The Real Thing
Northern soul had emerged in the north of England when the Real Thing formed in 1970, but the disco/funk/soul quartet couldn't get into the obscure R&B sounds, preferring instead the more progressive soul of the Temptations, Barry White, and funk jams. The Liverpool natives aspired for international success, a dream that went unfulfilled. Original members Chris Amoo, Dave Smith, Kenny Davis, and Ray Lake began by covering and remaking popular American recordings, and experienced payback when Frankie Valli and others covered their number one British hit "You to Me Are Everything." They cracked Britain's Top Ten for the second consecutive time with "Can't Get By Without You." Their first recording opportunity arose with EMI Records, where they cut their first single, "Plastic Man;" a remake of Tavares' "Check It Out" was the flip. The record didn't open many doors, but they continued thriving on the club circuit. Other EMI singles, including "Listen Joe McGintoo" and "Vicious Circles," were largely ignored.
For unknown reasons, Davis left, and the Real Thing continued as a trio, doing some commercials, as well as live gigs. Their career began to sprout wings when David Essex started producing their initial Pye Recordings. Opening for Essex, they toured all over, even the States, the home of the music they loved. Initial collaborations with Essex, like previous recordings, were turntable hits, but sold few copies. By this time, Amoo' brother Eddie, who had sung with the Chants on Pye, joined the Real Thing. The Liverpool-bred but Ghanaian parentage brothers started writing songs that fleshed out their albums. Later, Loose Ends recorded an Amoo composition, "In the Sky," for their Virgin Records debut in 1980.
The Real Thing hooked up with Ken Gold, and boom, "You to Me Are Everything" aced the British pop chart and placed number 66 pop and number 29 soul in the States. Their first album, titled The Real Thing, contained their chart busters and previous singles. The group wanted to call their second LP Liverpool 8, the name of the racially mixed section of Liverpool where they grew up with Asians, Africans, Chinese, Irish, and anyone else who couldn't afford more opulent surroundings. Pye Records didn't like the name, so they compromised with Four From Eight, which meant nothing to anyone outside of Britain.
The Real Thing continued releasing albums, waxing four for Pye: Step Into Our World and Can You Feel the Force. PRT Records released 100 Minutes in 1982, their last regularly scheduled LP. Waxworks Records dropped a live LP in 1998, The Real Thing Live; many compilations and best-of albums documenting their career are on the market.
© Andrew Hamilton /TiVo
Artistas similares
-
-
Can You Feel the Force?: Pye Remixes, B Sides & Rarities
Pop - Editado por Sanctuary Records el 18-03-2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best Of
Soul - Editado por Sanctuary Budget el 01-01-1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best Of The Real Thing
Disco - Editado por Sanctuary Records el 10-01-2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Step Into Our World
Disco - Editado por Sanctuary Records el 10-04-1978
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
You Are Everything To Me
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por Imperial Presents el 08-02-2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Children of the Ghetto: The Pye Anthology
R&B - Editado por Castle Communications el 01-01-1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cant Get By Without You
Disco - Editado por Burning Girl Productions el 11-02-2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Raining Through My Sunshine
Pop - Editado por Hohenheim Publishing el 18-10-2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
The Complete Hits Of The Real Thing
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por Made Of Stone el 25-07-2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cant Get By Without You
R&B - Editado por Primal Stream el 11-02-2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Children of the Ghetto - Single (Live)
Soul - Editado por CHOICE RECORDS - OMiP el 28-01-2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Oh No! Not... The Real Thing... Again!
Jazz - Editado por Real Records el 23-01-2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saints or Sinners
Disco - Editado por Sanctuary Records el 09-04-1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Brand New Day
Soul - Editado por CHOICE RECORDS - OMiP el 28-01-2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shes a Groovy Freak
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por Imperial Presents el 08-02-2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Real Christmas
The Real Thing, Sigrid Brennhaug
Músicas navideñas - Editado por Real Records el 20-11-2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Real Soul / Real Love / Real Hits
Soul - Editado por Music Manager el 19-12-2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo