When in Rome (band)
Encyclopedia
When in Rome are an English New Wave
trio, originally consisting of vocalists Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann, and keyboards player Michael Floreale. They are best known for their 1988 single, "The Promise".
-- while seeking a recording deal.
The group was signed by Virgin UK
subsidiary 10 Records. Producers Ben Rogan (who had worked with Sade
) and Richard James Burgess
(Five Star
, Living in a Box
, Colonel Abrams
, Spandau Ballet
) took special interest in the trio's song "The Promise," issued first as a 12" dance disk. When the song became popular, hitting the top of Billboard's Dance Club Play chart, Virgin ordered an album. A remixed version of "The Promise" was the first single from their self-titled debut album. It was an instant success, barely missing the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at #11. Months later, the trio reached Billboard's pop chart's lower reaches for the last time with "Heaven Knows" (#95, 1990). Additional singles did little on the charts, and the group ultimately faded away.
"The Promise" was also featured in the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite
. The band Anberlin
included a cover version of "The Promise" on the special edition of their 2007 album Cities
. The song was covered again the same year by New Found Glory
. In addition, Holly Miranda
covered the song on her EP
Choose to See, which was included with the purchase of her 2010 album The Magician's Private Library
.
In 1990 the band broke up over musical differences. Floreale now lives in Dallas, Texas, where he composes music for television and film. In 2006 Floreale reformed When in Rome, with singer/songwriter John Ceravolo, apparently at the behest of booking agent Rob Juarez. Since then, the group has toured all over the United States and South America with various other 80s groups. The band has completed work on a new album with a planned release date for 2011, with a tour to follow. In 2009 Farrington and Mann reformed using the name When in Rome UK having spent the intervening years out of the music business.
Floreale trademarked the name "When in Rome" when forming his new group with the name, which was unsuccessfully challenged by Farrington and Mann. Subsequently, Rob Juarez, who was a member of the US group and handled their booking, left the band and chose to join with the UK version. According to a Pollstar article in May 2011 the US trademark has been acknowledged "In order to comply with the legal claim, the UK members, are billed as "Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann formerly of When In Rome" for US gigs.
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
trio, originally consisting of vocalists Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann, and keyboards player Michael Floreale. They are best known for their 1988 single, "The Promise".
History
Michael Floreale and Andy O'Connell were recruited by Clive Farrington to replace departed members of his Manchester-based group Beau Leisure. Floreale and Farrington began to write songs together. Later, Farrington and Floreale saw Andrew Mann, a beat poet and had him join their performances. O'Connell left the group; the remaining trio recorded some demos—sometimes including Mann's friend Corinne DreweryCorinne Drewery
Corinne Drewery is the lead singer of the pop music band, Swing Out Sister.-Early life:Drewery grew up in Nottingham and the Lincolnshire village of Authorpe and went to South Reston Primary School, then Monks' Dyke High School and King Edward VI Grammar School in nearby Louth, then Lincoln College...
-- while seeking a recording deal.
The group was signed by Virgin UK
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
subsidiary 10 Records. Producers Ben Rogan (who had worked with Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....
) and Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess
Richard James Burgess is a studio drummer, music-computer programmer, recording artist, record producer, composer, author, manager, marketer and inventor. He was the producer for Spandau Ballet's first two albums.-Education:...
(Five Star
Five Star
Five Star are a British pop / R&B group, formed in 1983. Comprising siblings Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris and Delroy Pearson, they were known for their flamboyant image, matching costumes and heavily choreographed dance routines...
, Living in a Box
Living in a Box
Living in a Box were a British band from the 1980s and early 1990s. They are best known for their eponymous debut single, produced by Richard James Burgess.-Formation and split up:...
, Colonel Abrams
Colonel Abrams
Colonel Abrams is a house and urban musician who was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in New York City, New York. He graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School currently known as Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics which is in East Harlem section of Manhattan, there he met a fellow...
, Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
) took special interest in the trio's song "The Promise," issued first as a 12" dance disk. When the song became popular, hitting the top of Billboard's Dance Club Play chart, Virgin ordered an album. A remixed version of "The Promise" was the first single from their self-titled debut album. It was an instant success, barely missing the Top Ten in the United States, peaking at #11. Months later, the trio reached Billboard's pop chart's lower reaches for the last time with "Heaven Knows" (#95, 1990). Additional singles did little on the charts, and the group ultimately faded away.
"The Promise" was also featured in the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 comedy film co-written and directed by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess and stars Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite. The film was Jared Hess' first full-length feature and is partially adapted from his earlier short film, Peluca....
. The band Anberlin
Anberlin
Anberlin is an American rock band formed in Winter Haven, Florida in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band has consisted of lead vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat, and drummer Nathan Young.Members of Anberlin originally formed...
included a cover version of "The Promise" on the special edition of their 2007 album Cities
Cities (Anberlin album)
- Special-edition bonus tracks :These tracks are also included in the compilation album "Lost Songs"* Special Edition version includes a DVD behind the scenes of the making of Cities.The album released in Japan had an extra track titled "The Haunting."...
. The song was covered again the same year by New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
. In addition, Holly Miranda
Holly Miranda
Holly Miranda is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Besides being trained in piano, Holly is a self-taught guitar and trumpet player. In 2001, she recorded "High Above The City", a 20-track solo album available only at shows. In the fall of 2003, Holly met and teamed up with Alex Lipsen,...
covered the song on her EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Choose to See, which was included with the purchase of her 2010 album The Magician's Private Library
The Magician's Private Library
The Magician's Private Library is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Holly Miranda, released 23 February 2010 in the United States by XL Recordings...
.
In 1990 the band broke up over musical differences. Floreale now lives in Dallas, Texas, where he composes music for television and film. In 2006 Floreale reformed When in Rome, with singer/songwriter John Ceravolo, apparently at the behest of booking agent Rob Juarez. Since then, the group has toured all over the United States and South America with various other 80s groups. The band has completed work on a new album with a planned release date for 2011, with a tour to follow. In 2009 Farrington and Mann reformed using the name When in Rome UK having spent the intervening years out of the music business.
Floreale trademarked the name "When in Rome" when forming his new group with the name, which was unsuccessfully challenged by Farrington and Mann. Subsequently, Rob Juarez, who was a member of the US group and handled their booking, left the band and chose to join with the UK version. According to a Pollstar article in May 2011 the US trademark has been acknowledged "In order to comply with the legal claim, the UK members, are billed as "Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann formerly of When In Rome" for US gigs.
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 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... |
US 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... |
US Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes... |
|||
| 1988 | "The Promise" | 11 | 1 | 19 | When in Rome |
| 1989 | "Heaven Knows" | 95 | 14 | 10 | |
| "Everything" | - | - | - | ||
| 1990 | "Sight of Your Tears" | - | 40 | - |
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart