Love City Groove

Last updated

Love City Groove
Origin London, England
Genres Pop, R&B, hip hop
Years active1994–96
Labels
Past membersPaul Hardy
Stephen "Beanz" Rudden
Jay Williams
Yinka Charles (aka MC Reason)

Love City Groove were a musical group who represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1995, with their self-titled song after being the winner in a public vote. The song finished tenth with 76 points; and peaked at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart.

Contents

The band

Beginnings

Love City Groove were formed by the producer and songwriter Stephen "Beanz" Rudden, [1] who at the time was a staff writer at Warner Chappell Music. Rudden had worked with fellow Warner Chappell writer Tatiana Mais, also known as "Q-Tee", producing one of her songs, and requested that she rap over a song he had written, called "Sentence of Love". Q-Tee, believing that a male rapper was also needed, arrived at the studio with Jay Williams, a student at the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology.[ citation needed ] Record producer Dave Ambrose (who signed acts including Duran Duran and Pet Shop Boys) had asked Rudden to write a "summer anthem" for 1994. Rudden had put the rappers' two songs together with a third, and Paul Hardy came up with the chorus, "In the morning, when the sun shines". According to Hardy, regarding choosing a name for the song, "The song was about love, it was an urban track, so 'city', and I said 'groove'; this then gave us the name 'Love city groove'." In February 1994, Rudden took the rap parts and mixed them in with the new chorus track sung by Hardy. He presented the song to Ambrose at Planet 3 Records, and it was scheduled for release later that year. [2]

Eurovision 1995

However, Jonathan King, then working for BBC Television, tasked with finding and producing an entry for Eurovision, requested that the song be submitted for the "A Song for Europe" contest in 1995. [2]

The final line-up of Love City Groove consisted of Stephen Rudden, rappers Jay Williams and Yinka Charles (a.k.a. "Reason"), and Paul Hardy. [1] The selectors were looking for something a little different from past British Eurovision entries, that better represented what was popular in the charts. The band members were all from different backgrounds, and multi-racial. Hardy's father was from Cyprus, Williams is of Hispanic background, and Reason (Yinka Charles) is Trinidad/Irish. [2]

Their Eurovision entry, chosen by public vote, was named "Love City Groove", and written by Rudden, Hardy, Williams, and Tatiana Mais (aka Q-Tee). [a] The song was a combination of laid-back soulful background instrumentals overlaid with rap vocals by Williams and the only female band member, Reason, and backed by a full orchestra. It was a contrast from the previous UK entries to the competition, which had all been ballads and pop tunes. [4] Hardy felt that the orchestra ruined the song, not being the right kind of backing for it. [2]

The song was enthusiastically embraced by the tabloids, although less so by papers such as The Independent , which criticised the lyrics and, according to Hardy brought them in for "an interview under the guise of a questionnaire and the questions were designed to make us look stupid". [2]

At Eurovision, held in Ireland that year, [2] the song received a mixed reception from the juries, finishing tenth with 76 points. [5] However it was popular at home and peaked at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, [4] [6] selling over 200,000 copies. [7]

After Eurovision

However the band failed to achieve further success. The follow-up "Soft Spot" missed out on the UK Singles Chart. This was followed by "J.u.m.p." which likewise did not enter the official UK listing. Their debut album Hard Times received a limited release, and sold in small quantities. The group then split from their record label, Planet 3.[ citation needed ]

The band returned a year later with a cover of the track "I Found Lovin'". [8] With several line-up changes, but not much success, the group finally split up for good. [7]

Solo careers

Stephen Rudden

In the mid-1980s, Rudden worked with various local groups, such as Smell Funky Beast and behind the scenes programming work with British synth-pop dance band Kissing the Pink and then solo instrumental project Plutonic, releasing Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" (CBS Records 1989). This landed him a contract at CBS Records in London and a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. He then turned Plutonic into the first of many group projects he would helm with "Twilight Zone" (Sony – 1991) and, in 1992, an album for Arista Records, including the singles "One Life" (mixes by Frankie Knuckles and Mike "Hitman" Wilson) and "Sentence of Love" (with a remix by Eric Kuppa).[ citation needed ]

After Love City Groove, Rudden established a new band, The Collective, who were signed to Simon Cowell's record label. They entered a song for the 1998 Eurovision pre-selection in 1998, but did not get selected to proceed. He wrote a song for Shirley Kwan, called "About Me", which reached no. 1 in southeast Asia and held the position for six weeks. He also wrote music (the title theme, "Get Crafty") for the film The Real Howard Spitz , starring Kelsey Grammer, and for Disney's game Astro Knights. [9]

In 2007, Rudden released his follow up instrumental album, Blog on iTunes.[ citation needed ]

In 2011, Rudden considered re-releasing "Love City Groove", and reconnected with Paul Hardy. They recorded the new single, but in this version, the rap verses were replaced and sung by Moxiie. [9] It was released in August 2011 on the record label Strawberry Hill. [8] A music video for the track was shot in Trafalgar Square in London. [2]

Yinka Charles

Yinka Inniss Charles aka MC Reason (born 1970) is the daughter of one of the black activists known as the Mangrove Nine, Elton Anthony Carlisle Inniss, who moved from Trinidad to the UK as a teenager, and an Irish mother from Cork. Yinka aka Reason grew up in Notting Hill. Her first name is a Nigerian one, inspired by the African culture embraced by [Her Dad Elton Inniss aka Chad],Her parents eventually separated, her father returning to Trinidad, never to return. Her father was a musician, which inspired Yinka to become one too. She visited him a few times in Trinidad before his death in 2010. [10]

She started rapping in old-school hip hop style when she was 15 and enjoyed great success, performing in concerts and on music channels and programmes around the world, including YO MTV and Top of the Pops . She has performed with many well-established artists, and had a top 10 hit in the UK Charts and two albums in Japan with LCG. Signed to JVC In 1988 Yinka was part of a duo Rhyme & Reason had a top 20 hit "Acid Rapping"

[11] In 1988, she featured as MC Reason on a track called "Money" on a hip hop compilation album called Various – Hard Core 1. [12] Produced by Mc Dexter and Sparky, artists featured such as Mc Mello, DJ Qtip, Colt 45, D2K. In 1990,she released the hip hop single A side "Housequake" AA 'Symbolise, produced by Chapter n Verse on Positive Beat Label...credited as "The Voice of Reason a.k.a. MC Reason". [13] In 1991 released single flight X produced by Paul Haig and remixed by mantronix. In 93 she had two tracks "Come Correct" and Part time Lover" on an album Rhythm Within produced by Jazz Black toured with the likes of Mc Lyte,Poor Righteous Teachers,DA Youngsters and Roots. Serenade and montage, Zapp, Black Moon, South Central Cartel. Noel Mckoy. In 2013, she collaborated with hip hop artists Jonie D (a.k.a. Jonie Centro, Johny D) and Mista Stixx (a.k.a. DJ Stixx) as Awol Collaboration, releasing the track "Tings Affi Run" on CD. [14] In 2015, Also in 2015, she released "I Get Up When I Fall" Yinka aka Reason featuring Joni D on YouTube. [15]

She has also participated in an African version of the TV show Loose Women , and was still involved in the music industry in 2020. [2] In October 2021, she appeared as a panellist at the Manchester Hip Hop Archive Symposium. [11]

She has done a degree in law, and has become somewhat of an activist, fighting against injustice. She was one of the first to be involved in the local campaign to help victims of the Grenfell fire, establishing a support group with and for Grenfell mothers, called We Can Cry. In 2020, she helped to organise a protest called Justice for El, in support of the family of a young black barman who was attacked in a pub in Portobello Road by a group of white men. [10]

As of 2021, she has been living in south London with her children. [10] She is still performing live as Yinka aka Reason.

Paul Hardy

Paul Hardy returned to his previous profession, illustrating comic books, and worked for companies such as Marvel Comics in a variety of styles for ten years. However he missed singing and performing, so moved to the coast and started producing, directing, and performing in theatre shows. [9] He appeared as "Paul Phoenix" in series 5 of The Voice UK in 2016. [16] [7]

Jay Williams

Jay Williams started a new career, and, according to Hardy, never told his colleagues about Eurovision. [2]

Discography

Albums

E.P.

Singles

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Sometimes incorrectly attributed as "Tatsiana". [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurtis Blow</span> American rapper (born 1959)

Kurtis Walker, known professionally by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Walker is the first commercially successful rapper and the first to sign with a major record label. "The Breaks", a single from his 1980 self-titled debut album, is the first certified gold record rap song. Throughout his career he has released 17 albums and is currently an ordained minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fun Lovin' Criminals</span> American rap rock band

Fun Lovin' Criminals are an American rap rock band from New York City. They are best known for their hit "Scooby Snacks", which features samples from films by Quentin Tarantino, and the song "Love Unlimited", which recalls Barry White's backing vocal group. Their songs often focus on life in New York City, as well as urban life in general. Their lyrics can be gritty or existentialist in nature, touching on topics such as organized crime and urban violence, but they are just as often humorous or satirical. The band gained a large following internationally, notably in Northwest Europe, around the release of their first two albums in the late 1990s.

The United Kingdom was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1995 with the song "Love City Groove", written by Paul Hardy, Jay Williams, Tatsiana Mais, and Stephen Rudden, and performed by Love City Groove. The British participating broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), selected its entry through a national final. It finished in 10th place with a total of 76 points.

Bryce Wilson is an American record producer, entrepreneur and actor. He was one half of the 1990s duo Groove Theory, and a former member of the dance/electro hip-hop group Mantronix.

UTFO was an American hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nappy Roots</span> American alternative rap band

Nappy Roots is an American alternative Southern rap group. The group met in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1995 while attending Western Kentucky University. They have worked with Rob Run Corleone of Empire Distribution. On the South Rituals mixtape. They are best known for their hit singles "Po' Folks", "Awnaw", "Roun' The Globe" and "Good Day". The group consists of Milledgeville, Georgia native Fish Scales and Kentucky natives Skinny DeVille, B. Stille and Ron Clutch.

<i>King of Rock</i> 1985 studio album by Run-D.M.C.

King of Rock is the second studio album by American hip hop group Run-D.M.C., released on January 21, 1985, by Profile Records. The album was produced by Russell Simmons and Larry Smith. King of Rock became the first rap album to be released on CD, and was the third rap album to be certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album saw the group adopting a more rock-influenced sound, with several tracks prominently featuring heavy guitar riffs. The song "Roots, Rap, Reggae" features Yellowman, and was one of the first hybrids of rap and dancehall.

Wee Papa Girl Rappers were a British female rap duo, that found chart success in the late 1980s. They were sisters Sandra and Samantha Lawrence.

Jason Heinrichs, also known by his stage name Anomaly was a Canadian-born musician and producer from Minneapolis. He worked primarily in dance music and hip-hop, and was notable for producing some of the earliest works by prominent Twin Cities rappers Atmosphere, Eyedea, P.O.S., and Oddjobs, as well as his own work with house-music duo Roomsa and solo efforts. He also played in Brother Sun Sister Moon, a side project of Information Society's Paul Robb.

Endgames were a Scottish pop band active during the 1980s. They released two albums on Virgin Records, but failed to achieve significant commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Break 'Em Off</span> 2007 single by Paul Wall featuring Lil Keke

"Break 'Em Off" is a song by American rapper Paul Wall featuring fellow Houston-based rapper Lil' Keke. It was released on February 20, 2007 through Swishahouse/Atlantic Records as the lead single from Paul Wall's third solo studio album Get Money, Stay True. The production was handled by Leroy "Mr. Lee" Williams. The single debuted at number 72 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early March 2007. The music video featured Jessica a.k.a. Miss Rabbit and Flavor of Love winner Chandra Davis a.k.a. Deelishis.

Tatiana Mais is the birth name of 1990s British songwriter and rapper Q-Tee. She is also known as Tatiana Oriana and Tatiana Ellis.

<i>Gipsy.cz</i> Czech Romani hip hop group

Gipsy.cz is a Czech Romani hip hop group. They performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2007 and represented their country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, with the song "Aven Romale". The band plays a combination of hip hop and traditional Romani music, sung primarily in the Romani language, with some lyrics in Czech and English. As of 2013, they have released four studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love City Groove (song)</span> 1995 song by Love City Groove

"Love City Groove" is a song by British rap group Love City Groove that represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love T.K.O.</span> 1980 single by David Oliver

"Love T.K.O." is a song written by Cecil Womack and Gip Noble, Jr. Standing for technical knockout, it was written for soul singer David Oliver, and appeared first on his album Here's to You in 1980. Cecil and Linda Womack recorded the song themselves as Womack & Womack and it appeared simply as "T.K.O." on their debut album Love Wars in 1983.

Margaret Marie Joseph is an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. Her greatest success came in the 1970s with a duet with Blue Magic on "What's Come Over Me" and her versions of Paul McCartney's "My Love" and The Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)</span> 1980 single by Tom Browne

"Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)" is a song by jazz trumpeter Tom Browne. The single—a memoir of the Jamaica neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens where Browne was born and raised—is from his second solo album, Love Approach. Browne got the idea for the song while he was at his parents' home. The vocals for the single were performed by Toni Smith, who also helped compose the song. The song hit number one on the US Billboard R&B chart for a month. "Funkin' for Jamaica" peaked at number nine on the dance chart and made the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, but it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colors (Ice-T song)</span> 1988 single by Ice-T

"Colors" is a song by American rapper Ice-T, co-produced by Afrika Islam, featuring DJ Eric Garcia, or Evil E. It was issued as the title track for the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The song was released as a single in 1988. In 2008, it was named the 19th-greatest hip hop song of all time by VH1. The song was Ice-T's first to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 70.The song samples "Ain't We Funkin' Now" by The Brothers Johnson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinidad James</span> Trinidadian-American rapper

Nicholaus Joseph Williams, better known by his stage name Trinidad James, is a Trinidadian-American rapper, songwriter and music video director. In December 2012, he signed with Def Jam Recordings to release his debut single, "All Gold Everything" commercially that same month. The song peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and spawned a remix featuring fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I., Jeezy and 2 Chainz. He was dropped from the label in 2014 after failing to promptly record a debut album.

"I Found Lovin'" is a song first released by the Fatback Band in 1983 by Master Mix Records. Co-written by long-time Fatback Band bassist Johnny Flippin and then-new singer/keyboardist Michael Walker, "I Found Lovin'" was included on the group's album With Love.

References

  1. 1 2 "Love City Groove". Eurovision Universe. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hardy, Paul (5 June 2020). "Paul Hardy on the UK: 'We always use the political bias as an excuse'". ESCBubble (Interview). Interviewed by Anthony, Matthew. Retrieved 10 July 2023. Includes video of the song.
  3. ↑ Tatiana Mais discography at Discogs
  4. 1 2 Osborn, Michael (16 May 2006). "Rapping for glory at Eurovision". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 June 2006. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Barclay, Simon (2010). The Complete and Independent Guide to the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. Lulu Enterprises Incorporated. p. 100. ISBN   978-1-4457-8415-1 . Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 331. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  7. 1 2 3 Westbrook, Caroline (13 February 2016). "Here's the moment that Voice hopeful Paul Phoenix took to the Eurovision stage." Metro. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  8. 1 2 Love City Groove discography at Discogs
  9. 1 2 3 Rudden, Stephen; Hardy, Paul (26 August 2011). "Interview: Love City Groove". So So Gay (Interview). Interviewed by Williscroft-Ferris, Lee. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Kenny, Ursula (28 November 2021). "Daughters of the Mangrove Nine: 'That passion in our parents was instilled in us'". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Big People Community CIC & See My World Festival Present, The MCR Hip Hop Archive Symposium, Listen Back!". Unity Radio. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2023. Manchester Hip Hop Archive Symposium, October 2021
  12. ↑ Various – Hard Core 1 at Discogs (list of releases)
  13. ↑ MC Reason discography at Discogs
  14. ↑ Awol Collaboration discography at Discogs
  15. ↑ Yinka aka Reason....Official Video "Get Up When I Fall" on YouTube (2 September 2015)
  16. ↑ Love City Groove (5 March 2016). "Been awhile since we posted anything - who here saw Paul Phoenix on The Voice a few weeks back?". Facebook . Retrieved 10 July 2023.
Preceded by UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
1995 		Succeeded by
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.