E'voke
Encyclopedia
E'voke were a British
female vocal
duo
from the mid 1990s, who had several club
and chart
hits
in the UK
. The two members - Marlaine Gordon
and Kerry Potter - both went to the Sylvia Young Theatre School
and upon graduating
went on to star in the BBC
sitcom
, Us Girls
. Gordon also went on to appear in EastEnders
between 1994 and 1995 playing
the part of Lydia.
on the FFRR label, a dance
cover version
of Stevie Wonder
's "I Believe". Although it was not a commercial hit, it did fairly well in the clubs and featured on Direct-Hit remix
service. The track was produced
by Barry Leng and Duncan Hannant who went on to write
E'voke's original hits.
In late 1995, they released the track "Runaway" on Frreedom Records which reached number 30 in the UK Singles Chart
in November. In 1996, E'voke scored their biggest commercial and club hit with "Arms of Loren". Two mixes were created. The Steinway mix, which is still played today in clubs, being the more commercial and the Nip N Tuck mix being the main radio edit. Once again, the song was released on a different record label
- Manifesto Records. The track reached number 25 in the UK chart in August 1996.
In early 1998 a new E'voke record was released (this time on Pulse8), being a dance cover of John Waite
's "Missing You
". However, due to the closing of Pulse8, the song's release was delayed, and was picked up by another record label - WEA. However, it was not released until early 1999, the track was not a hit, and the E'voke concept was dropped.
Gordon went on to try to launch a solo
career in 2000, recording the track "Step Away" written by her old E'voke producers, and featuring Potter as a backing vocalist
. The track was never released.
In 2001, the head of Inferno Records, played "Arms of Loren" to DJ
Ferry Corsten
. Corsten created his own remix to the track, basing it on the Nip N Tuck mix from the 1996 release. Issued in February 2002 the track charted at number 31 - six places lower than the original version.
Since then, Potter has appeared in Casualty
and the film
, The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse
.
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...
female vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
from the mid 1990s, who had several club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
and chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hits
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 the 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...
. The two members - Marlaine Gordon
Marlaine Gordon
-Acting career:One of Gordon's first roles was playing Amanda Jackson in Through The Dragon's Eye , an educational children's programme made for BBC Two's Look and Read productions....
and Kerry Potter - both went to the Sylvia Young Theatre School
Sylvia Young Theatre School
Sylvia Young Theatre School is an independent fee-paying stage school, in Westminster, London, named after its founder and Principal, Sylvia Young.-Outline:...
and upon graduating
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
went on to star in the BBC
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, Us Girls
Us Girls
Us Girls is a BBC television sitcom about the culture gap among three generations of West Indian women.Freelance journalist Bev Pinnock was trying to live an independent life, which was being interrupted by her teenage daughter Aisha and her mother -- Grandma . They all shared a house in the...
. Gordon also went on to appear in EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
between 1994 and 1995 playing
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
the part of Lydia.
Career
In 1994, they released their first singleSingle (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...
on the FFRR label, a dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
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 Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "I Believe". Although it was not a commercial hit, it did fairly well in the clubs and featured on Direct-Hit remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
service. The track was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Barry Leng and Duncan Hannant who went on to write
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
E'voke's original hits.
In late 1995, they released the track "Runaway" on Frreedom Records which reached number 30 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 ...
in November. In 1996, E'voke scored their biggest commercial and club hit with "Arms of Loren". Two mixes were created. The Steinway mix, which is still played today in clubs, being the more commercial and the Nip N Tuck mix being the main radio edit. Once again, the song was released on a different record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
- Manifesto Records. The track reached number 25 in the UK chart in August 1996.
In early 1998 a new E'voke record was released (this time on Pulse8), being a dance cover of John Waite
John Waite
John Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
's "Missing You
Missing You (John Waite song)
"Missing You" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by British musician John Waite. It was released in June 1984 as the lead single from the album No Brakes...
". However, due to the closing of Pulse8, the song's release was delayed, and was picked up by another record label - WEA. However, it was not released until early 1999, the track was not a hit, and the E'voke concept was dropped.
Gordon went on to try to launch a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career in 2000, recording the track "Step Away" written by her old E'voke producers, and featuring Potter as a backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
. The track was never released.
In 2001, the head of Inferno Records, played "Arms of Loren" to DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
. Corsten created his own remix to the track, basing it on the Nip N Tuck mix from the 1996 release. Issued in February 2002 the track charted at number 31 - six places lower than the original version.
Since then, Potter has appeared in Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
and the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse
The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse
The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse is a feature film spin-off of the popular British television comedy series The League of Gentlemen. Starring Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, the film was written by the cast with Jeremy Dyson, and directed by Steve Bendelack...
.