Londonbeat
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| Londonbeat | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the 9 A.M. single
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| Background information | |
| Origin | United States |
| Genre(s) | R&B, dance music |
| Years active | 1988 – present |
| Label(s) | Anxious Records |
| Members | |
| Jimmy Helms, Jimmy Chambers | |
| Former members | |
| George Chandler, William Henshall | |
Londonbeat is a R&B and dance music band who scored a number of pop and dance hits in the early 1990s.
Contents |
[edit] History
Londonbeat's career started in the Netherlands where "There's a Beat Going On" reached the Top 10, and then "9 A.M (The Comfort Zone)" which subsequently became a modest success in the United Kingdom. They are best known for their song "I've Been Thinking About You", which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts in 1991, and for their close harmonies.
Band members include Americans John Secada (who also had a successful solo career) and George Chandler; with Jimmy Chambers (born 20 January 1946), Trinidad and multi-instrumentalist William Henshall (credited as Willy M). Their follow-up single "A Better Love" became a Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 hit, and they returned to #1 on the dance chart with "Come Back" (Hot 100 #62).
In 1995, Londonbeat entered the UK heats of the Eurovision Song Contest with "I'm Just Your Puppet on a ... (String)", however they were not selected to go to the main contest (losing out to rap group Love City Groove) and the single limped in at Number 55.
In 2003 Londonbeat re-grouped with a new line up and signed to German record label Coconut. An album called Back in the Hi-Life featured re-recordings of "A Better Love" and "I've Been Thinkin' About You" amongst the new tracks.
Marc Goldschmitz left the band in 2004, for his German indie-pop project, die Unerklärlichen [1].
[edit] Members
[edit] 1980s and 1990s
- John Secada
- Jimmy Chambers
- George Chandler
- William Henshall (Willy M)
[edit] 2000s
- Jimmy Helms
- Jimmy Chambers
- Myles Kayne
- Marc Goldschmitz
[edit] Trivia
- Londonbeat was signed to David A. Stewart's Anxious Records label.
- The group performed backing vocals on Deacon Blue's "When Will You Make My Telephone Ring" (1987).
- Three members of the band, George Chandler, Jimmy Helms and Jimmy Chambers, performed backing vocals on Godley & Creme's album Goodbye Blue Sky (1988).
- The group performed backing vocals on the title track of Shakespears Sister's debut album Sacred Heart (1989).
- The group performed backing vocals on the title track of Dead or Alive's album Fan the Flame (Part 1) (1990).
- Jimmy Helms had a solo UK Top 10 hit in 1973 with "Gonna Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse".
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | Chart |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Londonbeat Speak | |
| 1990 | In The Blood | #34 (UK) |
| 1992 | Harmony | |
| 1994 | Londonbeat | |
| 1997 | The Very Best of Londonbeat | |
| 1998 | Best! The Singles | |
| 2003 | Back in the Hi-Life | |
| 2004 | Gravity |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "There's a Beat Going On" | #6 (NL) / #88 (UK) |
| 1988 | "9 A.M. (The Comfort Zone)" | #19 (UK) |
| 1989 | "Falling in Love Again" | #60 (UK) |
| 1989 | "It Takes Two Baby" | #53 (UK) (Liz Kershaw, Bruno Brooks, Jive Bunny and Londonbeat) |
| 1990 | "I've Been Thinking About You" | #1 (1 week) (U.S.) / #2 (UK) / #1 (4 weeks) (NL) / #1 (Italy) / #2 (Israel) |
| 1990 | "A Better Love" | #18 (U.S.) / #52 (UK) |
| 1991 | "No Woman, No Cry" | #64 (UK) |
| 1990 | "A Better Love" (re-issue) | #23 (UK) |
| 1992 | "You Bring on the Sun" | #32 (UK) / #1 (Italy) / #1 (Israel) |
| 1992 | "That's How I Feel About You" | #69 (UK) |
| 1992 | "Lover You Send Me Colours | - |
| 1994 | "Come back" | #62 (U.S.) / #69 (UK - 1995) |
| 1995 | "I'm Just Your Puppet on a ... (String)" | #55 (UK) |
| 1995 | "Build it with Love" | - |
| 1999 | "Read Between Your Eyes" | - |
| 2003 | "Where Are U" | - |
| 2004 | "The Air" | - |
| 2004 | "Heaven" | - |
