FLASHBACK: Us5

Germany does love its boybands. US 5 were primed for big things back in the day. They'd scored a huge following in the very same "taste-breaker" territories that the likes of fellow boybands Backstreet Boys/Nsync had some years beforehand. However, the lads never quite managed to get beyond the German charts throwing in the towel after four studio albums and a healthy eleven top ten singles one of which included Robin Gibb. So, it seems odd they side-stepped into the hinterland of the dumper. Despite the awful cockney rap (it isn't put on, Jay is actually from London) in its middle eight, they gained support internationally around the release of Round and Round which was clearly a Kylie rip-off of her 2001 hit Can't Get You Out Of My Head. But by then the graffiti was on the wall. Perhaps, a restroom wall. For who can't forget the grainy pics of the baby of the band caught in a saucy compromising act in a German toilet? Fun! With The Wanted & 1Direction (and Auryn in Spain) doing SO well there are rumours....yes...just rumours that US 5 are on the turn and coming round....just one more time.

What have they been up since going on their extended break?

Jay - British born released his Germany song Nackt last year. In the video (here) he strips off but its all very serious and bleached. The first of the Us5 to have a stab at the solo thing but I think he was trying a tad hard. Probably needs to drop the Dr.King footage in the follow-up to Nackt and instead go for something closer the neon bone. Keep the stripping off though.






Chris Watin- Released a rather good solo single only this year. Needs to do it all again in English please. The best of the solo efforts (so far). Listen here. Very much the one to watch.











Richie- As you can see, Richie was the painfully cute one of US 5. Has a new single out called Man Down. Sadly not a Rihanna cover. Listen here. Also one to watch. Remarkably looks like Jesse McCartney.






Izzy - Not sure. I think he's exploring his guitar-rock side. To absolutely awful results. Pure noise. Amazing haircut!










Cayce Clayton - The boy with a brilliant belt and love of musicals. Cayce is big on the cabaret scene and really should be in Glee, like now, or on the West End. Proof: A Star is Born! (his World On A String really does have to be seen to be believed!).