Eruption (band)
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| Eruption | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Jamaica, Ghana, Curaçao, Guyana |
| Genres | Pop, disco, dance-pop, R&B |
| Years active | 1974–1985 |
| Labels | Hansa, Jupiter |
Eruption were a popular disco, R&B and soul band in the 1970s and 1980s. They are best known for their covers of Ann Peebles's "I Can't Stand the Rain" and Neil Sedaka's "One Way Ticket", which were big disco hits in 1978 and 1979, respectively.
Contents
History
The band was formed in 1974 in the United Kingdom as Silent Eruption, and consisted of musicians of African and Caribbean origins.[1] In 1975, they won the Soul Search contest and their first single "Let Me Take You Back in Time" was released.[2] Finding their success quickly drying out, lead singer Lindel Leslie (sometimes referred to as Leslie Johnson) left the group, and the backing singer Precious Wilson stepped forward to front the band. They went on the road in Germany where Frank Farian, the producer of Boney M., took notice of them. Farian signed the group with the Germany-based Hansa Records and the band supported Boney M. on tour.
After a minor hit single with "Party, Party", their cover of "I Can't Stand the Rain" was a hit, reaching #5 in the UK Singles Chart and #18 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Both songs were included in their first, eponymous album, released in December 1977. It was followed by their second album titled Leave a Light, launched towards the end of 1978. The first single off the album, "Leave a Light", was not a big seller, but the second single, "One Way Ticket" (a cover of Neil Sedaka's song written by Jack Keller and Hank Hunter), restored them at the top of the charts (a UK #9 hit).
In 1979, Eruption and Boney M. were both featured in the 1979 German film Disco Fever. Precious Wilson left the group in the same year to pursue a solo career and was replaced by singer Kim Davis. The group enjoyed their third German top 10 hit with "Go Johnnie Go" from the third album Fight Fight Fight, although this time, UK success eluded them. Shortly after, a tragedy hit when Davis succumbed to a brain hemorrhage, although some sources claim she died in a car accident.[3] The band decided to continue and singer Jane Jochen stepped in. A new recording, a cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway" was released in December 1980, and peaked at #21 in the German charts. After a compilation album in the spring of 1981 and the single release of "You (You Are My Soul)" from Fight Fight Fight, the band signed to Ralph Siegel's Jupiter Records.
By now, without the lead vocals of Precious Wilson, success was drastically diminishing, and the singles from their fourth album Our Way received little notice. In 1983, the drummer Eric Kingsley left Eruption, and Andi Weekes Barbados joined the group to play drums during last two years of the band's activity. In 1985, Eruption disbanded. In 1988, a new version of "I Can't Stand the Rain" was released. In 1994, Farian released the CD Gold – 20 Super Hits which featured seven remixed Eruption titles and solo tracks by Wilson. The new version of "One Way Ticket" was released as a single in the same year to promote the compilation. In 1997, Wilson became the legal owner of the trademark Eruption. She continues to tour promoting her solo projects, and also as Eruption with her new group, but none of the band's original members perform in the latest line-ups.
Band members
- Greg Perrineau (guitar)
- Morgan Perrineau (bass)
- Gerry Williams (keyboards)
- Eric Kingsley (drums)
- Lindel Leslie (Leslie Johnson) (lead singer 1974–75)
- Precious Wilson (lead singer 1975–79)
- Kim Davis (lead singer 1980)
- Jane Jochen (lead singer 1980–85)
- Andi Weekes Barbados (drums 1980–85)
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOR [4] |
SWE [5] |
USA [6] |
||
| 1977 | Eruption | — | 25 | 133 |
| 1979 | Leave a Light | 19 | — | — |
| 1980 | Fight Fight Fight | — | — | — |
| 1983 | Our Way | — | — | — |
Compilations
- 1981: The Best of Eruption
- 1994: Gold – 20 Super Hits
- 1995: I Can't Stand the Rain
- 2007: Greatest Hits (Precious Wilson + Eruption)
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [7] |
AUT [8] |
BEL [9] |
GER [10] |
IRE [11] |
NLD [12] |
NOR [4] |
SWE [5] |
SWI [13] |
USA [6] |
|||
| 1975 | "Let Me Take You Back in Time" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A |
| 1977 | "Party, Party" | — | — | 19 | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | Eruption |
| "I Can't Stand the Rain" | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 18 | ||
| 1978 | "Computer Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Love Is a Feelin'" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| "Leave a Light" | — | — | — | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Leave a Light | |
| 1979 | "One Way Ticket" | 9 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 5 | — | 8 | 1 | — | |
| 1980 | "Go Johnnie Go" | — | 12 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | Fight Fight Fight |
| "Runaway" | — | — | — | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Best of Eruption | |
| 1981 | "You (You Are My Soul)" | — | — | — | 65 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "In a 1000 Years" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Our Way | |
| 1982 | "Up and Away" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A |
| "Joy to the World" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Our Way | |
| 1983 | "I Can't Help Myself" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Sophisticated Lady" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/A | |
| 1985 | "Where Do I Begin" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1988 | "I Can't Stand the Rain 88" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1994 | "One Way Ticket (Remix '94)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Gold – 20 Super Hits |
References
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