- Black (singer)
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Black 
Colin Vearncombe in Birkenhead on 22 March 2007
Photo: Andrew D. HurleyBackground information Origin Liverpool, United Kingdom Genres Pop rock, New Wave Years active 1981–present Labels WEA Records
A&M Records Ugly ManBlack is the pseudonym for British singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe (born 26 May 1962, Liverpool, England). He enjoyed success in the late 1980s, notably so with the song "Wonderful Life".
Contents
Career
Black
Black's first release was "Human Features" on Rox Records in 1981. This was followed by another independent release in 1982 "More than the Sun", after which he was signed by WEA Records.
In 1982, Black played with the Thompson Twins on their "Quick Step and Side Kick" tour. The live sound of synth/percussion/guitar and the use of reel-to-reel tapes got him noticed.
The first release for WEA was "Hey Presto" (1984), which got him noticed outside the UK: the video for this song featured on the satellite music channel Music Box, and the single was released in Australia. The second WEA single was a re-recording of "More than the Sun". After this, Black was dropped from the record label.
1985 was a gloomy year for Vearncombe, causing him to write the ironically entitled minor key song "Wonderful Life". Released independently through Ugly Man Records at first, this track got Black noticed by A&M Records who signed Vearncombe and launched his international career. At first, the single "Everything's Coming Up Roses" flopped, but the follow-up, "Sweetest Smile" became a UK top 10 hit. The third single, a re-release of "Wonderful Life", was a massive hit worldwide. The album of the same name, released in 1987, had similar success, reaping commercial and critical acclaim.
Black then went on to sell over two million records worldwide with Comedy (1988) and Black (1991). In the meantime, Vearncombe married Swedish singer Camilla Griehsel, formerly from the band One 2 Many. Disillusioned with having to deal with a big record company, Vearncombe founded the independent label Nero Schwarz (which is the word "black" in Italian and in German, respectively), and released one album Are We Having Fun Yet? (1993).
After a prolonged hiatus, Vearncombe returned in 1999 to release a string of recordings under his own name.
Vearncombe returned to the name "Black" to release a new recording entitled Between Two Churches in November 2005. On this album he included a song mocking the success of his hit "Wonderful life", where he poignantly re-asked the question, "Are you having a wonderful life?".
2009 saw two album releases. The Given was issued on 4 July, initially available as a free download under Vearncombe's name; and Water On Stone on 17 November, the first Black studio album in four years.
In 2011, Nero Schwarz asked members of the mailing list to vote on their choices for a new compilation album. The album 'Any Colour You Like' was released via http://www.colinvearncombe.com in September 2011.
The cost for the 16 track album is £7.50. However during the launch phase you can, using the code mrg4song, download it for the price of a song (75p). Got to the site (http://neroschwarz.bandcamp.com/) Click BUY NOW on the store page, select Have a Discount Code?, enter the code mrg4song into the box, hit apply and the system will re-calculate the price.
Discography
Albums
Year Album Name Credited as Label UK Albums Chart[1] WW sales mil. 1987 Wonderful Life Black A&M Records #3 1.5 1988 Comedy Black A&M Records #32 0.5 1991 Black Black A&M Records #42 0.2 1993 Are We Having Fun Yet? Black Nero Schwarz Records & Various 1999 The Accused Colin Vearncombe Nero Schwarz Records & East Central One 1999 Abbey Road Live Colin Vearncombe Nero Schwarz Records 2000 Water On Snow Colin Vearncombe Nero Schwarz Records 2001 Live At The Bassline Colin Vearncombe Nero Schwarz Records 2002 Smoke Up Close Colin Vearncombe Nero Schwarz Records 2005 Between Two Churches Black Nero Schwarz Records 2009 The Given Colin Vearncombe Nero Schwarz Records 2009 Water On Stone Black Nero Schwarz Records Compilation albums
Year Album Name Label UK Top WW sales mil. 1996 Master Series A. & M. Records 2000 Millennium Edition A. & M. Records 2000 The Collection[2] Spectrum Music 2007 Black: C.V. Nero Schwarz Records 2011 Any Colour You Like Nero Schwarz Records Singles
Year Single Name Label UK Singles Chart[1] WW sales mil. 1981 "Human Features" Rox Records 1982 "More Than The Sun" Wonderful World Of Records 1984 "Hey Presto" WEA 1984 "More Than The Sun" WEA 1985 "Wonderful Life" Ugly Man Records #72 1986 "Everything's Coming Up Roses" A&M Records 1987 "Sweetest Smile" A&M Records #8 1987 "Wonderful Life" (re-recording) A&M Records #8 1987 "I'm Not Afraid" A&M Records 1988 "Paradise" A&M Records #38 1988 "The Big One" A&M Records #54 1988 "You're A Big Girl Now" A&M Records 1988 "Live At The Tokyo Powerstation (EP)" A&M Records 1989 "Now You're Gone" A&M Records #66 1991 "Feel Like Change" A&M Records #56 1991 "Here It Comes Again" A&M Records #70 1991 "Fly Up To The Moon" (duet with Sam Brown) A&M Records 1993 "Don't Take The Silence Too Hard" Nero Schwarz 1993 "Wishing You Were Here" Nero Schwarz 1993 "Just Like Love" Nero Schwarz 1994 "Wonderful Life" (re-issue) PolyGram #42 2005 "Two Churches (EP)" Nero Schwarz References
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 59. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Cduniverse.com
External links
Categories:- Singer-songwriters
- English New Wave musicians
- English pop singers
- Pseudonymous musicians
- Musicians from Liverpool
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