Liquid Gold
Encyclopedia
Liquid Gold was an English
disco
group
, from Brackley
in Northamptonshire
. Their biggest success came in 1980 with Dance Yourself Dizzy, which peaked at number two on the UK chart.
, a group that released four album
s between 1972 and 1975. Both of them worked on the band's last album, Kid Stuff. They then recruited Wally Rothe (and Syd Twynham under the name Dream Coupe; after a few shows they signed to Creole Records
, a Polo Records subsidiary, and changed their name to Liquid Gold.
Their first single
, "Anyway You Do It", was released in October 1978. It narrowly missed the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart
, peaking at #41, but resulted in their being transferred to Polo for their next release, "My Baby's Baby". A remix
ed version of the song was concurrently released by Parachute Records in the United States and became a hit
, reaching #5 on the US
Billboard
Hot Dance Club Play chart
, and #45 on the Billboard Hot 100
in 1979. Despite their success in the US, however, they never toured there.
At home, their next single was "Mr. Groovy", which did not chart; it was quickly followed with "Dance Yourself Dizzy", which became their biggest UK
hit, peaking at #2 on the UK chart in 1980. The song also reached #26 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart. Their next single, "Substitute", peaked at #8 in the UK in the summer of 1980. Their final UK Top 40 entry was "The Night, the Wine, and the Roses", which hit #32 late in the year.
In March 1981, the single "Don't Panic" was released, and it was also entered into the Song For Europe contest to pick the UK's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1981
. The song did not gain enough votes to win. The following year saw the release of the singles "Where Did We Go Wrong" (UK #56) and "Turn the Table". In 1983, Rothe quit the band, and Twynham left soon after. With the smaller line-up, they released one final single that year, "What's She Got". They disbanded shortly afterwards.
All of their songs were produced
, arranged
, written
, and engineered
by Adrian Baker
.
"Synth and Strings", a 1999 UK chart hit by Yomanda, was based around a sample
from "Dance Yourself Dizzy". In 2008, "Dance Yourself Dizzy" remixes were released on a 12" single with bonus CD
, and digital download.
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...
disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
group
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...
, from Brackley
Brackley
Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Oxford and miles form Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham and the English Midlands and between Cambridge and Oxford...
in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. Their biggest success came in 1980 with Dance Yourself Dizzy, which peaked at number two on the UK chart.
Career
Liquid Gold was formed by Ray Knott and Ellie Hope, who had met auditioning to play in Babe RuthBabe Ruth (band)
Babe Ruth are a rock music group, primarily active through the 1970s, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. Their characteristically 'heavy' sound is marked by powerful vocals from Janita Haan and full arrangements by Alan Shacklock...
, a group that released four album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s between 1972 and 1975. Both of them worked on the band's last album, Kid Stuff. They then recruited Wally Rothe (and Syd Twynham under the name Dream Coupe; after a few shows they signed to Creole Records
Creole Records
Creole Records was a UK record label that found most of its success in the disco and reggae genres in the mid 1970s to early 1980s.Creole released the debut singles of both Boney M. and Amanda Lear in 1975...
, a Polo Records subsidiary, and changed their name to Liquid Gold.
Their first single
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...
, "Anyway You Do It", was released in October 1978. It narrowly missed the Top 40 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 ...
, peaking at #41, but resulted in their being transferred to Polo for their next release, "My Baby's Baby". A 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 ....
ed version of the song was concurrently released by Parachute Records in the United States and became a 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...
, reaching #5 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Dance Club Play 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....
, and #45 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1979. Despite their success in the US, however, they never toured there.
At home, their next single was "Mr. Groovy", which did not chart; it was quickly followed with "Dance Yourself Dizzy", which became their biggest 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...
hit, peaking at #2 on the UK chart in 1980. The song also reached #26 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart. Their next single, "Substitute", peaked at #8 in the UK in the summer of 1980. Their final UK Top 40 entry was "The Night, the Wine, and the Roses", which hit #32 late in the year.
In March 1981, the single "Don't Panic" was released, and it was also entered into the Song For Europe contest to pick the UK's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1981
Eurovision Song Contest 1981
The Eurovision Song Contest 1981 was the 26th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 4 April 1981 at the Simmonscourt Pavilion of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin. The presenter was Doireann Ní Bhriain...
. The song did not gain enough votes to win. The following year saw the release of the singles "Where Did We Go Wrong" (UK #56) and "Turn the Table". In 1983, Rothe quit the band, and Twynham left soon after. With the smaller line-up, they released one final single that year, "What's She Got". They disbanded shortly afterwards.
All of their songs were 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...
, arranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, written
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...
, and engineered
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
by Adrian Baker
Adrian Baker
Adrian Baker is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer.-Career:Baker made his debut as a singer on Magnet Records/Epic Records in the United Kingdom. In 1975, he released his first solo album, Into a Dream...
.
"Synth and Strings", a 1999 UK chart hit by Yomanda, was based around a sample
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...
from "Dance Yourself Dizzy". In 2008, "Dance Yourself Dizzy" remixes were released on a 12" single with bonus CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, and digital download.
Members
- Wally Rothe, otherwise known as Eddie Rothe - drums
- Ray Knott - bass
- Syd Twynham - guitar
- Ellie Hope - vocals