Leee John

Last updated

Leee John
Leee John 1.jpg
John performing in Olonne-sur-Mer
Background information
Birth nameLeslie McGregor John
Born (1957-06-23) 23 June 1957 (age 67)
Hackney, London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actor
InstrumentVocals
Years active1970s–present
Labels
Member ofImagination feat. Leee John
Formerly ofFizzz ⸱ Imagination
Website leeejohn.com

Leslie McGregor "Leee" John (born 23 June 1957) [1] is an English musician, singer and actor of St Lucian descent. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the soul band Imagination, which had three UK top 10 hits in the early 1980s. [2] He is known for his falsetto voice and his flamboyant sense of fashion and outfits. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Early life and beginnings

John was born in Hackney, London, and educated in New York City, later studying drama at the Anna Scher Theatre School. [1]

His mother is Jessie Stevens MBE SLPM (born 1927), [6] who moved with her then husband from St. Lucia to Britain in 1955. She is the first black woman to have worked at Companies House. Part of the Windrush Generation, she is a well-known figure in the St Lucian community and she received a MBE from Queen Elizabeth in 1982, after having worked in the Haringey Police Liaison Group, which helped facilitate relations between the police and the community. [7]

John, then a young child, moved to New York City with his father, after his parents’ divorce. Despite signing, aged 10 or 11, to a record label and notably working as a background singer for The Delfonics, the Chairmen of the Board, The Velvelettes and The Elgins, [8] he moved back as a teenager to England to live with his mother. His father didn’t really support his musical ambitions and rather wanted John to continue studying. While in college, he recorded an album for EMI with family friend Russel Fraser (under the name Russ and Leee), but only had very little success. [1] [9]

Career

John was still working as a backing singer when he met Ashley Ingram (born 27 November 1957, Northampton, England) a guitarist/bassist. They formed a songwriting partnership, working in a short-lived band called Fizzz. [9] Together with Ingram and Errol Kennedy (born 9 June 1953, Montego Bay, Jamaica) they formed Imagination, a three-piece soul music band, in the early 1980s. The band was named after Imagine, the John Lennon song, whom had died a year earlier. [10] [4] The band worked with Grammy-winning record producer Trevor Horn, which had them discovered by the production duo Jolley & Swain. [1] The duo produced their hit "Body Talk" reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1981. Their biggest hit, "Just an Illusion", peaked at number 2 in March 1982. The trio frequently appeared on Top of the Pops and other pop music programmes. Imagination released 7 albums in total, the most famous being first 3: Body Talk (1981), In the Heat of the Night (1982) and Scandalous (1983). [11]

Despite not being an actor, John made a guest appearance in the Doctor Who story Enlightenment in 1983, playing the character Mansell; he replaced actor David Rhule, who had dropped out at short notice due to an industrial strike at the BBC after the rehearsals had begun. [12] The group's fortunes waned but they continued to perform, tour and record until the early 1990s. John went back to acting, but in 2003 resurfaced in the reality television show Reborn in the USA , alongside other singers such as Elkie Brooks and Tony Hadley. [13]

He released a number of dance singles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including the UK garage and house tracks "Your Mind, Your Body, Your Soul" on Locked On Records and "U Turn Me" with Ten City vocalist Byron Stingily (2000). Under the artist name Johnny X, he also co-wrote and performed vocals on "Call on Me" which was released on Higher State. In 2005, John released a jazz album, Feel My Soul, on Candid Records, featuring a mixture of jazz standards and original compositions. Since the album's release, John has been touring the UK and Europe with his jazz quartet, as well as performing with Imagination.

John is an ambassador for SOS Children's Villages, [14] an international orphan charity providing homes and mothers for orphaned and abandoned children. He supports the charity's annual World Orphan Week [15] campaign which takes place each February. In 2012, he performed at the Leicester Square Theatre. Special guests included Mike Lindup from Level 42.

In 2020, John appeared on the track "The Lost Chord" by Gorillaz for their Song Machine project, which was followed by the album Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez . [16]

In 2023, Leee John and his mother, Jessie Stephens, were invited, alongside celebrities like Raymond Blanc and Jay Blades to King Charles' birthday celebration, in his Highgrove House, in Gloucestershire. [6]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorillaz</span> British virtual band

Gorillaz are a British virtual band created in 1998 by British musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs (drums). Their universe is presented in media such as music videos, interviews, comic strips and short cartoons. Gorillaz's music has featured collaborations with a wide range of featured artists, with Albarn as the only permanent musical contributor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Albarn</span> English musician (born 1968)

Damon Albarn is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is the frontman and main lyricist of the rock band Blur and the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual band Gorillaz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imagination (band)</span> English soul and funk band

Imagination were an English trio, who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They had hits in 28 countries, earning four platinum discs, nine gold discs, and more than a dozen silver discs around the world between 1981 and 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Ford (musician)</span> English composer, musician, and record producer

James Ellis Ford is an English record producer and songwriter, known for being a member of Simian Mobile Disco and the Last Shadow Puppets as well as his production work with Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Depeche Mode, Foals, Florence and the Machine, Haim, Gorillaz, Klaxons, Jessie Ware, Kylie Minogue, Declan McKenna and the Pet Shop Boys.

"Changes" is the eighth single by the British soul and post-disco band Imagination, released by R & B Records in 1982 in the United Kingdom and by MCA Records in 1983 in the United States. The song was produced and arranged by Tony Swain and Steve Jolley.

<i>Body Talk</i> (Imagination album) 1981 studio album by Imagination

Body Talk is the debut album by British soul/dance group Imagination, produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released in October 1981. It is one of the earliest albums of its genre to have a distinctive 'British' sound as opposed to being an attempt to recreate contemporary American styles.

<i>In the Heat of the Night</i> (Imagination album) 1982 studio album by Imagination

In the Heat of the Night is the second album by British soul/dance group Imagination, produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Errol Kennedy</span> Musical artist

Errol Kennedy is a Jamaican-British musician, songwriter, composer, producer and original member of the British soul, funk and pop band Imagination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6lack</span> American singer and rapper

Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr., known professionally as 6lack, is an American R&B singer, rapper, and songwriter. Born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he gained recognition following the release of his 2016 single "Prblms", which marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. He signed with Love Renaissance, an imprint of Interscope Records to release his debut studio album, Free 6lack (2016), which was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>Humanz</i> 2017 studio album by Gorillaz

Humanz is the fifth studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz. It was released on 28 April 2017 in the United Kingdom by Parlophone and in the United States by Warner Bros. Records. The album was announced on the band's official Instagram page on 23 March 2017. According to a press release, it was recorded in London, Paris, New York City, Chicago, and Jamaica, and was produced by The Twilite Tone and Remi Kabaka Jr. It was the band's first studio album since 2010's The Fall, and features collaborations with Jehnny Beth, Grace Jones, Kali Uchis, Vince Staples, Popcaan, D.R.A.M., Anthony Hamilton, De La Soul, Danny Brown, Kelela, Mavis Staples, Pusha T, and Benjamin Clementine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NoMBe</span> German-American musician (born 1991)

Noah McBeth, better known by his stage name NoMBe, is a German-American recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer. NoMBe refers to his music as "Electric Soul", combining elements of Indie, Chillwave and modern day Soul music. He holds both German and United States citizenship while splitting his time between Los Angeles and Hawaii.

<i>Song Machine</i> Gorillaz web series

Song Machine is an audiovisual project by British virtual band Gorillaz. It is a music video web series consisting of a collection of music videos and singles that are released monthly by the band as episodes of the series, with each episode featuring additional guests. Each episode is released with accompanying interludes called "Machine Bitez", a series of skits consisting of short conversations and interviews with Song Machine's guests from Gorillaz' virtual band members. The project was officially launched on 30 January 2020. Season one of Song Machine consists of 9 episodes and was released as an album titled Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez on 23 October 2020. A second season was announced in 2020, though it was later scrapped in favor of Cracker Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Désolé (Gorillaz song)</span> 2020 single by Gorillaz featuring Fatoumata Diawara

"Désolé" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz featuring Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara. The track was released on 27 February 2020 as the second single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez. The song is part of the Song Machine project, which is a web series involving the ongoing release of various Gorillaz tracks featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friday 13th (song)</span> 2020 single by Gorillaz featuring Octavian

"Friday 13th" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz featuring French-British rapper Octavian. The track was released on 9 June 2020 as the fifth single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, and the fourth episode of the Song Machine project, a web series involving the ongoing release of various new Gorillaz singles and music videos featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020.

<i>Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez</i> 2020 studio album by Gorillaz

Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez is the seventh studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, released on 23 October 2020 via Parlophone and Warner Records. The album was released as the culmination of Gorillaz' Song Machine project, a web series consisting of a collection of singles and music videos, dubbed "episodes" each featuring different guest artists. The album marked the return of the character Murdoc Niccals in promotional material, after his absence from The Now Now in 2018. The record received positive reviews from music critics. Slowthai, Slaves, Fatoumata Diawara, Peter Hook, Georgia, Octavian, ScHoolboy Q, Robert Smith, Elton John, 6lack, Beck, Leee John, St. Vincent, Kano, and Roxani Arias, among others, appears as the collaborators on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Far?</span> 2020 single by Gorillaz featuring Tony Allen and Skepta

"How Far?" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz, featuring Tony Allen and Skepta. The track was released on 2 May 2020 without any prior announcement as the fourth single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez. It is part of the Song Machine project, a web series involving the ongoing release of various Gorillaz singles and music videos featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020, though it is not considered an official episode of the series. The single marks the first posthumously released material featuring Tony Allen, as well as the final song to be recorded during Allen's lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strange Timez</span> 2020 single by Gorillaz featuring Robert Smith

"Strange Timez" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz featuring The Cure frontman, Robert Smith. The track was released on 9 September 2020 as the seventh single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, and the sixth episode of the Song Machine project, a web series that involved the release of various Gorillaz tracks featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Valley of the Pagans</span> 2020 single by Gorillaz featuring Beck

"The Valley of the Pagans" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz featuring Beck. The track was released on 5 November 2020 as the ninth and final single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, and the eighth episode of the Song Machine project, a web series which involves the ongoing release of various Gorillaz tracks featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pink Phantom</span> 2020 single by Gorillaz featuring Elton John and 6lack

"The Pink Phantom" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz, featuring British singer Elton John and American singer 6lack. The track was released on 1 October 2020 as the eighth single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, and the seventh episode of the Song Machine project, a web series involving the ongoing release of various Gorillaz tracks featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020. The song was later included on John's 2021 album The Lockdown Sessions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Leee John age, biography". Last.fm. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "IMAGINATION". Official Charts. 16 May 1981. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  3. ↑ "See-through suits and Marvin Gaye: Leee John talks | Essex | Muddy Stilettos". See-through suits and Marvin Gaye: Leee John talks | Essex | Muddy Stilettos. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Not Just An Illusion | Leee John Interview | polarimagazine.com". 15 October 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  5. ↑ Pafford, Steve (20 February 2023). "Imagination can make a man of you: The Leee John interview". Steve Pafford. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 "King Charles celebrates his 75th birthday a day early - with host of famous faces". Sky News. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  7. ↑ Review, Alt A. (20 October 2023). "Private View Windrush: Portraits of a Pioneering Generation: Jessie Stephens, MBE, SLPM with son Leee John - Alt A Review". alt-africa.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "Biographie Imagination". Nostalgie (in French). Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Leee John : une icône funk". Nostalgie (in French). 7 July 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "Imagination: Night Dubbing (1983)". FOND/SOUND. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "swedishcharts.com - Discography Imagination". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  12. ↑ Howe & Walker, p. 117
  13. ↑ "Goodbyee to Leee in 'Reborn'". Digital Spy. 13 April 2003. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  14. ↑ "Child Sponsorship Charity". SOS Children. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  15. ↑ "World Orphan Week 2013 – World Orphan Week". Soschildrensvillages.org.uk. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  16. ↑ "Gorillaz team up with Robert Smith on 'Strange Timez' and share star-studded 'Song Machine' tracklist". NME . 9 September 2020.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "Full Discography, Albums & Singles - Leee John". www.leeejohn.com. Retrieved 23 June 2024.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.