West End Girls (Canadian band)
Encyclopedia
West End Girls were a Canadian
pop
band and girl group
in the early 1990s.
by producers John Dexter and John Livingston, and consisted of three teenaged girls, Camille Henderson
, Aimee MacKenzie and Silvana Petrozzi (now Silvana Kane). After several months of performing lessons with Henderson's father Bill Henderson, the lead singer of rock group Chilliwack
, the trio recorded and released their debut album, West End Girls, on Johnny Jet Records in 1991. That album produced the Canadian Top 10 hits "Not Like Kissing You" and "I Want U Back
" (a remake of the Jackson 5 hit), as well as the Top 40 singles "Say You'll Be Mine" and "Show Me The Way".
Petrozzi left the band in 1992, and was replaced by Janele Woodley. In 1993, shortly before the release of the group's second album, Henderson also left and was replaced by Celia-Louise Martin. In 1993, the band's new lineup released the album We Belong Together, which included the singles "R U Sexin' Me", "Pure", and "Sexy'". Their second album wasn't as successful as their first one and they broke up the following year. Shortly afterwards, the group's record label released a remix
album of some of their earlier hits.
They received a Juno Award
nomination for Most Promising New Group in 1992 and they also toured with Roxette
on the Canadian leg of that group's 1992 Canadian tour.
MacKenzie later joined the Canadian R & B group D-Cru
, and their single "Show Me" sampled the West End Girls single "Show Me The Way".
Petrozzi/Kane later formed Pacifika
with guitarist Adam Popowitz, bassist Toby Peter, and percussionist Elliot Polsky. Their first album, Asunción, was released in 2007.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band and girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
in the early 1990s.
History
The band was formed in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
by producers John Dexter and John Livingston, and consisted of three teenaged girls, Camille Henderson
Camille Henderson
Camille Henderson , is a Canadian pop singer.She played the role of Shirley in the classic Canadian movie My American Cousin in 1985, and then went on to become part of the Vancouver-based pop group West End Girls from 1991 to 1993...
, Aimee MacKenzie and Silvana Petrozzi (now Silvana Kane). After several months of performing lessons with Henderson's father Bill Henderson, the lead singer of rock group Chilliwack
Chilliwack (band)
Chilliwack are a Canadian rock band that had their heyday during the 1970s and 1980s. Although they are a Canadian band, the members were all born in, as well as reside in, the United States of America. They are perhaps best remembered for their five biggest songs "My Girl ", "I Believe", "Whatcha...
, the trio recorded and released their debut album, West End Girls, on Johnny Jet Records in 1991. That album produced the Canadian Top 10 hits "Not Like Kissing You" and "I Want U Back
I Want You Back
"I Want You Back" was released in 1969 and in early 1970s became a number-one hit single recorded by The Jackson 5 for the Motown label. The song, along with a b-side cover of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", was the only single from the first Jackson 5 album, Diana Ross Presents...
" (a remake of the Jackson 5 hit), as well as the Top 40 singles "Say You'll Be Mine" and "Show Me The Way".
Petrozzi left the band in 1992, and was replaced by Janele Woodley. In 1993, shortly before the release of the group's second album, Henderson also left and was replaced by Celia-Louise Martin. In 1993, the band's new lineup released the album We Belong Together, which included the singles "R U Sexin' Me", "Pure", and "Sexy'". Their second album wasn't as successful as their first one and they broke up the following year. Shortly afterwards, the group's record label released a 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 ....
album of some of their earlier hits.
They received a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
nomination for Most Promising New Group in 1992 and they also toured with Roxette
Roxette
Roxette are a Swedish pop music duo, consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle . Formed in 1986, the duo became an international act from the late 1980s, when they released their breakthrough album Look Sharp!...
on the Canadian leg of that group's 1992 Canadian tour.
MacKenzie later joined the Canadian R & B group D-Cru
D-Cru
D-Cru was a Canadian R&B music group formed in Vancouver, consisting of singers Tanessa Tompkins, Tito Chipman, Craig Smart, Damien Kyles and Aimee Mackenzie....
, and their single "Show Me" sampled the West End Girls single "Show Me The Way".
Petrozzi/Kane later formed Pacifika
Pacifika
Pacifika is a band formed by Silvana Kane, a Peruvian born singer, formerly of Canadian pop hit band West End Girls, and accomplished actress with a love of flamenco, electronica, and textured percussion; Adam Popowitz, a Canadian bred guitarist adept at new wave, classical, and pop, and a producer...
with guitarist Adam Popowitz, bassist Toby Peter, and percussionist Elliot Polsky. Their first album, Asunción, was released in 2007.
Albums
- West End Girls, 1991 (Johnny Jet Records/A&M Records)
- We Belong Together, 1993 (Johnny Jet Records/A&M Records)
- Hits, Remixes and Other Cool Stuff, 1997 (Dexter Entertainment Group)
- The Definitive Collection, 2000 (Dexter Entertainment Group)
Singles
- Not Like Kissing You, 1991
- I Want U Back, 1991
- Show Me The Way, 1991
- Say You'll Be Mine, 1992
- R U Sexin Me, 1993
- Pure (You're Touching Me), 1993
- Sexy, 1993
Soundtrack use
- In 1999, "Sexy" was featured in the beginning of lesbian cult classic movie Better Than ChocolateBetter Than ChocolateBetter Than Chocolate is a 1999 Canadian romantic comedy movie shot in Vancouver directed by Anne Wheeler.-Plot:Maggie has recently moved out on her own, and has started a relationship with another woman, Kim...
, as was "Pure (You're Touching Me)".