Love Affair (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Love Affair


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born =
Died =
Origin = London, England
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Pop music
Soul
British Invasion
Occupation =
Years_active = 1966 – 1969
Label = Decca, CBS Records
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.theloveaffair.co.uk/ theloveaffair.co.uk]
Current_members = Steve Ellis Greg Jackson Lynton Guest Rex Brayley Mick Jackson Morgan Fisher
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Love Affair were a London based pop, soul, R&B group formed in 1966. They had several UK Singles Chart Top 10 hits, including the number one hit "Everlasting Love".

Personnel

The band primarily featured the following —
* Steve Ellis (born Stephen John Ellis, 7 April 1950, Edgware, London) — (vocals)
* Rex Brayley (born Rex Charles Brayley, 3 January 1948, London) — (guitar)
* Lynton Guest (born 28 November 1951, Leicester) — (keyboards 1967 to 1968)
* Morgan Fisher (born Stephen Morgan Fisher, 1 January 1950, Mayfair, London) — (keyboardist from 1968 to 1971)
* Maurice Bacon (born 26 January 1952, Southgate, London) — (drummer)
* Mick Jackson (born Michael Jackson, 27 January 1950, Bradford, Yorkshire) — (bass)

History

Their first single, "She Smiled Sweetly", written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, released on Decca Records flopped, but they reached the top of the UK Singles Chart in January 1968 with "Everlasting Love". By this time the group had relocated to CBS Records. The song was first recorded by Robert Knight, whose version had reached No. 13 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the autumn of 1967, and it was previously offered to the Marmalade, who turned it down as they thought it too pop-oriented for them.

Ellis had a similar vocal style to Steve Marriott of the Small Faces, and the production was similar to a Motown soul record. Controversy ensued when the group admitted they had not played on the record, but that all the work was done by session musicians, although such a practice had long since been common - and has continued ever since. Ironically their first recording of the song, produced by Muff Winwood, had featured them playing all the instruments. But the record label rejected this version, in favour of one produced by Mike Smith, recorded with a recording studio rhythm section, strings, brass, flutes and backing vocalists, arranged by Keith Mansfield - and Ellis the only member of the group to be heard.

Four further Top 20 hits followed, "Rainbow Valley", "A Day Without Love" (both 1968), "One Road" and "Bringing On Back The Good Times" (both 1969). Love Affair sold more singles in 1968 in the UK than any other band, except for The Beatles. At the end of that year they released an album, "Everlasting Love Affair".

The group became frustrated at being treated like teen idols, unable to hear themselves on stage because of the constant screaming, and at being pigeonholed as a "pop group". All the A-sides featured heavy orchestral and brass arrangements behind Ellis's vocals, with minimal participation from the others, although they wrote and played on the heavier B-sides themselves.

As Ellis wrote in the booklet notes to a later compilation CD, "Singles A's and B's", "In an attempt to break the mould we recorded a song far removed from the anthemic-like previous hits. The song was called "Baby I Know". Released at the end of 1969, competing with releases from other big names for a place in the charts over Christmas, it failed completely. Ellis felt the band had run its course, and he left in December 1969 for a solo career: "It felt like a mountain had been lifted from my shoulders". The rest of the band soldiered on without any further success, continuing briefly as LA with new vocalist, August Eadon (aka Gus Yeadon). Further releases likewise never charted.

The group has since been revived, though sometimes without any original members, for cabaret dates; and Ellis has also performed live with a reconstituted Steve Ellis's Love Affair.

Discography

ingles

* Decca F12558 (1967) "She Smiled Sweetly" b/w "Satisfaction Guaranteed"
* CBS 3125 (1967) "Everlasting Love" b/w "Gone Are The Songs Of Yesterday" - Number 1
* CBS 3366 (1968) "Rainbow Valley" b/w " Someone Like Me" - Number 5
* CBS 3674 (1968) "A Day Without Love" b/w " I'm Happy" - Number 6
* CBS 33994 (1969) "One Road" b/w "Let Me Know" - Number 16
* CBS 4300 (1969) "Bringing On Back The Good Times" b/w "Another Day" - Number 9
* CBS 4631 (1969) "Baby I Know" b/w "Accept Me For What I Am"

Albums

* CBS 63416 (1968) "Everlasting Love Affair"
* CBS 64109 (1971) "New Day" - credited to LA

Compilation CDs

* Columbia 504419 2 (2001) "The Best of the Good Times" - includes three new previously unreleased tracks by Ellis
* ACA 8031 (2002) "Singles A's and B's" - includes six tracks recorded by Ellis as solo artist, (1970-71)

Miscellanea

Love Affair's first hit song, "Everlasting Love", was used in the film, . However, the CD of the soundtrack contains Jamie Cullum's cover version, instead of the Love Affair version actually used in the film. Jamie Cullum's version is played over the end credits. Steve Ellis was the only member of the group to play a part in the hit song "Everlasting Love".

Notes

* Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
* The Guinness Book Of 500 Number One Hits - ISBN 0-85112-250-7

External links

* [http://home.no.net/mott/loveindex.html Love Affair fan website]
* [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirl/lovea.htm Love Affair 'Oldies' website]
* [http://www.steveellis.co.uk Steve Ellis website]