Imagination (BodyTalk / Just an Illusion) are back!
It’s 36 years since Imaginations distinctive groovy bass-line sounds first hit the airwaves and gold lame hit the dance floors around the globe.... In fact it was 1981 when they released their chart-breaking platinum debut singles BodyTalk and Just an Illusion which ultimately led to Imagination becoming funk-soul-pop legends.
Now they re back! Imagination ft Errol Kennedy & Friends release their brand new single You Can Be All You Want To Be (April 28 : Good Deeds Music)
Featuring 16 excusive DJ mixes the tracks are produced by Errol Kennedy. Co-written by Errol Kennedy with Mike Edmond, Patrick Brathwaite and Robert Taylor.
Errol Kennedy was one of the core original members of much loved eighties funk and soul band Imagination. Errol was unique in that despite being the drummer he took centre stage and was the big personality of the group.
He also sang, danced and co-wrote some of their biggest tunes and was the member most photographed. ‘Body Talk’ was followed up by the equally big hitting ‘In and out of Love’ and then ‘Flashback’ which also topped the charts. Imagination put out platinum selling debut album ‘Body Talk’ and then the hits kept coming in the form of ‘Just An Illusion’ from second album ‘In The Heat of the Night’. This one was an all-time classic for the band, a massive hit that went to the number 2 slot in the 1982 UK charts. It also sold well around Europe and consequently the band had tracks hit the charts in 28 countries, with four platinum discs, nine gold discs and plenty of silver discs all round the world.
So big were they that the band worked with Motown star Marvin Gaye on hit US TV show Soul Train. Though the band split, Errol went on to great success working with the likes of Hugh Masekela and producing the likes of Shalamar and Colonel Abraham. 2016 saw him put out his ‘Greatest Hits Live’ album and then head off on tour round the UK.
Imagination : The history
By the 1980s, Imagination were famous all over the world, having released a series of Gold & Platinum albums and embarking on a series of sell-out tours, they were now permanent fixtures on mainstream TV.
It was during those early years that they created their ground breaking & proto-house album ‘Night Dubbing’. They are now considered extremely influential and important in the evolution of dance music. The band who lent it’s name from the John Lennon song ‘Imagine’ started touring America with their first album ‘Body Talk’ whilst simultaneously the follow up ‘In The Heat Of The Night’ was being released in Europe. The band were in New York courtesy of their record company. Looking to indulge themselves into the nightlife scene, they performed a sell-out show at Studio 54 but were yet to appear on Larry Levan’s ‘Paradise Garage’. Having hit Atlanta, Detroit, LA & they even appeared on the legendary TV show Soul Train with Marvin Gaye, promoting their first single ‘Body Talk’. Finally they were invited to The Garage after doing TV appearance’s in NYC. Their electronic production was pioneered by Tony Swain and Steve Jolley on the Imagination’s albums (who incidentally had met as cameramen on The Muppet Show) and were now heralded by Larry Levan & his friend Frankie Knuckles as revolutionary & pioneering.
Imagination are renowned for their outrageous live performances and were the first ever English band to appear at The Paradise Garage. On the forth time they were invited back, Larry Levan asked if he could remix one of their tracks & they all chose ‘Changes’. On first listen to his version, the band & record label decided an entire album project should be created using the same approach, hence ‘Night Dubbing’ and the rest being history. Fast forward, its 30 years later, 2012 and Imagination co-founder, drummer, songwriter & singer Errol Kennedy meets producer & Ism Records label boss DJ Yam Who? in London & have lovingly re-created the album using the same studio techniques, synthesisers, drums and hypnotic grooves for the modern dancefloor. ‘Night Dubbing Vol II’ has taken 2 years to complete and was released in Nov 2014 on Ism Record’s. Featuring all the classic hits, lovingly re-created by Errol Kennedy & Yam Who? with 8 of the tracks having extra magic studio dust added by dance music’s biggest names including Soul Clap, Late Nite Tuff Guy, John Morales, J Kriv, Kon, Sleazy McQueen, Deadly Sins & B.G. Baarregaard. Earlier in 2016, to let the legacy of Imagination live on, Errol Kennedy also released a very special ‘Greatest Hits - Live’ album which he recorded while touring the UK with his own band during their UK tour in 2010-11. The album features all of Imagination’s legendary chart topping hits like ‘So Good So Right’, ‘Changes’, ‘Music And Lights’, ‘In And out Of Love’ and Burning Up and of course Imagination’s signature hit ‘Just An Illusion’.
It also includes bonus tracks such as the special instrumental versions and a fantastic live version of the new single You Can Be (All You Want To Be). HISTORY A significant milestone like this needs celebrating and so does Errol Kennedy, also a producer in addition to being the co-founder and drummer of the band. He will be releasing the brand new and upbeat pop single entitled ‘You Can Be (All You Want To Be)’. The song is super uplifting and encourages people to follow their desires to become what they want to be.