Imagination

Imagination were a three piece British soul and dance band, who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They had chart hits in twenty eight countries, earning four platinum discs, nine gold discs and over a dozen silver discs around the world between 1981 and 1983.

Band members

Singer Leee John was working as a backing vocalist for The Delfonics, Chairmen of the Board, The Velvelettes and The Elgins^[1] when he met Ashley Ingram, a guitarist/bassist (born 27 November 1960, Northampton). John and Ingram formed a songwriting partnership, resolving to start their own 'slinky, sexy and erotic' group, working in a short-lived band called Fizzz. Whilst auditioning for another short-lived band, Midnight Express, they met drummer Errol Kennedy (born 9 June 1953, Montego Bay), who had learned to drum in the Boys' Brigade and Air Training Corps.

Career

Formed in 1981,^[1] the trio took a demo tape of a track called "Body Talk" to producers Jolley & Swain. It was released as a single in April 1981 under the group name Imagination, a name that the group chose as a tribute to John Lennon. The track reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1981, selling 250,000 copies in the UK and spending eighteen weeks in the Top 50. They had two more hit singles that year, "In and Out of Love" (September) and "Flashback" (November), both of which peaked at number 16, all from their debut album, also called Body Talk.

Their biggest hit, "Just an Illusion", peaked at number two in March 1982 ("Just an Illusion" would later be used as the end title song to the 1986 movie, F/X); followed by "Music and Lights" (number five in June), "In the Heat of the Night" (number 22 in September, also the name of their second album) and "Changes" (number 31 in December).^[2] This was accompanied by a sell-out concert tour of Europe, with twenty two dates in the UK. The trio frequently appeared on BBC Television's Top of the Pops, and other pop music TV programmes, with a distinctive exotic style, reminiscent of Roman senators, harem orderlies and slaves. John made a guest appearance on Doctor Who in 1983. They were also known for their esoteric album sleeve notes.

Following this the success of the group in the UK waned, but they continued to perform, tour and record until the early 1990s.^[1] John went back to acting, but re-surfaced as a singer in the reality television show, Reborn in the USA.

Ingram also enjoyed success as a songwriter for Des'ree. Kennedy still lives in London, and is in a band playing covers for weddings and functions, with his son, Spencer. John is currently working on a project documenting British black music.

88-Keys sampled Imagination's song, "All Night Loving", for his hit song, "Stay Up! (Viagra)", from 88-Keys' debut album, The Death of Adam (2008).

Discography

1981 debut album Body Talk

Albums

• Body Talk (1981) UK #20
• In the Heat of the Night (1982) UK #7
• Night Dubbing (1983) UK #9
• Scandalous (1983) (re-titled New Dimension for the U.S. market) UK #25
• Trilogy (1986)
• Closer (1987)
• Imagination - All The Hits (1989) UK #4
• Fascination Of The Physical (1992)

Singles