Inner Circle (band)
| Inner Circle | ||
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Inner Circle in 1976
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| Background information | ||
| Also known as | The Inner Circle Band | |
| Origin | Kingston, Jamaica | |
| Genres | Reggae | |
| Years active | 1968–1980, 1982, 1986–present | |
| Labels | Trojan, Capitol, Island, RAS, Atlantic, Big Beat, VP, Shanachie, Soundbwoy Entertainment | |
| Associated acts | Third World | |
| Website | badboysofreggae |
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| Members | Ian Lewis Roger Lewis Bernard "Touter" Harvey Michael Sterling Lancelot Hall Trevor "Skatta" Bonnick |
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| Past members |
Mark Castro |
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Mark Castro
Michael "Ibo" Cooper
Stephen "Cat" Coore
William Stewart
William "Bunny Rugs" Clarke (deceased)
Irvin "Carrot" Jarrett
Milton "Prilly" Hamilton
Charles Farquharson
Calvin McKenzie
Funky Brown
Jacob Miller (deceased)
Lester Adderley
Norman Grant
Rick Hunt
Calton Coffie
Dave Gonzales
Kris Bentley
Jr. Jazz
Inner Circle are a Jamaican reggae group. The group was originally called The Inner Circle Band and formed in 1968. The band achieved major success in the 1970s with Jacob Miller as their lead singer, but split up after his death in 1980. They reformed in 1986 and had a major hit with the 1987 song "Bad Boys", which serves as the theme song for the long running Spike (formerly Fox Network) television program COPS. They are also well known for their song "Sweat (A La La La La Long)," a big hit in the U.S. in the early 1990s. The band is known for blending pop and rock with reggae.
The band was formed in 1968 by the brothers Ian and Roger Lewis with then 12-year-old Stephen "Cat" Coore and Michael Cooper. They appeared on record in 1970, backing The Chosen Few on the Derrick Harriott-produced single "Why Can't I Touch You", with the Inner Circle Band credited with the instrumental version on the B-side; This was one of several singles on which they backed the Chosen Few. In 1970 the band was expanded when they were joined by drummer William Stewart, percussionist Irvin "Carrot" Jarrett, and the band's original singer William "Bunny Rugs" Clarke. The band played on Eric Donaldson's hit single "Cherry Oh Baby" and recorded their own version as "Red Cherry".
Jarrett left the band in 1972, with singer Clarke leaving the following year when he moved to New York. Clarke's replacement was Milton "Prilly" Hamilton, but this line-up was short-lived as the band split in two with Coore, Cooper, and Hamilton leaving to form Third World in 1973. Coore and Cooper were then students of the University of the West Indies, studying for various degrees and were soon joined in Third World by fellow Inner Circle departees Clarke and Jarrett. Meanwhile, Inner Circle re-tooled the lineup by recruiting keyboard players Charles Farquharson and Bernard Harvey (aka "Touter"), as well as drummer Calvin McKenzie as a replacement for Stewart (who would also go on to play with Third World). The band played the hotel and club circuit in Kingston, playing a mixture of reggae, pop and soul hits, and released their first album, Dread Reggae Hits, in 1973 on Ian Lewis's Top Ranking label.
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