Colourbox
Encyclopedia
Colourbox were an English
electronic
musical group on the 4AD
label, releasing a number of records between 1982 and 1987. The band
was formed by brothers Martyn and Steve Young, along with guest singers, until Lorita Grahame joined as a permanent member in 1983.
Colourbox stood apart from their then-4AD labelmates - bands such as Dead Can Dance
, Cocteau Twins
, and This Mortal Coil
(although the Young brothers contributed to tracks on the latter project's first two albums It'll End in Tears
and Filigree & Shadow
). Their sound was eclectic, drawing from reggae and soul influences (with covers of tracks by U-Roy
and Augustus Pablo
released as singles), beat-box driven hip-hop rhythms, blue-eyed soul, as well as a fusion of far-ranging influences spanning from classic R&B, to dub and industrial.
's "Say You" and The Supremes
' "You Keep Me Hanging On
"). It was to remain the band's only proper album.
In 1986, the band issued two completely different singles simultaneously on the same day: one was an instrumental
initially intended as a World Cup
anthem ("The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme"); the other, a cover
of Augustus Pablo
's "Baby I Love You So," featured third member Lorita Grahame on vocals.
The band had an international hit
in 1987 with "Pump Up the Volume
," a collaboration with A.R. Kane under the name M/A/R/R/S
. The song was notable for being constructed almost entirely from samples
of other records, a novelty for a popular record at that time. The pressures of sudden success and the long-running litigation caused by the use of samples resulted in the band never to record as Colourbox again.
For a brief time following Colourbox's dissolution, Martyn Young served as a producer on records by acts as diverse as The Christians and fellow labelmates The Wolfgang Press
, whilst former singer Lorita Grahame lent her vocals to a record released by short-lived One Little Indian
act Hit the Roof (on a cover of Edwin Starr
's "Contact"). Since then, little has been heard from any of the group members, save for a brief return to promotional duties for Martyn Young in 2001, to oversee the release of the Colourbox compilation Best of Colourbox 82/87.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
musical group on the 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
label, releasing a number of records between 1982 and 1987. The band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
was formed by brothers Martyn and Steve Young, along with guest singers, until Lorita Grahame joined as a permanent member in 1983.
Colourbox stood apart from their then-4AD labelmates - bands such as Dead Can Dance
Dead Can Dance
Dead Can Dance are an ethereal neoclassical duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1981, by Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. The band relocated to London in May 1982 and disbanded in 1998. Their 1996 album Spiritchaser reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top World Music Albums Chart...
, Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals...
, and This Mortal Coil
This Mortal Coil
This Mortal Coil was a gothic dream pop supergroup led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Although Watts-Russell and John Fryer were technically the only two official members, the band's recorded output featured a large rotating cast of supporting artists, many of whom...
(although the Young brothers contributed to tracks on the latter project's first two albums It'll End in Tears
It'll End in Tears
It'll End in Tears was an album released in 1984 by 4AD using the name This Mortal Coil as an umbrella title for a loose grouping of guest musicians and vocalists brought together by label boss Ivo Watts-Russell. When released in late 1984, the album reached #38 on the UK Albums Chart...
and Filigree & Shadow
Filigree & Shadow
Filigree & Shadow is an album released in 1986 by Ivo Watts-Russell's supergroup, This Mortal Coil. The supergroup consists primarily of artists attached to the 4AD label, of which Ivo was the co-founder and the owner and president...
). Their sound was eclectic, drawing from reggae and soul influences (with covers of tracks by U-Roy
U-Roy
U-Roy , OD, is a Jamaican musician, also known as The Originator. He is best known as a pioneer of toasting.-Biography:...
and Augustus Pablo
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby , known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer, melodica player and keyboardist, active from the 1970s onwards. He popularized the use of the melodica in reggae music...
released as singles), beat-box driven hip-hop rhythms, blue-eyed soul, as well as a fusion of far-ranging influences spanning from classic R&B, to dub and industrial.
Career
Following their debut single "Breakdown" and "Tarantula" in late 1982 (and a reissue in mid-1983), a four-track mini-album simply titled Colourbox was released in November 1983, displaying the band's fledgling experimental sound. After a handful of singles, Colourbox's first full-length studio album - also self-titled - followed in August 1985, which further refined the band's diverse palette, mixing sample-splattered power-punk instrumentals with elegaic piano pieces ("Just Give 'em Whiskey" and "Sleepwalker" respectively), commercial pop ("The Moon Is Blue" and "Suspicion") and more reggae and soul covers (U-RoyU-Roy
U-Roy , OD, is a Jamaican musician, also known as The Originator. He is best known as a pioneer of toasting.-Biography:...
's "Say You" and The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
' "You Keep Me Hanging On
You Keep Me Hangin' On
Vanilla Fudge's 1967 psychedelic/hard rock remake of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" reached #6 on the Hot 100 chart two years after the release of the Supremes' recording. While the version released on 45 RPM single was under three minutes long, the album version was extended to six minutes and...
"). It was to remain the band's only proper album.
In 1986, the band issued two completely different singles simultaneously on the same day: one was an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
initially intended as a World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
anthem ("The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme"); the other, a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Augustus Pablo
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby , known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer, melodica player and keyboardist, active from the 1970s onwards. He popularized the use of the melodica in reggae music...
's "Baby I Love You So," featured third member Lorita Grahame on vocals.
The band had an international hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in 1987 with "Pump Up the Volume
Pump up the Volume (song)
"Pump Up the Volume" is a song and the only single by British recording act MARRS. It was a number-one hit in many countries and is generally regarded as a significant milestone in the development of British house music and music sampling....
," a collaboration with A.R. Kane under the name M/A/R/R/S
MARRS
MARRS was a 1987 one-off recording act formed by the groups A.R. Kane and Colourbox which only released one commercial disc...
. The song was notable for being constructed almost entirely from samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of other records, a novelty for a popular record at that time. The pressures of sudden success and the long-running litigation caused by the use of samples resulted in the band never to record as Colourbox again.
For a brief time following Colourbox's dissolution, Martyn Young served as a producer on records by acts as diverse as The Christians and fellow labelmates The Wolfgang Press
The Wolfgang Press
The Wolfgang Press was an English post-punk band, active from 1983 until 1995, recording for the 4AD label. The core of the band was Michael Allen , Mark Cox , and Andrew Gray , with many guest musicians....
, whilst former singer Lorita Grahame lent her vocals to a record released by short-lived One Little Indian
One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and...
act Hit the Roof (on a cover of Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr was an American soul music singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield produced singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War".-Biography:...
's "Contact"). Since then, little has been heard from any of the group members, save for a brief return to promotional duties for Martyn Young in 2001, to oversee the release of the Colourbox compilation Best of Colourbox 82/87.
Albums
- Colourbox (mini-album) (7 November 1983), #8
- Vinyl (MAD315); CD (MAD315CD – released in 1986)
- Colourbox (album) (12 August 1985), #1
- Vinyl LP (CAD508); CD (CAD508CD); cassette (CADC508)
- ColourboxColourbox MAD 509 (album)Colourbox MAD 509 is a mini-album by Colourbox. It was released as a free bonus LP with the first 10,000 copies of Colourbox's self-titled album. The four tracks on the A-side were included on the CD version of CAD 508, while the three tracks on the B-side were not...
(12 August 1985) – free mini-album included with first 10,000 copies of CAD508- Vinyl LP (MAD509)
Singles
- "Breakdown" / "Tarantula" (November 1982) – featuring Debian Curry
- 7" (AD215); 12" (BAD215)
- "Breakdown" / "Tarantula" (second version) (May 1983)
- 7" (AD304); 12" (BAD304)
- "Say You" / "Fast Dump" (March 1984), #7
- 7" (AD403); 12" (BAD403)
- "Punch" / "Keep on Pushing" (June 1984), #15
- 7" (AD406); 12" (BAD406)
- "The Moon Is Blue" / "You Keep Me Hanging On" (15 July 1985), #3
- 7" (AD507); 12" (BAD507)
- "Baby I Love You So" / "Looks Like We're Shy One Horse" / "Shoot Out" (14 April 1986), #4
- 7" (AD604); 12" (BAD604)
- "The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme" / "Philip Glass" (14 April 1986), #6
- 7" (AD605); 12" (BAD605)
Compilations
- Lonely Is an EyesoreLonely Is an EyesoreLonely Is an Eyesore is a compilation of music by artists on the 4AD label released in June 1987. The album was produced by Ivo Watts-Russell and recorded at Blackwing Studios, London. The album was engineered and mixed by John Fryer...
(15 June 1987)- Vinyl (CAD703); CD 9CAD703CD) - 4AD label sampler included the exclusive track "Hot Doggie"
- Best of Colourbox 82/87 (15 October 2001)
- CD (GAD2107CD)