I-Level

Last updated

I-Level
Origin London, England
Genres Post-disco, R&B
Years active1982–1985
Labels Virgin
Past membersDuncan Bridgeman
Joe Dworniak
Sam Jones

I-Level were a British post-disco, R&B band, known for their underground UK club tracks "Minefield" and "Give Me" (also released as "Give Me What You Can't Get Back"). Under license to the US label Epic Records, the band had some chart success in the UK and US. [1] Other tracks by the band included "In the Sand" and "In the River". [2]

Contents

History

Sam Jones met Joe Dworniak at Music Works, Holloway Road Studio, where the latter worked as an audio engineer. At the time Jones was a member of the band Brimstone, and later they went on to form I-Level with Duncan Bridgeman. [1] They were signed to Virgin Records in 1982 by Mick Clark and were signed to a publishing deal with April Music by Lucien Grange. They went on to release two albums and eight singles and were awarded 'Most Promising Newcomers' by the readers of the music magazine Blues & Soul in 1982. [3]

Over the years "Give Me" has been sampled by Sandy Kerr on "Thug Rock" (1982); AZ featuring Nas on "Gimme Yours" on the 1995 album Doe or Die ; Lost Boyz on "So Love" on their 1997 album, Love, Peace & Nappiness ; and A Tribe Called Quest on "Give Me" (featuring Noreaga) on their 1998 album, The Love Movement . "Give Me" was included on the compilation album Gary Crowley's Lost 80s (2019). [4]

In 1985, I-Level disbanded and the members worked on music projects with other musicians. All three band members continued their music careers as record producers. [1]

Discography

Albums

YearAlbumChart positions
UK
[5]
1983I-Level50
1985Shake

Singles

YearTitleChart positions
US
R&B

[1]
US
Dance

[6]
UK
[5]
1982"Give Me"511
1983"Minefield"552
"Teacher"56
"Stone Heart (Stone Woman)"86
1984"Our Song"
"In the River"81
1985"In the Sand"93
"New Day"
2021"YBSA (Your Beauty Stands Alone)"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bananarama</span> British pop group

Bananarama are a British pop group formed in London in 1980. The group, originally a trio, consisted of friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward. Fahey left the group in 1988 and was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan until 1991, when the trio became a duo. Their success on both pop and dance charts saw them listed in the Guinness World Records for achieving the world's highest number of chart entries by an all-female group. Between 1982 and 2009, they had 30 singles reach the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small Faces</span> English rock band

Small Faces were an English rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966. The band was one of the most acclaimed and influential mod groups of the 1960s, recording hit songs such as "Itchycoo Park", "Lazy Sunday", "All or Nothing" and "Tin Soldier", as well as their concept album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. They evolved into one of the UK's most successful psychedelic bands until 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simple Minds</span> Scottish rock band

Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You " (1985), which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Other commercially successful singles include "Promised You a Miracle" (1982), "Glittering Prize" (1982), "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" (1982), "Waterfront" (1983) and "Alive and Kicking" (1985), "Sanctify Yourself" (1986), "Let There Be Love" (1991), "See the Lights" (1991) as well as the UK number one single "Belfast Child" (1989).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slade</span> British rock band

Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The British Hit Singles & Albums names them the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. They were the first act to have three singles enter the charts at number one; all six of the band's chart-toppers were penned by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea. As of 2006, total UK sales stand at 6,520,171, and their best-selling single, "Merry Xmas Everybody", has sold in excess of one million copies. According to the 1999 BBC documentary It's Slade, the band have sold more than 50 million records worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beatles discography</span>

Worldwide, the British rock band the Beatles released 12 studio albums, 5 live albums, 51 compilation albums, 36 extended plays (EPs), 63 singles, 17 box sets, 22 video albums and 53 music videos. In their native United Kingdom, during their active existence as a band, they released 12 studio albums, 1 compilation album, 13 EPs, and 22 singles. The early albums and singles released from 1962 to March 1968 were originally on Parlophone, and their albums and singles from August 1968 to 1970 were on their subsidiary label Apple. Their output also includes vault items, remixed mash-ups and anniversary box-sets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC (band)</span> English pop band

ABC are an English pop band formed in Sheffield in 1980. Their classic line-up consisted of lead vocalist Martin Fry, guitarist and keyboardist Mark White, saxophonist Stephen Singleton, and drummer David Palmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurythmics</span> British music duo

Eurythmics were a British pop duo formed in 1980, consisting of Scottish vocalist Annie Lennox and English musician and producer Dave Stewart. They were both previously in the Tourists, a band that broke up in 1980. They released their first studio album, In the Garden, in 1981 to little success, but achieved global acclaim with their second album, Sweet Dreams (1983). The title track became a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart, and number one in Canada and the US Billboard Hot 100. Eurythmics went on to release a string of hit singles and albums, including "Love Is a Stranger", "There Must Be an Angel " and "Here Comes the Rain Again", before splitting in 1990.

Stephen Anthony James Duffy is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He was a founding member, vocalist, bassist, and then drummer of Duran Duran. He went on to record as a solo performer under several different names, and is the singer and songwriter for The Lilac Time with his older brother Nick. He has also co-written with Robbie Williams and Steven Page.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead or Alive (band)</span> British band

Dead or Alive were an English pop band that released six studio albums from 1984 to 1995. The band formed in 1980 in Liverpool and found success in the mid-1980s, releasing seven singles that made the UK top 40 and three albums on the UK top 30. At the peak of their success, the lineup consisted of Pete Burns (vocals), Steve Coy (drums), Mike Percy (bass) and Tim Lever (keyboards), with the core pair of Burns and Coy writing and producing for the remainder of the band's career due to Percy and Lever exiting the group in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thompson Twins</span> British pop band

Thompson Twins were a British pop band, formed in 1977 in Sheffield. Initially a new wave group, they switched to a more mainstream pop sound and achieved considerable popularity during the early and mid-1980s, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States, and around the world. In 1993, they changed their name to Babble, to reflect their change in music from pop to dub-influenced chill-out. They continued as Babble until 1996, at which point the group permanently broke up.

<i>With Sympathy</i> 1983 studio album by Ministry

With Sympathy is the debut studio album by American industrial band Ministry, released on May 10, 1983 by Arista Records. The group was formed in 1981 by lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Al Jourgensen, with drummer Stephen George being the most notable member of its initial lineup. The album was briefly re-released overseas as Work for Love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Jones (British musician)</span> British musician, singer and songwriter

John Howard Jones is a British musician, singer and songwriter. He had ten top 40 hit singles in the UK between 1983 and 1986, six of which reached the top ten, including "Like to Get to Know You Well", "What Is Love?", "New Song", and "Things Can Only Get Better". His 1984 album Human's Lib reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Around the world, Jones had 15 top 40 hit singles between 1983 and 1992. The 1986 hit single "No One Is to Blame" reached No. 4 on the US charts. Four others placed in the US top 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tainted Love</span> 1964 song by Ed Cobb

"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964. It attained worldwide fame after being covered and reworked by British synthpop duo Soft Cell in 1981 and has since been covered by numerous groups and artists. A version by Impedance reached #14 on the Canadian Dance charts, April 14, 1990.

<i>Room on the 3rd Floor</i> 2004 studio album by McFly

Room on the 3rd Floor is the debut studio album by English pop rock band McFly. It was released on 5 July 2004 in the United Kingdom via Island Records, and was later issued in the United States by Island Def Jam Records via the iTunes Store.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Buy Me Love</span> 1964 single by the Beatles

"Can't Buy Me Love" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released in March 1964 as the A-side of their sixth single. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was included on the group's album A Hard Day's Night and was featured in a scene in Richard Lester's film of the same title. The single topped charts in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the Netherlands, France and Sweden. In the UK, it was the fourth highest selling single of the 1960s.

<i>Dare</i> (album) 1981 studio album by the Human League

Dare is the third studio album by English synth-pop band the Human League, first released in the United Kingdom in October 1981 then subsequently in the US in mid-1982. The album was recorded between March and September 1981 following the departure of founding members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, and saw the band shift direction from their previous avant-garde electronic style toward a more pop-friendly, commercial sound led by frontman Philip Oakey.

<i>Argybargy</i> 1980 studio album by Squeeze

Argybargy is the third studio album by the English new wave band Squeeze. Written and recorded after the band's successful sophomore release, Cool for Cats, the album's lyrics were written by Chris Difford while living with his wife in New York City. The band reunited with Cool for Cats producer John Wood and, after Glenn Tilbrook composed music for Difford's new lyrics, recorded the album in late 1979.

<i>New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)</i> 1982 studio album by Simple Minds

New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) is the fifth studio album by Scottish band Simple Minds. The album was released in September 1982 by record label Virgin, and was a turning point for the band as they gained critical and commercial success in the UK and Europe. It is considered one of the defining albums of the new pop movement of the early 1980s.

<i>Where We Belong</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Boyzone

Where We Belong is the third studio album by Irish boy band Boyzone. The album was released on 25 May 1998 by Polydor Records. Five singles were released from the album, including a cover version of "I Love the Way You Love Me". The album became a top 10 album in eleven countries. It was the group's second album to be released in the United States, where it charted at number 167 on the Billboard 200. Where We Belong is also the third and final studio album Boyzone released before the death of Stephen Gately, 11 years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savage Garden</span> Australian pop rock duo

Savage Garden were an Australian pop duo consisting of Darren Hayes on vocals and Daniel Jones on guitar, keyboards, and vocals; they formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1993. They were signed to John Woodruff's talent agency and achieved international success with their No. 1 hit singles "I Want You", "To the Moon and Back", "Truly Madly Deeply" (1997), and "I Knew I Loved You" (1999).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Andrew Hamilton. "I-Level | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 265. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. "Rhythm: Vol. 11, Issues 4-6". World Marketing Incorporated. 2002. p. 33. Retrieved 12 August 2020 via Google Books.
  4. "Black Music & Jazz Review: Vol. 6". IPC Specialist & Professional Press. 1983. Retrieved 12 August 2020 via Google Books.
  5. 1 2 "I-Level: UK". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  6. "I-Level - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2023.