N-Trance
Encyclopedia
N-Trance are a British electronic music group, from Oldham
, Greater Manchester
, who were formed by Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, in 1990. The group has sold over 5 million records worldwide and some of their hit singles include "Set You Free
", "Forever", as well as covers of the popular 1970s disco songs "Stayin' Alive
", "D.I.S.C.O." and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?
".
Their first demo tape was a dance remix of the theme tune to Roobarb
, a children's television show. The next record the group produced was a more credible dance track, consisting mainly of sampled music, called "Back To The Bass". Within days of being recorded, the song had caught the attention of Dead Dead Good Records (owned by the manager of The Charlatans
) who had wanted to sign the record, but shortly before signing they were outbid by Pete Waterman
's 380 Records (a sub-label of PWL
). Following the interest from record labels, the band and their manager decided a new band name was needed. Previously, they had been using a variety of band names such as Quartech, but settled on changing their name and signing their record contract as N-Trance.
However, problems with the sample clearance prevented "Back To The Bass" from ever being released as a single. The band continued to write and record music and it was decided a female vocalist was needed for future records so sixteen year old Kelly Llorenna
was drafted in.
Set You Free
was recorded at Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme in July of 1992, and it was pressed to 500 12" vinyl copies on promotional release. However, due to troubles within their record label, this song was not released as a single. N-Trance then chose to buy themselves out of their recording contract with 380 Records, after only one year with the company, and they signed to a new label, All Around the World
.
By now, N-Trance had developed their live shows and were gaining some popularity, and on their new label, "Set You Free" was finally released, in 1993, but it failed to enter the Top 40, reaching #83 in the charts.
" was re-released achieving a higher chart position of #39. N-Trance's next single was a eurodance song called "Turn Up The Power" which featured vocals from Rachel McFarlane
, of Loveland
, and a rap by T-1K. This song was a fairly big hit, getting to #23.
After a few years of performing live over the UK, N-Trance's popularity and the reception towards "Set You Free
" had increased significantly. The record was in popular demand, and after a third release of the song in 1995, the single became a huge hit, being played by television and radio stations, reaching #2 in the charts and being certified Platinum in the UK, after selling over 600,000 copies. The single was also released in other European countries and Australia.
The group recorded their first full-length album, Electronic Pleasure
, in November 1995, which featured seven of the group's ever-expanding roster of vocalists (including David Grant
), and musician
s such as Vinny Burns
and Snake Davis
. Similarly, N-Trance's musical range expanded, embracing rap, disco and other styles in its scope.
The group's next single, a surprising cover of the Bee Gees
hit "Stayin' Alive
", was not only a massive international hit, but also featured a vocalist who would help define N-Trance's sound in the future, Ricardo da Force
, formerly rapper with The KLF
.
Upon its release in the UK it debuted at no. 2, and internationally it became one of the biggest UK exports of 1995, reaching no. 1 in Australia and being top 5 in a number of European charts.
, which was eventually released in 1999.
Hit singles from the album included cover versions of Rod Stewart
's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and Ottawan
's "D.I.S.C.O.", and the hardcore techno clatter of "The Mind of the Machine", which featured the actor Steven Berkoff
.
Permanent Vocalists
Featured Vocalists
Dancers
Rap Artists
Other musicians
Featured performers
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, who were formed by Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, in 1990. The group has sold over 5 million records worldwide and some of their hit singles include "Set You Free
Set You Free (N-Trance song)
"Set You Free" is a song written and recorded by the dance group N-Trance, featuring vocals from Kelly Llorenna. It was first released as a white label record in 1992, and became a chart hit in 1995...
", "Forever", as well as covers of the popular 1970s disco songs "Stayin' Alive
Stayin' Alive
"Stayin' Alive" is a song by the pop group Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever motion picture soundtrack. The song was written by the Bee Gees and produced by the Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. It was released on 13 December 1977, as the second single from the Saturday Night Fever...
", "D.I.S.C.O." and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?
Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?
"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" is a 1978 hit song for Rod Stewart. It was written by Stewart and Carmine Appice, and produced by Tom Dowd."Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" spent one week at the top of the British charts in December 1978 and four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, starting 10 February 1979...
".
Early years (1990-93)
Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth formed N-Trance, in 1990, after meeting at The Oldham College, where they were both studying sound engineering. Initially, O'Toole and Longworth, along with four or five other students used their college's recording studio for free recording and use of equipment, however they began producing music which they thought was comparable to other rave music in the charts at the time.Their first demo tape was a dance remix of the theme tune to Roobarb
Roobarb
Roobarb is a British animated television programme for children, originally shown on BBC1 just before the evening news. Each cartoon, written by Grange Calveley and animated by Bob Godfrey, was about five minutes long. Thirty episodes were made, and the show was first shown on October 21, 1974...
, a children's television show. The next record the group produced was a more credible dance track, consisting mainly of sampled music, called "Back To The Bass". Within days of being recorded, the song had caught the attention of Dead Dead Good Records (owned by the manager of The Charlatans
The Charlatans (British band)
The Charlatans are an English alternative rock band. The band's line-up currently comprises Tim Burgess , Mark Collins , Martin Blunt , Tony Rogers and Jon Brookes .Former members of the band include guitarist Jon Day , vocalist Baz Ketley...
) who had wanted to sign the record, but shortly before signing they were outbid by Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
's 380 Records (a sub-label of PWL
PWL
Pete Waterman Entertainment is the production company one-time pop and dance record label owned by pop mogul Pete Waterman. The label, originally PWL, is most famous for being the home of hit record producers Stock Aitken Waterman....
). Following the interest from record labels, the band and their manager decided a new band name was needed. Previously, they had been using a variety of band names such as Quartech, but settled on changing their name and signing their record contract as N-Trance.
However, problems with the sample clearance prevented "Back To The Bass" from ever being released as a single. The band continued to write and record music and it was decided a female vocalist was needed for future records so sixteen year old Kelly Llorenna
Kelly Llorenna
Kelly Llorenna is an English female dance music and Euro-trance singer, who was raised in Oldham, Greater Manchester.-1992: Debut with N-Trance:...
was drafted in.
Set You Free
Set You Free (N-Trance song)
"Set You Free" is a song written and recorded by the dance group N-Trance, featuring vocals from Kelly Llorenna. It was first released as a white label record in 1992, and became a chart hit in 1995...
was recorded at Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme in July of 1992, and it was pressed to 500 12" vinyl copies on promotional release. However, due to troubles within their record label, this song was not released as a single. N-Trance then chose to buy themselves out of their recording contract with 380 Records, after only one year with the company, and they signed to a new label, All Around the World
All Around The World (record label)
All Around the World Productions Limited is a record label from Blackburn, England. The label specialises in Dance Music and most recently R&B.-History:AATW was founded by directors Matt Cadman & Cris Nutall in 1991....
.
By now, N-Trance had developed their live shows and were gaining some popularity, and on their new label, "Set You Free" was finally released, in 1993, but it failed to enter the Top 40, reaching #83 in the charts.
Breakthrough (1994-96)
In 1994, "Set You FreeSet You Free (N-Trance song)
"Set You Free" is a song written and recorded by the dance group N-Trance, featuring vocals from Kelly Llorenna. It was first released as a white label record in 1992, and became a chart hit in 1995...
" was re-released achieving a higher chart position of #39. N-Trance's next single was a eurodance song called "Turn Up The Power" which featured vocals from Rachel McFarlane
Rachel McFarlane
Rachel McFarlane is a British singer who was born in Manchester in 1971. She began singing at the age of twelve years old as a gospel singer....
, of Loveland
Loveland (band)
Loveland was a British house group, formed in 1994 by Mark Hadfield, Paul Taylor and Paul Waterman.The group scored several dance hits in the UK in the middle of the 1990s, and released one album, 1995's The Wonder of Love. McFarlane was the group's 'featured' lead vocalist, and was often...
, and a rap by T-1K. This song was a fairly big hit, getting to #23.
After a few years of performing live over the UK, N-Trance's popularity and the reception towards "Set You Free
Set You Free (N-Trance song)
"Set You Free" is a song written and recorded by the dance group N-Trance, featuring vocals from Kelly Llorenna. It was first released as a white label record in 1992, and became a chart hit in 1995...
" had increased significantly. The record was in popular demand, and after a third release of the song in 1995, the single became a huge hit, being played by television and radio stations, reaching #2 in the charts and being certified Platinum in the UK, after selling over 600,000 copies. The single was also released in other European countries and Australia.
The group recorded their first full-length album, Electronic Pleasure
Electronic Pleasure
-Personnel:N-Trance*Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth: Producer*Ricardo Da Force: Rap*Kelly Llorenna: Vocals*Jerome Stokes: Vocals*Gillian Wisdom: Vocals*Rachel McFarlane: Vocals*T-1K: RapOther musicians*David Grant & Choir: Backing Vocals...
, in November 1995, which featured seven of the group's ever-expanding roster of vocalists (including David Grant
David Grant
David Grant CBE, FREng, FIET is the Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University in Wales. Since his appointment in 2001, Dr Grant has overseen the merger between Cardiff University and the University of Wales College of Medicine, which was completed in 2004, and the awarding of University Status to...
), and 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 such as Vinny Burns
Vinny Burns
Vinny Burns is an English hard rock guitarist best known for his work in the bands Dare and Ten. He has also been a member of Asia, Ultravox, Bob Catley, Hugo, FM, The Ladder, Phoenix Down, and on his own project with Sam Blue, Burns Blue.-External links:**...
and Snake Davis
Snake Davis
Snake Davis is a session musician who has played with some of the worlds biggest artists. In the 1980s he fronted York band Zoot and the Roots....
. Similarly, N-Trance's musical range expanded, embracing rap, disco and other styles in its scope.
The group's next single, a surprising cover of the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
hit "Stayin' Alive
Stayin' Alive
"Stayin' Alive" is a song by the pop group Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever motion picture soundtrack. The song was written by the Bee Gees and produced by the Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. It was released on 13 December 1977, as the second single from the Saturday Night Fever...
", was not only a massive international hit, but also featured a vocalist who would help define N-Trance's sound in the future, Ricardo da Force
Ricardo da Force
Jervis Ricardo Alfonso Lyte known professionally as Ricardo da Force is an English male vocalist, most notable for contributing vocals to dance music tracks by artists The KLF on "3 a.m...
, formerly rapper with The KLF
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
.
Upon its release in the UK it debuted at no. 2, and internationally it became one of the biggest UK exports of 1995, reaching no. 1 in Australia and being top 5 in a number of European charts.
Second album (1997-99)
The release of further commercially successful singles, like "Electronic Pleasure", afforded N-Trance the possibility of building their own recording studio, Deep Blue, in 1996. They spent the following year and a half recording their second full-length album, Happy HourHappy Hour (N-Trance album)
Happy Hour is the second full-length album released by British house and techno group N-Trance. It was released in the UK on May 1998 and the U.S...
, which was eventually released in 1999.
Hit singles from the album included cover versions of Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and Ottawan
Ottawan
Ottawan were a French eurodisco duo in the late 1970s and early 1980s.-Career:They were fronted by lead singer Jean Patrick and Annette , with Daniel Vangarde and Jean Kluger the main songwriters. They are best known for their two hit singles "D.I.S.C.O." and "Hands Up "...
's "D.I.S.C.O.", and the hardcore techno clatter of "The Mind of the Machine", which featured the actor Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff is an English actor, writer and director. Best known for his performance as General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy, he is typically cast in villanous roles, such as Lt...
.
Later years and Best of album (2000-02)
A best of album entitled The Best of N-Trance 1992–2002 was released in early 2001, backed by a trance remix of "Set You Free" which reached number 4 in October of that year.Third album (The Mind Of The Machine)
In February 2009, the group released "The Mind Of The Machine" as their third album. Two new tracks (Free Running and The Earth Is Dying) were recorded for the album to go with the recordings previously made in 1997. The album was released as digital download only.Fourth album (TBC)
In 2009 the group announced they were re-inventing themselves with the new singer Lynsey-Jane Barrow and the return of Dale Longworth. Work on the band's fourth studio album is reported to be near completion with an expected release due summer 2010. A promo of "Is this love" (likely the first single from the Album) was sent to Club DJs in September 2010.Other projects
- From 2005 to 2006, the founders of N-Trance, Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, reached #9 in the UK Singles Charts with their single, "So Much Love to GiveSo Much Love to Give"So Much Love to Give" is a 2002 single released by the French house duo Together, otherwise known as Thomas Bangalter and DJ Falcon. The 12" single was released without a B-side. The song contains a sample of "Love's Such a Wonderful Thing" by The Real Thing, which repeats throughout the song...
", released using the alias of the FreeloadersFreeloaders (band)The Freeloaders were formed in 2004 by Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, two of the founder members of N-Trance.Under this alias they released a UK Top 10 single, "So Much Love to Give", which sampled The Real Thing; and an album Freshly Squeezed...
. They also released an album Freshly Squeezed on digital download.
- In between recording with N-Trance, Kelly Llorenna has had her own solo career and has sung for many different artists including Flip & Fill, Force & Styles and Love To Infinity.
Performers
Full members- 1990 Ian Hu
- 1990–Present Kevin O'Toole
- 1990-1998 Dale Longworth
- 1991-1993 Mike Lewis
- 2007-2009 Mike Lewis
- 2009–Present Dale Longworth
Permanent Vocalists
- 1992-2003 Kelly LlorennaKelly LlorennaKelly Llorenna is an English female dance music and Euro-trance singer, who was raised in Oldham, Greater Manchester.-1992: Debut with N-Trance:...
- 1995-1996 Gillian Wisdom
- 1995-1999 David GrantDavid Grant (singer)David Grant is an English pop singer and celebrity vocal coach.-Career:Grant became famous in the early 1980s as a member of UK soul/funk duo, Linx, whose biggest hit was Intuition in 1981. He began a solo career in 1983 with the Top 40 hit "Stop and Go"...
- 1995-1999 Jerome Stokes
- 1995-1999 Viveen Wray
- 2004-2007 Gillian Tennant
- 2007-2008 Kelly LlorennaKelly LlorennaKelly Llorenna is an English female dance music and Euro-trance singer, who was raised in Oldham, Greater Manchester.-1992: Debut with N-Trance:...
- 2009–Present Jerome Stokes
- 2009–Present Lynsey Jane Barrow
Featured Vocalists
- 1994 Rachel McFarlaneRachel McFarlaneRachel McFarlane is a British singer who was born in Manchester in 1971. She began singing at the age of twelve years old as a gospel singer....
(Features on 'Turn Up The Power') - 1995 Martin Ansell (Features on 'Stayin Alive')
- 1995 Sandy McLelland (Features on 'Stayin Alive')
- 1998 Gary Crowley (Features on 'Paradise City')
Dancers
- 1992–2000 Lee Limer
- 2009–Present Lee Limer
Rap Artists
- 1994-1995 T-1K
- 1995-1999 Ricardo da ForceRicardo da ForceJervis Ricardo Alfonso Lyte known professionally as Ricardo da Force is an English male vocalist, most notable for contributing vocals to dance music tracks by artists The KLF on "3 a.m...
- 2009–Present Lee Wolfe
Other musicians
- 1995 Snake DavisSnake DavisSnake Davis is a session musician who has played with some of the worlds biggest artists. In the 1980s he fronted York band Zoot and the Roots....
- 1995-2006 Vinny BurnsVinny BurnsVinny Burns is an English hard rock guitarist best known for his work in the bands Dare and Ten. He has also been a member of Asia, Ultravox, Bob Catley, Hugo, FM, The Ladder, Phoenix Down, and on his own project with Sam Blue, Burns Blue.-External links:**...
- 2000 Rob Buckland
- 2000 David Browning
Featured performers
- 1995 Bee GeesBee GeesThe Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
- 1997 Rod StewartRod StewartRoderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
- 1997 Steven BerkoffSteven BerkoffSteven Berkoff is an English actor, writer and director. Best known for his performance as General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy, he is typically cast in villanous roles, such as Lt...
Discography
- 1995: Electronic PleasureElectronic Pleasure-Personnel:N-Trance*Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth: Producer*Ricardo Da Force: Rap*Kelly Llorenna: Vocals*Jerome Stokes: Vocals*Gillian Wisdom: Vocals*Rachel McFarlane: Vocals*T-1K: RapOther musicians*David Grant & Choir: Backing Vocals...
- 1998: Happy HourHappy Hour (N-Trance album)Happy Hour is the second full-length album released by British house and techno group N-Trance. It was released in the UK on May 1998 and the U.S...
- 2001: The Best of N-Trance 1992–2002
- 2009: The Mind of the Machine
- TBA: Fourth Studio album