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They're baaack!

On June 28, 2007, 1990s British pop icons the Spice Girls announced they would be getting together at the end of the year to kick off a reunion tour, “The Return of the Spice Girls.” The tour will begin in Los Angeles on Dec. 7. Other venues will include Las Vegas, New York City, London, Cologne, Madrid, Beijing, Hong Kong Sydney, Cape Town, Puerto Rico and Buenos Aires. A total of 25 shows will be performed, with locations and dates to be announced.

The Spice Girls burst onto the music scene in the summer of 1996 with their hit single “Wannabe.” Each girl was given a nickname by Top of the Pops magazine: Victoria Adams was Posh Spice; Melanie Brown was Scary Spice; Emma Bunton was Baby Spice; Melanie Chisholm was Sporty Spice; and Gerri Halliwell was Ginger Spice.

The band released a second studio album, “Spiceworld.” A month later, they released a feature film by the same name. They kicked off a 102-venue tour in early 1998; Halliwell missed the last two shows of that tour (reportedly due to illness), and announced she was quitting the band on May 31, 1998.

The remaining four Spice Girls released their third album, “Forever,” in 2000. After some promotion and television appearances, the band announced in 2001 that they were going their separate ways.

The band's manager, Simon Fuller, has requested that the members think about coming up with some new material during the tour for inclusion on a new album he would like to make sometime next year. There have been rumblings that a couple of the girls are open to continuing with the band, while others are skittish.

Prior to the tour, a greatest hits album by the band will be released in November. In tandem, a documentary, which Halliwell said in an Associated Press interview was “the most honest story that you've ever heard,” will be released.

Here's a look at each Spice Girl and a little on what she's been up to since the demise of the band.

Posh

Victoria Caroline Adams Beckham — Posh Spice — was born in Harlow, Essex, England on April 17, 1974. Her nickname within the Spice Girls came from her reserved demeanor, blank facial expressions and taste for short, designer dresses and high heels.

Victoria was a student at Jason Theatre School in Hoddesdon, England. She entered Laine Arts Theatre College in Epsom, Surrey, England, when she was 17. Just before the demise of the Spice Girls, Victoria began dating British football player David Beckham. The couple became engaged on Jan. 24, 1998. Their son Brooklyn Joseph was born March 4, 1999, and Victoria and David were married in Ireland on July 4, 1999. Their second son, Romeo James, was born Sept. 1, 2002, and their youngest son Cruz David was born in February 2005.

Within the band, Posh was often backburner. She was the only member who didn't have a solo line in the band's debut single “Wannabe,” but she did take over Geri Halliwell's parts onstage after Halliwell left the band in 1998. When she did have lead vocal parts, bandmate Emma Bunton would harmonize with her, with the exceptions of the tunes “Say You'll Be There,” “The Lady is a Vamp” and “Holler.”

In 2000, Beckham released her first solo single, “Out of Your Mind.” The single was a joint effort with the Truesteppers and Dane Bowers; it debuted at No. 2 and sold over 180,000 in its first week. She then signed a recording contract with Virgin Records, and in September 2001 released the single “Not Such an Innocent Girl.” Her self-titled debut album peaked at No. 10 on the UK album chart.

After Beckham became pregnant for the second time, she was dropped by Virgin. She signed with Telstar Records in 2002, and began recording a pop album that she never finished. Beckham wanted to record songs that had more R & B and hip-hop feelings, and to accomplish this she aligned herself with urban producer Damon Dash. In December 2003, a double A-side single featuring “Let Your Head Go” from the unfinished album and “This Groove,” which was produced by Dash, was released. The single peaked at No. 3.

Some of Beckham's unreleased tracks produced by Dash were included on “The Real Beckhams,” a DVD documentary released in January 2004. Beckham tried to record some pop songs throughout 2004, but she was being skewered by the British media. In addition, there were rumors of fallings out with her management, and Telstar Records folded. This was also the time a scandal erupted involving David Beckham and his personal assistant Rebecca Loos (Loos claimed she and Beckham had a four-month affair) and Victoria became pregnant for the third time.

Victoria began talking about a Spice Girls reunion in early 2006.

“I'm never going to sing again, unless it was a chance to do something with the Spice Girls,” she told the Sunday Mirror. “I don't really miss the shows we did together. I miss the girls more.”

In addition to her musical pursuits, Victoria has also made some forays into the fashion world. She has done some modeling for designer Maria Grachvogel, and in 2004 designed a line dubbed VB Rocks for Rock and Republic. Her partnership with Rock and Republic ended in 2006, and Victoria launched her own line of jeans, DVB Style.

For a short time, Victoria was the spokes model for Rocawear. For several years, she has designed handbags and jewelry for Japanese retailer Samantha Thavasa. She has also designed a line of sunglasses, and a his and her fragrance line, Intimately Beckham, was launched by fragrance corporation Coty.

Victoria has also penned two books. “Learning to Fly,” her autobiography, was the thord best-selling non-fiction book in the UK in 2001. In 2006, she co-wrote “That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between” with fashion editor Hadley Freeman. That book peaked at No. 2.

It was announced in February 2007 that Victoria, her husband and sons will appear on an NBC reality show, “The Beckhams Are Moving to America.” Victoria has signed a contract to do six episodes of the unscripted program. Ratings will determine whether or not the show will be picked up for more episodes.

Baby

Emma Lee Bunton — Baby Spice — was born Jan. 21, 1976, in Finchley, Barnet, London. She grew up in Woodside Park, also in London. Her parents, Pauline and Trevor, separated when she was 11, and Emma went to live with her mother. She has a younger brother, Paul. She attended school at St. Theresa's Roman Catholic Primary School, and then enrolled at Sylvia Young Theatre School in Westminster.

Romantically, Emma has been linked with actor Nigel Harman and singers Justin Timberlake and Lee Brennan. In 1999 she began dating Jade Jones, who is lead singer of the UK group CherryBlackStone. Rumors that they were engaged began circulating in late 2006, but the couple denied it. In January 2007, the couple announced Emma was pregnant and due in the summer.

She was dubbed Baby because she was the youngest member of the Spice Girls, and also because she had an innocent air, wore her blonde hair in ponytails, sucked on lollipops and wore baby doll dresses.

Emma was a replacement for Michelle Stephenson, the original fifth Spice Girl (the band was called Touch at the beginning).

In 1999, Emma took a gig at VH1 as the host of her own music show, “Emma.” After the Spice Girls split, she signed with Virgin Records and released the solo album “A Girl Like Me.” That album produced a UK No. 1, “What Took You So Long?” Two other songs from the album, “What I Am” and “Take My Breath Away,” made the UK Top 5.

Bunton left Virgin in 2002, and signed a contract with Polydor Records that included clauses for television work as well as music. In the spring of 2003, she dropped her surname and released the single “Free Me” (which went UK Top 5) as simply Emma. The Top 10 hit “Maybe” followed, and in the spring of 2004 Emma released the single “I'll Be There” and the album “Free Me.” That album was also released in the states in 2005, but didn't chart (despite the fact that she promoted it on talk shows and in clubs).

In November 2006, Emma covered Petula Clark's “Downtown” as part of the BBC's Children in Need initiative. That single went to No. 3 in the UK. On Dec. 4, 2006, Emma's third album, “Life in Mono,” was released. The album never made it past No. 65 on the UK charts, and its first single, “All I Need to Know,” entered the charts at No. 60 and became the worst-selling single of Emma's solo career.

Emma has made several UK television appearances. In October 2006 she was a celebrity contestant on the BBC's “Strictly Come Dancing” (the UK version of “Dancing with the Stars”). In the final season of “Absolutely Fabulous,” she appeared in a couple of episodes as herself. In August 2006, former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller said he was developing a television sitcom based on Emma, but nothing has ever come to fruition.

In 2005, Emma had roles in two Bollywood films, “Pyaar Mein Twist” and “Chocolate.” In 2008 she will begin filming “The Pink Panther 2,” replacing Beyonce Knowles, who was the female lead in “The Pink Panther.”

Scary

Melanie Janine Brown was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on May 29, 1975. She is of mixed race; her mother Andrea is white and of English descent, while her father Martin is black and of Nevisian descent. She has a younger sister, Danielle. Melanie was a performing arts student at Intake High School in Leeds. After graduation, she worked as a dancer before auditioning for and winning a spot in the Spice Girls.

Melanie was married to Dutch dancer Jimmy Gulzar on Sept. 13, 1998. The couple had a daughter, Phoenix Chi, on Feb. 19, 1999. The couple were separated by the end of 1999, and Melanie filed for divorce in 2000. Melanie won custody of Phoenix Chi and ended up having to pay Gulzar a hefty settlement before the couple's divorce became final. Melanie and Phoenix Chi moved to Los Angeles in 2003.

Melanie's romance with American actor/comedian Eddie Murphy exploded onto the tabloid pages in 2006. Rumors or tattoos and engagements circulated, and by October 2006 Melanie was pregnant and the scuttlebutt was that Murphy was the baby's father. Melanie and Murphy's relationship was over by December 2006, and Murphy told a journalist he was unsure of Melanie's baby's paternity and that he planned to demand a DNA test. Melanie never wavered from her assertion that her baby belonged to Murphy.

On Murphy's birthday, April 3, 2007, Melanie gave birth to a daughter she named Angel Iris Murphy Brown. Although no paternity tests had been performed, Murphy was listed as Angel's father on the birth certificate. On June 22, 2007, People magazine published a report that Murphy had been proven to be Angel's father.

Melanie was nicknamed Scary because of her loud voice and accent, extroverted personality, over-the-top outfits and wild shock of curly hair.

After the Spice Girls parted ways, Melanie released a solo album with Virgin Records in 1998. It contained a No. 1 hit, but she didn't release another solo album, “Hot,” until 2000; that album didn't go over as well. It peaked at No. 28 and quickly fell off the charts.

While still with the Spice Girls, Melanie recorded “I Want You Back,” a song that was included on the soundtrack of the U.S. film “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” with Missy Elliott. The single went to No. 1 in the UK in September 1998. After that she covered Cameo's “Word Up,” which was included on the soundtrack to “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.”

In June 2001, Melanie released the single “Lullaby,” which was dedicated to Phoenix Chi. The video was shot in Morocco and featured mother and daughter; Melanie was lambasted in the media for using her daughter as a marketing tool (she was called “Desperate Spice” in one publication). The single tanked and Virgin dropped Melanie.

On UK television, Melanie hosted the BBC2 weekly magazine show “Pure Naughty.” She hosted the MOBO Awards in 1998 with Bill Bellamy and in 1999 with Wyclef Jean, and also had a part in “Fish,” a BBC short film. She has hosted the talent show “This is My Moment” and appeared in a documentary called “Voodoo Princess.” She had roles in the British drama “Burn It” and also appeared in a horror movie, “Lethal Dose.” She was part of the cast for a UK production of the “Vagina Monologues”; appeared in the film “The Seat Filler” and in 2004 starred as the drug-addicted Mimi in the Broadway production of “Rent.”

After her run in “Rent” ended, Melanie did her last solo show at a New York club. She did some songs from “Rent” and a few new numbers she had written; a year later she released the new songs on independent label Amber Café. The album was called “LA State of Mind,” and was released in June 2005. Brown said the album was just a gift for her fans; it never went far. Melanie and Amber Café agreed to part ways.

Melanie penned an autobiography, “Catch a Fire,” which was released in 2002. She traveled all over the UK to promote the book, and it went to No 7.

In 2005 the Spice Girls were approached about a reunion by Bob Geldolf (of Live Aid fame). Melanie was the only one to say no, saying she had “other commitments.” It turned out that she was writing a sitcom, which to date has still not been purchased. Rumors have been circulating for years that Melanie has irons in the music, movie and television fires. She will only say she does have some projects in the works, but has never elaborated.

Sporty

Melanie Jayne Chisholm — Sporty Spice — was born Jan. 12, 1974, in Whiston, Merseyside, England. She has a half-brother, Paul; four stepbrothers, Jad, Stuart, Liam and Declan; and a stepsister, Emma. She currently lives in Wales with Thomas Starr, her boyfriend of six years.

Mel's nickname was derived from her penchant for track suits and wearing her hair in a ponytail, as well as her tomboyish demeanor.

After the Spice Girls parted in 1998, Mel sang with Canadian artist Bryan Adams on the tune “When You're Gone.” In 1999 she released a solo album, “Northern Star.” That album included the track “Ga Ga,” which was on the soundtrack for the American film “Big Daddy.” Two moderately well-received singles, “Goin' Down” and “Northern Star,” were also released. The album's third single, “Never Be the Same Again” (which featured the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC) went to No. 1 on the UK charts. The fourth single from the album was a dance remix of “I Turn to You,” which also went to No. 1. That single also went to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Chart. The last single from “Northern Star” was “If That Were Me” (proceeds were donated to a charity for the homeless; the track peaked at No. 18). “Northern Star” went triple platinum in the UK, platinum in Europe and gold in Australia. Mel did extensive touring for the album.

Mel's second album “Reason” hit record stores in March 2003. The first single from the album, “Here it Comes Again,” peaked at No. 7 in the UK, and the album entered the UK charts at No. 5. Other singles from the album were “On the Horizon,” “Let's Love” and a double A-side, “Melt/Yeh Yeh Yeh.” None of the singles charted well, and although “Reason” went gold in the UK, Mel's label, Virgin Records, dropped her.

In 2004, Mel launched her own label, Red Girl Records, with her business partner and manager Nancy Phillips. The first album Mel released on her label was “Beautiful Intentions,” which produced the Top 10 UK single “Next Best Superstar.” The album's second single, “Better Alone,” was released but then restricted to purchase via iTunes and Mel's official online shop. The third single was “First Day of My Life,” which went to No. 1 in Spain, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal (it was never released in the UK).

Melanie's fourth solo album, “This Time,” was released in the spring of 2007. The first single, “The Moment You Believe,” was released in March 2007 and went Top 20 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; in Spain it went to No. 1. The track “I Want Candy” (from the movie of the same name) was released in Great Britain on March 26, 2007, and peaked at No. 24. The single went to No. 9 in Italy and Denmark; another single, “Carolyna,” was released in the UK and throughout Europe on June 18, 2007.

Ginger

Geraldine Estelle “Geri” Halliwell is better known as Ginger Spice. She was born on Aug. 6, 1972 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. She is the daughter of a Spanish mother, Ana Maria, and a father of Swedish and English lineage, Lawrence. She grew up in Watford and was raised as a Jehovah's Witness.

In late 2005, photos of a heavier and exhausted-looking Geri were published, and rumors that she was pregnant began to swirl. The pregnancy was confirmed; although it has been widely speculated that Sacha Gervasi, former drummer for Bush, was the baby's father, Geri has never confirmed or denied it. Geri gave birth to daughter Bluebell Madonna via caesarean section on May 14, 2006. Bluebell's godparents are fellow Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and Kenny Goss, partner of musician George Michael. In 2002, Geri bought George Michael's Hampstead estate; she and Bluebell still live their with their dog, Harry.

Because of her red hair, Geri was nicknamed Ginger Spice (early on, she was also referred to as Sexy Spice). She was — and still is — a vocal feminist.

Before becoming famous with the Spice Girls, Geri worked as a nightclub dancer and model, and also as a presenter on the Turkish version of “Let's Make a Deal.” She also took jobs as a nude model, and photos from those stints surfaced and were printed in magazines after she gained notoriety.

Geri left the Spice Girls in late May of 1998 to pursue a solo career. The timing was not great; the band was set to begin a North American tour, which they finished up as a quartet. Geri's first solo album, “Schizophonic,” was released in 1999. The first single from the album was “Look at Me,” which went to No. 2 on the UK charts (the single sold over 1 million copies worldwide). The album also produced the UK No. 1 hits “Mi Chico Latino,” “Lift Me Up” and “Bag it Up.” “Look at Me” got limited airplay in the U.S. in 1999.

Geri's second solo album, released in 2001, was “Scream If You Wanna Go Faster” (the album wasn't released in the states). That album contained her cover of “It's Raining Men,” which was on the soundtrack of the American film “Bridget Jones's Diary” (it also garnered Geri International Song of the Year honors at the 2002 NRJ Music Awards). The song sold nearly 4 million copies worldwide. The second single was “Scream If You Wanna Go Faster,” which reached No. 8 on the UK charts, and “Calling,” which peaked at No. 7. The album sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide.

But her success would slide with the released of her third solo album, “Passion,” in 2004. The album's first single, “Ride It,” went to No. 4 on the UK charts and No. 1 on the dance charts; it reached No. 3 in Spain. “Passion” was supposed to be released in the spring of 2004, but Geri's record company ordered that she record some new tracks before the record's release. “Desire” was the second single from the album; it only went to No. 22 on the UK charts. A number of factors, including management missteps and low ticket sales, forced Geri to cancel a planned tour, and “Passion” only made it to No. 41 on the charts. Worldwide, “Passion” has only sold 40,000 copies.

Geri appeared as a judge on the U.S. reality show “All American Girl” (which tanked), and was a guest reporter on the news magazine show “Extra.” She appeared on the HBO series “Sex and the City,” and had a role in the 2004 film “Fat Slags.”

She has written two autobiographies: “If Only” in 1999 and “Just For the Record” in 2002. She has also released two yoga DVDs.

Geri affiliated herself with the British Conservative Party (even going so far as to say that Margaret Thatcher was the pioneer of girl power) in 1997. In 2001, she appeared on behalf of the Labour Party.

In November 2006, Geri gave an interview with Great Britain's OK! magazine, and said she had no musical ambitions and wouldn't be recording another solo album. On April 12, 2007, it was announced that she had signed a six-book deal with Macmillan Children's Books.