灵魂灵魂合唱团

Soul II Soul are a British musical collective formed in London in 1988. They are best known for their two major hits: 1989's UK number five and US number eleven "Keep On Movin'", and its follow-up, the UK number one and US number four "Back to Life". They have won two Grammy Awards, and have been nominated for five Brit Awards, twice for Best British Group.

Career

The group initially attracted attention as a sound system some years prior to 1988, run by founder Jazzie B, playing at nights including their own at the Africa Centre, London. Though the venue's capacity was limited to approximately 300 people, weekly attendance often exceeded that number, with crowds gathering outside. According to Jazzie B, speaking in an interview featured in What Do You Call It? From Grassroots to the Golden Era of UK Rap (2024), the growing popularity of the nights drew increasing attention: “All the controversy that went with it only made it more popular.”

By 1988, the official lineup was Jazzie B, Caron Wheeler, Nellie Hooper, Simon Law, Doreen Waddell, Rose Windross, Daddae, Aitch B, and Jazzie Q. They released their first single, "Fairplay", with Rose Windross on lead vocals, recorded at the Africa Centre. where the collective hosted a regular Sunday-night residency. The song charted at number 63 on the UK Singles Chart, while their follow-up single "Feel Free", which featured Doreen on lead vocals, charted at number 64.

The weekly club night, having grown ever more popular, moved to the much larger The Fridge Nightclub in Brixton, South London, where it would remain well into the 1990s. The collective used the venue to test their musical composites on the dance floor. Together with an eclectic mix of “Funki Dredd" – "A happy face, a thumpin' bass, for a lovin' race!" – themed club classics that combined British, Caribbean, African, and African American influences. One night in 1988, the residency hosted a personal appearance by the nascent rap group N.W.A. who were briefly in the UK promoting their album Straight Outta Compton.

A plaque now commemorates the collective's significant influence on the original venue, which closed in 2010 but which was subsequently renamed and reopened as the Electric Brixton.

During the late 1980s, Jazzie B and several other members of the group became involved in the local pirate radio station movement. Jazzie B hosted a show on KISS-FM.

In March 1989, their label released the group's single "Keep on Movin'", featuring Caron Wheeler on lead vocals. The song became a success and also sold over one million copies in the US. The following month, the group's first album Club Classics Vol. One was released. The album peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and sold over four million copies worldwide. The group's next single, "Back to Life", became their biggest hit, hitting the top five on the US Hot 100 and number one on the UK Singles chart. The single went on to win the group their first Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1990. The group would continue to see some UK success but "Back to Life" would be the second and last US hit for the group.

In late 1989, Waddell and Windross departed from the group. Marcia Lewis, a cousin of Jazzie B, joined the group. The single "Get a Life", which featured Lewis on lead vocals, charted at number three on the UK Singles chart. The song also sold over 60 thousand copies in the United Kingdom. Lewis' debut performance came on Top of the Pops when she performed alongside Caron Wheeler and Jazzie B.

1990: Volume II A New Decade and lineup changes

In early 1990, Wheeler officially left the group to pursue her solo career. To fill out the group's dynamic, Jazzie B turned to a few singers he had performed with in the past. This led to the brief addition of Kym Mazelle, Lamya, and Victoria Wilson-James to the new lineup. With a new official lineup, the group released their second album, Vol. II: 1990 – A New Decade, which peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

The album's second single "A Dreams a Dream", which features Victoria Wilson James on lead vocals, performed well on the chart. The album's third single "People", featuring Lewis on lead vocals, garnered moderate success on the charts but managed to achieve success on the Dance charts. The album's final single "Missing You", featuring Kym Mazelle on lead vocals, also performed well on the charts. In the mid-1990s, the group toured throughout the United Kingdom. One of their concerts at Brixton Academy was recorded live and released in September 1990, titled A New Decade: Live from Brixton Academy. After the conclusion of the tour, Wilson-James, Mazelle, Lewis left the group to pursue solo careers.

1991–1993: Volume III Just Right and another lineup change

In 1991, Soul II Soul was in need of lead vocalists for the recording of their third album. During recording sessions, Jazzie B recruited guest singers Richie Stephens, Kofi, Penny Ford, Rick Clarke, along with the re-addition of Caron Wheeler to record on the album.