Definition of Sound
Encyclopedia
Definition of Sound was a London
-based dance-music
group
, consisting of Kevin Clark and Don Weekes, working with musician
s Rex Brough
(aka The Red King) and latterly, Mike Spencer
. Their second and fourth singles
, "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" (1991) and "Moira Jane's Café" (1992) were in the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart
. The group also had several song
s enter the U.S.
Billboard
Hot Dance Club Play
chart
, including "Moira Jane's Café," which hit #1 in 1992.
with Coldcut
's Matt Black, and was briefly a member of X Posse, was impressed with Clark's skills and soon the two were working together on material. The group recorded a demo
and, under the name Top Billin', released two underground hits, "Naturally" and "Straight From the Soul" on the Dance Yard record label
. This led to a recording contract
with Cardiac/Charisma/Virgin Records and its first album
, Love and Life: A Journey With the Chameleons, and single, "Now Is Tomorrow". Love and Life: A Journey With the Chameleons was named hip hopp album of the year by Record Mirror
and had glowing reviews in Billboard, The Source
, and other Stateside
publications. The group's second album, The Lick, got buried under record-label takeovers, and Clark and Weeks signed a deal with Mercury
and started making its third album, Experience (1996). According to the NME
it was "like the delayed hit of a powerful drug."
Although they had no Billboard Hot 100
entries, the song "Now Is Tomorrow" (a #10 dance hit) climbed to #68 on the Hot 100 Airplay
chart in 1991. Vocal
duties on this single and some album
tracks were handled by singer
, Elaine Vassel.
After recording its fourth and final album for MCA/Universal, which was ultimately never released, the group split up. Initially, the final members Clark, Weekes, and Spencer continued as a songwriting
remix
and production
team. Clark went on to a career as a A&R
manager for Parlophone
and eventually Universal
. He has worked with Beverley Knight
, Jamelia
, Tracie Spencer
, Freestylers
, Betty Boo
and Beats International
. His later career saw a move into music publishing with Clarkmusic. Mike Spencer
went onto have successful a career producing, amongst others, Jamiroquai
, Kylie Minogue
Alphabeat
and Newton Faulkner
. Weekes, after the release of a solo album, left the music industry.
Don worked with Jamelia,beverly knight and the free stylers not kevin.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based dance-music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, consisting of Kevin Clark and Don Weekes, working with musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s Rex Brough
Rex Brough
Rex Brough aka King John and the Red King , is a record producer and editor of radio programmes, mainly for the BBC....
(aka The Red King) and latterly, Mike Spencer
Mike Spencer
Mike Spencer is an English record producer.Mike Spencer is primarily known for his production work with successful commercial pop acts such as Jamiroquai, Kylie Minogue and Newton Faulkner....
. Their second and fourth singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" (1991) and "Moira Jane's Café" (1992) were in the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The group also had several song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s enter the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, including "Moira Jane's Café," which hit #1 in 1992.
Career
Weekes, who had recordedSound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
with Coldcut
Coldcut
Coldcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
's Matt Black, and was briefly a member of X Posse, was impressed with Clark's skills and soon the two were working together on material. The group recorded a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
and, under the name Top Billin', released two underground hits, "Naturally" and "Straight From the Soul" on the Dance Yard record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. This led to a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Cardiac/Charisma/Virgin Records and its first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Love and Life: A Journey With the Chameleons, and single, "Now Is Tomorrow". Love and Life: A Journey With the Chameleons was named hip hopp album of the year by Record Mirror
Record Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
and had glowing reviews in Billboard, The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
, and other Stateside
Stateside
Stateside may refer to:* stateside, a slang term for the United States, usually used concerning an American currently outside the country, particularly in a military context* Stateside Records, the British record label...
publications. The group's second album, The Lick, got buried under record-label takeovers, and Clark and Weeks signed a deal with Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
and started making its third album, Experience (1996). According to the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
it was "like the delayed hit of a powerful drug."
Although they had no Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
entries, the song "Now Is Tomorrow" (a #10 dance hit) climbed to #68 on the Hot 100 Airplay
Hot 100 Airplay
The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard...
chart in 1991. Vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
duties on this single and some album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
tracks were handled by singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, Elaine Vassel.
After recording its fourth and final album for MCA/Universal, which was ultimately never released, the group split up. Initially, the final members Clark, Weekes, and Spencer continued as a songwriting
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
and production
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
team. Clark went on to a career as a A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
manager for Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
and eventually Universal
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
. He has worked with Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
, Jamelia
Jamelia
Jamelia Niela Davis , best known mononymously as Jamelia, is an English singer-songwriter, model, entertainer, television presenter and actress. She is most famous for her use of a cappella and prolific work in the R&B genre...
, Tracie Spencer
Tracie Spencer
Tracie Monique Spencer is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, actress, and model.-Biography:She began singing by the age of three and modeling in pageant competitions at age five. Tracie performed, produced and directed her first music videos before she was ten years of age...
, Freestylers
Freestylers
The Freestylers are a British electronic music group, generally fitting into the breakbeat genre. Recently their style has incorporated more of a drumstep sound, more in line with The Prodigy and other such artists.-Career:...
, Betty Boo
Betty Boo
Alison Moira Clarkson better known as Betty Boo, is an English singer, songwriter and pop-rap artist...
and Beats International
Beats International
Beats International was a British electronic music band, formed in the late 1980s by Norman Cook , after his departure from The Housemartins.-Career:...
. His later career saw a move into music publishing with Clarkmusic. Mike Spencer
Mike Spencer
Mike Spencer is an English record producer.Mike Spencer is primarily known for his production work with successful commercial pop acts such as Jamiroquai, Kylie Minogue and Newton Faulkner....
went onto have successful a career producing, amongst others, Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...
, Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
Alphabeat
Alphabeat
Alphabeat are a Danish pop band from Silkeborg, fronted by singers Stine Bramsen and Anders SG and signed to Polydor Records. Their single "Fascination" was a major hit in Denmark during the summer of 2007 and a significant hit in the United Kingdom in 2008...
and Newton Faulkner
Newton Faulkner
Sam Newton Battenberg Faulkner is an English singer-songwriter and musician from Reigate, Surrey. Known for his guitar playing, which involves rhythmically tapping and hitting his guitar's body, Faulkner came to prominence in 2007, with the release of his debut studio album, Hand Built by Robots...
. Weekes, after the release of a solo album, left the music industry.
Albums
- Love and Life: A Journey With the Chameleons (1991)
- The Lick (1992)
- Experience (1996)
Singles
- "Dream Girl (1991)
- "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" (1991) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#12, U.S. DanceHot Dance Club PlayThe Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
#28 - "Now is Tomorrow" (1991) UK #39, U.S. Dance #10
- "Moira Jane's Cafe" (1992) UK #27, U.S. Dance #1
- "What Are You Under" (1992) UK #68, U.S. Dance #4
- "Can I Get Over" (1992) #61
- "Boom Boom" (1995) UK #33
- "Pass the Vibes" (1995) UK #17
- "Child" (1996) UK #48
Don worked with Jamelia,beverly knight and the free stylers not kevin.
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- List of Peel sessions