Secret Life (band)

Secret Life
Origin United Kingdom
Genres R&B, house, pop
Years active 1991–1996
Labels Cowboy
Pulse-8
Past members Andy Throup
Paul Bryant
Jim Di Salvo
Charlton Antenbring

Secret Life was a British R&B/house and pop band active from 1991 to 1996, particularly popular in the UK and Europe.

History

The first release by Secret Life was a white label recording called "Spanish Lullaby", written and produced by Andy Throup and Jim Di Salvo. This was their first release from their "No Fixed Abode" recording studio, set up in South London.[1] The band then increased in size with the addition of Charlton Antenbring and Paul Bryant. Antenbring was a fashion student, disc jockey and reporter for The Big Issue.[2] Jim Di Salvo contributed on guitars, cubase programming, sampling and music production. Throup was a classically trained pianist and contributed to cubase programming and music production. Bryant was the vocalist. Bryant and Throup co-wrote most of Secret Life's material.

Contemporaneous to the development of Secret Life, Throup was also working with others involved with techno and house music, such as noted techno and house DJ Lenny Dee.[3]

The band toured extensively, particularly in the United Kingdom, and performed on three popular UK TV music shows: The Beat, Dance Energy and The Hitman and Her. They also released several music videos. Di Salvo left the band in 1993 to set up "Bass Boom" recording studios. Di Salvo then released numerous singles and albums under his own name,[4] and the alias act names of "The Juggler", "Bong Brothers"[5] and "Salvo Jets",[6] during the 1990s.

One of Secret Life's first singles "As Always", a 1992 dance arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "As", was one of the most successful records issued by their then label, Cowboy Records, associated with their manager, Charlie Chester.[7] After house producers Masters At Work remixed Secret Life's "Borrowed Time" (1994), Chester moved the band to Pulse-8 Records, with a view to enhanced pop appeal. He was able to obtain an eight album deal from the label. The group was now a core duo of Bryant and Throup.[8] A pop-oriented single, "Love So Strong", previously issued by Cowboy Records in 1993, was remixed and released by Pulse-8 in 1994. Three other singles were released in 1994, followed by an album, Sole Purpose, in 1995. According to one reviewer, "Production from Brothers in Rhythm, Chris Porter and Pete Gleadall give Sole Purpose an R&B and house feel, and the album is topped off with...thoughtful lyrics and smooth vocals."[9]

From 1992 to 1996, the group released eight singles and one album.[10] Five of the singles reached Number 1 on the Coolcuts and Mixmag dance charts in the United Kingdom. Two of the singles were also Top 40 hit record on the UK Singles Chart.[11]

Pulse-8 Records subsequently went bankrupt, ending prospects of further releases through that label. Throup, now known as Andrew Grainger, moved to New York in 2000, and became a lounge pianist and recording studio owner. In 2007, Grainger relocated to Austin, Texas, to continue lounge work.[12] After spending some time in the late 1990s contributing vocals to the work of others,[13] Bryant left the music industry.

Discography

Singles

Albums

Compilation inclusions

References

  1. ↑ Bush, John. Biography of Secret Life at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
  2. ↑ As of 2004, Antenbring was head chef at The Metropolitan in London's Westbourne Park; see "Just Opened"; www.caterersearch.com.
  3. ↑ Such as "Ethno Tek" (High Density Recordings, re-release 2000), "Drum Computer" (High Density Recordings, re-release 2000) and "So High" (House Without A Home, re-release 2004). Information from www.trackitdown.net; accessed 08-12-05. See also Koenig Cylinders, NinetyNine.Nine - The Remixes (Industrial Strength, 1992; reissued Exacta.udio 2002; includes Lenny Dee and Andy Throup Retro Tek Remix.) Information from www.discogs.com; accessed 08-12-10.
  4. ↑ Jason Carter and Jim Di Salvo (1995); www.rolldabeats.com.
  5. ↑ "Bong-a-Long" (1998); www.rolldabeats.com.
  6. ↑ Farley, Keith. Review of Club Meets Dub V3.0 at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-27.The review refers to the album, which includes the Salvo Jets track "Toker Smoker", as a "dubby groove compilation".
  7. ↑ It had previously been issued in a house version by Chicago-based Ricky Dillard, of the Nightwriters. Music of the Nightwriters, particularly that which was released in the late 1980s, is considered to be very important to the development of house music. For example, the Nightwriters' record, "Let The Music Use You", sung by Dillard, is considered to be "the record that defined deep house". See Phil Cheeseman, The History of House Music; www.trugroovez.com.
  8. ↑ New Music Express, Biography of Secret Life; www.nme.com.
  9. ↑ Bush, John. Review of Sole Purpose at AllMusic
  10. ↑ A second album was apparently recorded, but not released, due to the bankruptcy of Pulse-8 Records. Two singles from that project, "Love Love Love" and "Vehicle", were released in 1996, prior to Pulse-8's bankruptcy. Another song from this project, "Self Delusion", was included in a later compilation, F.E.A. Version.Dosmilcuatro; www.musicbrainz.org. F.E.A. is a Spanish electro/pop/alternative production house; see MySpace profile.
  11. ↑ Biography of Secret Life; www.andrewgraingermusic.com; includes band images and music samples.
  12. ↑ See www.austinpianist.com.
  13. ↑ For example, Phillip Boa, Lord Garbage (Motor Music, 1998).
  14. ↑ Information primarily from www.discogs.com. Accessed 08-12-06.
  15. ↑ Also released in 1996 as a series of Frankie Knuckles remixes. Information from www.musicstack.com; accessed 08-12-11.
  16. ↑ Also released in 1996 in 3 mixes: Mother's Vor Sprung Durch Tech Mix, Cadilac Mix (sic), Forthright Goes to Hollywood Mix. Information from www.musicstack.com; accessed 08-12-11.
  17. ↑ Compilation information primarily from www.musicbrainz.org and www.discogs.com.
  18. ↑ Same song included in Volume 1 and Volume 2 releases.
  19. ↑ Being Frankie Knuckles' portion of United DJs of The World Volume 1.
  20. ↑ A Czech label.
  21. ↑ Label of Sinnamon Promotions, a Spanish concert promoter; see www.sinnamon.es.
  22. ↑ Release year and label particulars from www.cduniverse.com. Accessed 08-12-07.
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