Colourbox

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Colourbox
Origin London, England
Genre(s) electronica, soul, reggae
Years active 1982 - 1987
Label(s) 4AD
Associated acts M/A/R/R/S
Former members
Steven Young
Martyn Young
Ian Robbins
Lorita Grahame

Colourbox were an English electronic outfit on the 4AD Records record label in the 1980s. They attempted an electronically-tinged reggae and soul-influenced pop music, constrained by the technology they had access to at the time. They released a number of records from 1982 until 1987. The band was formed by brothers Martyn and Steve Young, with guest singers until Lorita Grahame joined as a permanent member in 1983.

The band finally had an international hit in 1987 with "Pump Up The Volume" (see 1987 in music), a collaboration with A R Kane under the name M/A/R/R/S. The song was notable for being constructed almost entirely from samples of other records, a novelty for a popular record at that time. The pressures of sudden success and the long running litigation caused by the use of samples ended up causing the band never to record again[1].

[edit] UK Discography (all on the 4AD label)

Chart placings shown are from the UK Indie Chart.[2]

[edit] Singles

  • "Breakdown/Tarantula" (7" AD215, 12" BAD215) - 1982 - featuring Debian Curry
  • "Breakdown/Tarantula" (7" AD304, 12" BAD304) - 1st May 1983
  • "Say You/Fast Dump" (7" AD403, 12" BAD403) - 1st March 1984 (#7)
  • "Punch/Keep On Pushing" (7" AD406, 12" BAD406) - 1984 (#15)
  • "The Moon Is Blue/You Keep Me Hanging On" (7" AD 507, 12" BAD507) - 15th July 1985 (#3)
  • "The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme/Philip Glass" (7" AD605, 12" BAD605) - 1st April 1986 (#6)
  • "Baby I Love You So/Looks Like We’re Shy One Horse/Shoot Out" (7" AD 604, 12" BAD604) - 14th April 1986 (#4)

[edit] Albums

[edit] References

  1. ^ 4AD: Colourbox profile
  2. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4. 

[edit] External links