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The Foundations were a British soul band, active from 1967 to 1970.
Biography
The group, made up of both West Indians and Caucasians, is best known for their two biggest hits, "Baby, Now That I've Found You" (a No. 1 hit in the UK singles chart, and subsequently Top 10 in the US); and "Build Me Up Buttercup" (a chart topper in the Billboard Hot 100), co-written by Michael d'Abo, vocalist with Manfred Mann.
They are also notable for being one of the few acts not on the Tamla Motown label, to use successfully what became known as the Motown Sound. In terms of line-up and musical style, they anticipated the sound of the more successful Hot Chocolate.
Original vocalist Clem Curtis left in 1968 and moved to the U.S. for a solo career on the club circuit, encouraged by the likes of Wilson Pickett and Sam and Dave, playing Las Vegas with the Righteous Brothers. He was replaced by Colin Young.
The group's final hit was the less pop-oriented, more sophisticated "Born To Live and Born To Die". They split in 1970, when the rhythm section broke away to form the progressive group Pluto. When Curtis returned to the UK he formed a new version of the group with little success on record, but a lucrative spell on the 1960s nostalgia circuit.
"Build Me Up Buttercup" became a hit again in 1998 when it was featured in the ending credits of the comedy flick, There's Something About Mary.
Personnel
- Clem Curtis: vocals - born on 28 November, 1940, in Trinidad.
- Colin Young: vocals - born 1944 in Barbados, replaced Clem Curtis 1968.
- Alan Warner: guitar - born on 21 April, 1947, in London.
- Peter Macbeth: bass guitar - born on 2 February, 1943, in London.
- Tim Harris: drums - born on 14 January, 1948, in London.
- Tony Gomez: keyboard - born on 13 December, 1938, in Colombo, Ceylon - (now Sri Lanka).
- Pat Burke: saxophone/flute - born on 9 October, 1937, in Kingston, Jamaica.
- Mike Elliott: tenor saxophone - born 6 August, 1929 in Jamaica.
- Eric Allandale: trombone - born Eric Allandale Dubuisson, on 4 March, 1936, in Dominica, West Indies. Died on 23 August, 2001.
UK Singles Discography
- "Baby Now That I've Found You" - 1967 - UK Chart High - Number 1.
- "Back On My Feet Again" - 1968 - Number 18.
- "Any Old Time (You're Lonely And Sad)" -1968 - Number 48.
- "Build Me Up Buttercup" - 1968 - Number 2.
- "In The Bad Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)" - 1969 - Number 8.
- "Born To Live, Born To Die" - 1969 - Number 46.
- "Build Me Up Buttercup" - re-issue -1998 - Number 71.
References
- British Hit Singles 16th Edition - ISBN 085112-190-X
- The Guinness Book Of 500 Number One Hits - ISBN 0-85112-250-7
- The Book Of Golden Discs - ISBN 0-214-20512-6
Peel Sessions artists | British musical groups | Soul musical groups | 1960s music groups
"The Foundations"