Damage (British band)
Encyclopedia
Damage were a British
R&B
boy band
who achieved success in the 1990s with eleven hit
singles
, including four Top 10 successes in the UK Singles Chart
.
's international breakthrough during the mid 1990s. The quintet
was formed at school
at the beginning of the decade when Mcleod, Jade Jones, Coreé Richards, Rahsaan J. Bromfield and Noel Simpson were all teenagers
. They sent a demo
tape of a cover version
of the Jackson Five song
"Anything" to Jazz Summers of Big Life Records in Early 1995. Although, Summers was impressed by the quality of their singing and harmonies, he waited eighteen months before issuing their first record
. Even though it charted outside the Top 40 it achieved excellent reviews and Damage were born.
They made quick inroads into the UK Singles Chart
and the second single "Love II Love" reached number 12 while the follow-up "Forever" was a number 6 hit during the Christmas
period. "Forever" was also notable for being both the first song that Steve Mac
and Wayne Hector
wrote together, and the song that caught the ear of Simon Cowell
and effectively led to Mac becoming the chief songwriter-producer for Cowell's subsequent projects.
Their debut album Forever
followed in the Spring of 1997, along with two further UK
Top 10 singles - "Love Guaranteed" and a cover version of Eric Clapton
's "Wonderful Tonight
", the latter reaching number 3. The quintet subsequently embarked on an extensive touring schedule while negotiating a new recording contract
following the collapse of Big Life. Jones remained in the media spotlight through his long-term romance with Spice Girl Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton
of the Spice Girls
, a popular girl band. Damage returned to the UK music scene in Spring 2001 with their Cooltempo Records
' début album, Since You've Been Gone
.
In 2001, they decided to call it a day, citing musical differences as the reason for their break up.
Coreé Richards has new projects ongoing with One Time Records owner Felix Milton.
Andrez Harriott and Jade Jones now perform in their band
, CherryBlackStone
.
Damage performed at Party in the Park
in Leeds
, on 25 July 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
who achieved success in the 1990s with eleven hit
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, including four Top 10 successes in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Biography
Led by Andrez Mcleod, Damage were one of several urban R&B outfits who capitalised on Mark MorrisonMark Morrison
Mark Morrison is a British R&B singer. He was the most successful UK R&B singer of the mid-90s and the first black male solo artist to reach number one in the 90s. His single "Return of the Mack" became a #1 or Top 10 hit in several European countries in 1996...
's international breakthrough during the mid 1990s. The quintet
Quintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
was formed at school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
at the beginning of the decade when Mcleod, Jade Jones, Coreé Richards, Rahsaan J. Bromfield and Noel Simpson were all teenagers
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
. They sent a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tape of a cover version
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 the Jackson Five song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Anything" to Jazz Summers of Big Life Records in Early 1995. Although, Summers was impressed by the quality of their singing and harmonies, he waited eighteen months before issuing their first record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
. Even though it charted outside the Top 40 it achieved excellent reviews and Damage were born.
They made quick inroads into the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and the second single "Love II Love" reached number 12 while the follow-up "Forever" was a number 6 hit during the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
period. "Forever" was also notable for being both the first song that Steve Mac
Steve Mac
Steve Mac , is a songwriter, record producer and owner of Rokstone Studios in London.He has produced more than 22 number one singles in the UK and had several multi-million selling albums worldwide...
and Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector is an English songwriter.Wayne Hector has had over 30 number ones around the globe under his belt and numerous movie soundtrack credits, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters....
wrote together, and the song that caught the ear of Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
and effectively led to Mac becoming the chief songwriter-producer for Cowell's subsequent projects.
Their debut album Forever
Forever (Damage album)
Forever is the debut album by British pop group Damage. The album was released on July 15, 1997. The highest-charting single was an Eric Clapton cover called "Wonderful Tonight".-Tracklisting:#"Reminder"#"Love II Love"#"Love Guaranteed"...
followed in the Spring of 1997, along with two further UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Top 10 singles - "Love Guaranteed" and a cover version of Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
's "Wonderful Tonight
Wonderful Tonight
"Wonderful Tonight" is a song written by Eric Clapton. It was included on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand and released as a single the following year. Clapton wrote the song about Pattie Boyd, and it is mentioned in her autobiographical book Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me...
", the latter reaching number 3. The quintet subsequently embarked on an extensive touring schedule while negotiating a new recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
following the collapse of Big Life. Jones remained in the media spotlight through his long-term romance with Spice Girl Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton
Emma Bunton
Emma Lee Bunton is an English pop singer/songwriter and TV and radio presenter. She was a member of the 1990s girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was known as Baby Spice as she was the youngest member. In 2010, she joined the judging panel on ITV's Dancing on Ice...
of the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
, a popular girl band. Damage returned to the UK music scene in Spring 2001 with their Cooltempo Records
Cooltempo Records
Cooltempo Records is a subsidiary of EMI. The label released albums by artists such as Kenny Thomas, Milli Vanilli, Adeva, Shara Nelson, Mica Paris or Innocence.-History:...
' début album, Since You've Been Gone
Since You've Been Gone (album)
Since You've Been Gone is the second and last studio album by Damage.-Tracklisting:#"The Journey"#"Ghetto Romance" #"I Don't Know" #"You're So Fly" #"Better Than"#"Still Be Lovin' You"...
.
In 2001, they decided to call it a day, citing musical differences as the reason for their break up.
Coreé Richards has new projects ongoing with One Time Records owner Felix Milton.
Andrez Harriott and Jade Jones now perform in their band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, CherryBlackStone
CherryBlackStone
CherryBlackStone is a four piece British music group, formed in London in 2002. They are not to be confused with American rock band Black Stone Cherry. The group was founded by former Damage vocalist Andrez Harriott together with his wife ReDD. Their aim was to create a new sound and to "make an...
.
Damage performed at Party in the Park
Party in the Park
Party in the Park is the generic name given to music concerts organised by various radio stations and local authorities in England and Wales, typically in large parks during the summer.-Leeds' Party in the Park:...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, on 25 July 2010.
Albums
- 1997: ForeverForever (Damage album)Forever is the debut album by British pop group Damage. The album was released on July 15, 1997. The highest-charting single was an Eric Clapton cover called "Wonderful Tonight".-Tracklisting:#"Reminder"#"Love II Love"#"Love Guaranteed"...
- 2001: Since You've Been GoneSince You've Been Gone (album)Since You've Been Gone is the second and last studio album by Damage.-Tracklisting:#"The Journey"#"Ghetto Romance" #"I Don't Know" #"You're So Fly" #"Better Than"#"Still Be Lovin' You"...
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||
| 1996 | "Anything Anything (Damage song) "Anything" is the debut single from British boy band Damage. It featured on their debut album Forever. It reached #68 in the UK Charts.-Tracklisting:UK Single #"Anything" [Extended Mix] — 4:58#"Anything" [Instrumental] — 4:20... " |
68 | Forever |
| "Love II Love Love II Love "Love II Love" is the second single from British boy band Damage taken from their debut album Forever. It reached #12 in the UK Charts.-Tracklisting:CD Maxi#"Love II Love" — 4:08... " |
12 | ||
| "Forever" | 6 | ||
| 1997 | "Love Guaranteed" | 7 | |
| "Wonderful Tonight Wonderful Tonight "Wonderful Tonight" is a song written by Eric Clapton. It was included on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand and released as a single the following year. Clapton wrote the song about Pattie Boyd, and it is mentioned in her autobiographical book Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me... " |
3 | ||
| "Love Lady" | 33 | ||
| 2000 | "Ghetto Romance Ghetto Romance "Ghetto Romance" is a 2000 top ten hit single by Damage. Produced by grammy winning producers Tim & Bob, It peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart.... " |
7 | Since You've Been Gone |
| "Rumours" | 22 | ||
| 2001 | "Still Be Lovin' You" | 11 | |
| "So What If I?" | 12 | ||
| "After the Love Has Gone After the Love Has Gone "After the Love Has Gone" is a 1979 hit single for Earth, Wind & Fire, written by David Foster, Jay Graydon, and Bill Champlin for the album I Am. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Reception:... " |
42 | ||
External links
- Damage on BBC Music
- [ Biography at Allmusic.com]
- One Time Records