Loose Ends (band)
| Loose Ends | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Soul, R&B, post-disco, urban contemporary |
| Years active | 1980–1990, 1998, 2005 |
| Labels |
Virgin Records (UK) MCA Records (US) |
| Associated acts | Nick Martinelli, Leon Ware |
| Past members | Steve Nichol Jane Eugene Laurnea Wilkerson Carl McIntosh Linda Carriere Sunay Suleyman |
| Notable instruments | |
| Roland TR-808 | |
Loose Ends was a successful British R&B band that had several urban contemporary hits. The trio was formed in London in 1980, initially comprising vocalist and guitarist Carl McIntosh, vocalist Jane Eugene, and keyboard player, writer and founder Steve Nichol. The latter two left the group in 1989, bringing an end to the band's most successful phase.
The group was originally called Loose End, and signed with Virgin Records in 1981. Their debut material was written for them by Chris Amoo and Eddie Amoo, who had achieved UK Singles Chart success of their own in the 1970s, with their group The Real Thing. The trio changed its name to Loose Ends in 1983 and continued to record for Virgin. They were distributed in the United States by MCA Records.
The group was founded by Steve Nichol after he left the London Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he received extensive classical training. Nichol received the Young Musician Of The Year Award at age 16. Nichol went on to tour with The Jam in 1982 as a trumpet, trombone and keyboard player. He was also a composer for: Rakim, Carl Cox, Phyllis Hyman and other various artists. Most of the band's material was also written and supplied by Nichol. Nichol auditioned McIntosh at a bar in Central London and found Eugene through a college fashion show.
They achieved their first success with "Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)" in 1985, which reached #13 in the UK chart. "Hangin' on a String" also reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, making Loose Ends the first British band ever to top that chart. They reached #16 with the single "Magic Touch" in the same year. The disc was produced in the U.S., as was their 1986 hit "Slow Down" (later used as the theme music for MuchMusic's Soul in The City program). At this time, they also arranged and played on a number of tracks from Five Star's debut album including the single "Let Me Be The One" which reached number two in the same listings later in 1986. Subsequent falling sales saw the threesome notch up their final hit in 1988 with "Watching You (Watching Me)."
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