Shampoo (duo)
| Company type | Duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Founder | Jacqueline "Jacqui" Blake, Caroline "Carrie" Askew |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Shampoo was a British pop-punk duo active in the 1990s, composed of Jacqueline "Jacqui" Blake (born 23 November 1974 in Woolwich) and Caroline "Carrie" Askew (born 4 May 1976 in Plumstead). Their 1994 track "Trouble", featured on their first album, We Are Shampoo, reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and was included in the soundtrack of the 1995 film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.
History
Jacqui Blake and Carrie Askew became close friends while attending Plumstead Manor School, an all-girls secondary school located in Plumstead, London. During the early 1990s, they produced Last Exit, a fanzine dedicated to the Manic Street Preachers, and appeared in the video for the song "Little Baby Nothing". Additionally, they created a fanzine focused on the band Fabulous.
The duo adopted the name Shampoo, inspired by a nickname from their school days where they were called 'the shampoo girls' because they would claim to be 'washing their hair' as a way to decline invitations.
Their debut single, "Blisters and Bruises"—co-written by Lawrence of Felt and Denim—was released in 1993 by Icerink Records, a label established by Saint Etienne members Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. Issued on pink 7-inch vinyl, it included B-sides "Paydirt" and "I Love Little Pussy". Both this release and their follow-up single, "Bouffant Headbutt", received favorable critical attention but achieved limited commercial success.
While their initial singles resonated with the riot grrrl movement, their 1994 single "Trouble" and album We Are Shampoo embraced a more accessible sound without losing their distinctive edge. Songs such as "Dirty Old Love Song" offered commentary on mainstream divas like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The album We Are Shampoo sold over one million copies, particularly thriving in Japan and other parts of Asia.
The single "Trouble" reached number 11 on UK charts, securing them appearances on television programs like Top of the Pops and Smash Hits. Their appeal crossed over between mainstream and alternative audiences, partly due to their association with Manic Street Preachers fans. This track was featured on multiple film soundtracks, including Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995), Foxfire (1996), and Trojan War (1997). In February 1995, their Britpop-influenced single "Delicious" climbed to number 21 and was included in Casper: A Spirited Beginning. Another song, "Don't Call Me Babe," appeared on the soundtrack for Barb Wire.
In July 1996, shortly before the Spice Girls entered the UK charts with "Wannabe", Shampoo's single "Girl Power" reached number 25. However, sales declined following their second album release, also titled Girl Power. Their rendition of Waitresses' "I Know What Boys Like" peaked at number 42, marking their final chart appearance. After this album failed to chart, they parted ways with Food Records; their third album, Absolute Shampoo, was subsequently released digitally in 2000.
Shampoo acknowledged influences such as the Sex Pistols, Gary Numan, and the Beastie Boys, while also expressing admiration for groups like East 17 and Take That. They covered Numan's "Cars" as a B-side for "Girl Power," and included East 17's "House of Love" on their debut album.
In May 2007, We Are Shampoo was reissued in the UK featuring bonus tracks consisting of B-sides.
In September 2019, an interview with Q revisited Shampoo's breakup; Carrie described it as an informal pause that naturally concluded when both members decided to focus on settling down. Their entire catalog was later re-released as a box set in 2024.
Discography
Shampoo's discography encompasses four studio albums, two compilations, and a total of ten singles.
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart rankings | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | JPN | ||
| 1994 | We Are Shampoo
|
45 | 137 | 8 |
| 1995 | Shampoo or Nothing
|
– | – | 10 |
| 1996 | Girl Power
|
– | 192 | – |
| 2000 | Absolute Shampoo
|
– | – | – |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Chart peak (JPN) |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Delicious
|
6 |
| 1998 | The Greatest
|
– |
| 2024 | Complete Shampoo
|
– |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart rankings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | BEL (FLA) | IRE | JPN | NLD | ||
| 1993 | "Blisters and Bruises" | 117 | – | – | – | – | – | | |||||
| "Bouffant Headbutt" | – | – | – | – | – | | ||||||
| 1994 | "Trouble" | 17 | 17 | 23 | 81 | 16 | | |||||
| "Viva La Megababes" | 97 | 50 | – | – | – | | ||||||
| 1995 | "Delicious" | 223 | – | – | 76 | – | | |||||
| "Trouble" (re-release) | – | – | – | – | – | | ||||||
| "War Paint" (Japan only) | – | – | – | – | – | | ||||||
| 1996 | "Girl Power" | 120 | – | – | 22 | – | | |||||
| "I Know What Boys Like" | 131 | – | – | – | – | | ||||||
| "Yea Yea Yea (Tell Me Baby)" (Japan only) | – | – | – | 95 | – | | ||||||
- Japanese chart data sourced from the Oricon Singles Chart.
Video
- We Are Shampoo (1995) — A video collection released in Japan including "Trouble," "Viva La Megababes," "Delicious," and "Bouffant Headbutt."
- Two distinct versions of the "Trouble" video exist: the original depicts the band exploring central London after an evening out, while the alternate version incorporates newly filmed scenes of the group performing alongside clips from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.
Books
- Delicious (1995), published exclusively in Japan
Use of audio in other media
- "Trouble" has been featured on soundtracks for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995), Foxfire (1996), and Jawbreaker (1999). It is also performed within the film Blackrock (1997), appears during the closing credits of episode seven of Zapped, and is included in the movie Trojan War (1997).
- "Don't Call Me Babe" appears both on the soundtrack and within the film Barb Wire (1996), as well as in Jawbreaker (1999).
- "Delicious" is part of the soundtrack for Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997).
- Shampoo contributed voice work for the PlayStation puzzle title Spin Jam (2000).
- "Girl Power" and "News Flash" are included in the soundtrack for the movie Sugar & Spice (2001).
Covers by other artists
The track "Trouble" was interpreted by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine as a B-side on their single "The Young Offenders Mum." Additionally, the ensemble from the 2007 movie St Trinian's performed the song, which was featured on the film’s official soundtrack. In 2009, the Japanese rock group Vamps issued their rendition as a B-side to their release "I Gotta Kick Start Now." Meanwhile, Zebrahead incorporated their version of the song into their cover collection, Panty Raid. More recently, in 2021, Miley Cyrus produced a cover of "Delicious" specifically for a promotional campaign by Gucci.