Loose Ends (band)
Loose Ends was a successful British R&B band that had several urban contemporary hits. The trio was formed in London in 1980, initially comprising vocalist and guitarist Carl McIntosh, vocalist Jane Eugene, and keyboard player, Steve Nichol. The latter two left the group in 1989 due to poor progression and since their departure the newer Loose Ends sound has gained higher chart positions globally and a wider fan base in the R&B genre through Carl McIntosh.
Loose Ends | |
|---|---|
 Carl McIntosh | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active |
|
| Labels | Virgin Records (UK |
| Associated acts | |
| Website | www |
| Members | Carl McIntosh |
| Past members |
Session Singers: Laurneá Wilkerson Linda Carriere Sunay Suleyman |
Career
The group was originally called Loose End, and signed with Virgin Records in 1981. Their debut material was written for them by Chris Amoo and Eddie Amoo, who had achieved UK Singles Chart success of their own in the 1970s, with their group The Real Thing. The trio changed its name to Loose Ends in 1983 and continued to record for Virgin. They were distributed in the United States by MCA Records.
The group was founded by Steve Nichol after he left the London Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Nichol went on to tour with The Jam in 1982 as a trumpet, trombone and keyboard player. They achieved their first success with "Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)" in 1985, which reached No. 13 in the UK chart.[1] "Hangin' on a String" also reached No. 1 on the US Billboard R&B chart, making Loose Ends the first black British band ever to top that chart.[2] They reached No. 16 with the single "Magic Touch" in the same year.[1] The disc was produced in the US, as was their 1986 hit "Slow Down" (later used as the theme music for MuchMusic's Soul in The City program). At this time, they also arranged and played on a number of tracks from Five Star's debut album including the single "Let Me Be The One" which reached number two in the same listings later in 1986. Subsequent falling sales saw the threesome notch up their final transatlantic hit in 1988 with "Watching You (Watching Me)."
The group's line-up changed in 1990 due to differences in its proposed musical direction, with Eugene and Nichol wanting to maintain the group's sound and McIntosh wanting to be more experimental, by working with hip hop guru's and funkier beats. Eugene and Nichol decided to leave, and were replaced by Linda Carriere and Sunay Suleyman. Look How Long turned out to be the final studio album released under the Loose Ends name, and featured their final hit single, "Don't Be A Fool" (1990). McIntosh himself went on to work behind the recording desk following the group's peak popularity, but the new trio soon disbanded. He has since produced several artists' work, most notably that of Caron Wheeler, Ruth Joy and Kwesi.[3]
In 1998, the group reunited to appear on a single by Pete Rock called "Take Your Time". They also appeared in the music video for the track.
"Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)" is featured in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto IV's fictional Soul/R&B radio station The Vibe 98.8.
Loose Ends continues to perform as 'Loose Ends' since the 1990 album Look How Long which was produced, composed and written by Carl McIntosh which came out on Virgin Records. Past members, Eugene and Nichol were replaced with new members, including vocalists Sunay Suleyman and Linda Carrière.[4] ref>"Carl McIntosh / Loose Ends (2014) – Soulinterviews.com – The Home of Soul Interviews". Retrieved 4 January 2019.</ref>
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [5] |
NLD [6] |
NZ [7] |
US [8] |
US R&B [8] | ||||
| 1984 | A Little Spice | 46 | — | — | 46 | 5 | ||
| 1985 | So Where Are You?
|
13 | — | 33 | — | — | ||
| 1986 | Zagora
|
15 | — | — | 59 | 7 | ||
| 1988 | The Real Chuckeeboo
|
52 | 66 | — | 80 | 16 | ||
| 1990 | Look How Long
|
19 | — | — | 124 | 28 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | ||||||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details | Peaks | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [5] | |||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Tighten Up Vol. 1
|
40 | |||||||||||||||
| 2003 | The Best of Loose Ends
|
— | |||||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [5] |
IRE [12] |
NLD [6] |
NZ [7] |
US [8] |
US R&B [8] |
US Dan [8] | ||||
| 1982 | "In the Sky" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| "We've Arrived" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1983 | "Don't Hold Back Your Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "Tell Me What You Want" | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | A Little Spice | |
| "Emergency (Dial 999)" | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Choose Me (Rescue Me)" | 59 | — | — | — | — | 47 | 25 | |||
| 1985 | "Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)" | 13 | 26 | 33 | 12 | 43 | 1 | 12 | A Little Spice / So Where Are You? | |
| "Magic Touch" | 16 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | So Where Are You? | ||
| "Golden Years" | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1986 | "Stay a Little While, Child" | 52 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 49 | Zagora | |
| "Slow Down" | 27 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 42 | |||
| "Nights of Pleasure" | 42 | — | — | — | — | 58 | — | |||
| 1987 | "Ooh, You Make Me Feel" | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "You Can't Stop the Rain" | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | — | So Where Are You? / Zagora | ||
| 1988 | "Mr. Bachelor" | 50 | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | The Real Chuckeeboo | |
| "Watching You" | 83 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |||
| 1989 | "Life" | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | — | ||
| 1990 | "Don't Be a Fool" | 13 | — | — | — | 88 | 10 | 50 | Look How Long | |
| "Love's Got Me" | 40 | — | — | — | — | 76 | — | |||
| 1991 | "Cheap Talk" | 92 | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | ||
| "Time Is Ticking" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1992 | "Hangin' on a String" (Frankie Knuckles Remix) | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Tighten Up Vol. 1 | |
| "Magic Touch" (Remix) | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1993 | "My Way" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | ||||||||||
References
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 328. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- Nick Martinelli at AllMusic
- "Kwesi - Testimony (1997, CD)". Discogs.com. 12 December 1997. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- "Loose Ends - Look How Long". Discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- "UK Charts > Loose Ends". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
- "NLD Charts > Loose Ends". MegaCharts. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
- "NZ Charts > Loose Ends". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
- "US Charts > Loose Ends". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
- "Loose Ends: So Where Are You?". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- "Loose Ends: Zagora". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- "Loose Ends: Look How Long". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- "IRE Charts Search > Loose Ends". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
External links
- Loose Ends Official website
- Carl McIntosh at Red Bull Music Academy
- AllMusic
- Carl McIntosh 2014 Audio Interview at Soulinterviews.com
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