989)
"Doin' the Do" (1990)
"Where Are You Baby" (1990)
"Let Me Take You There" (1992)
"24 Hours" (1990)
"I'm On My Way" (1992)
"Hangover" (1992)
"Catch Me" (1993)
"Thing Goin' On" (1993)
"Wigwam" (2006) as Betty Boo but also as part of Wigwam with Alex James

External links

[Biography]
[www.boomania.co.uk] Betty Boo fan site.