Definition of Sound
Definition of Sound was a London-based dance-music group, consisting of Kevin Clark and Don Weekes, working with musicians Rex Brough (a.k.a. The Red King) and later Mike Spencer. Their second and fourth singles, "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" (1991) and "Moira Jane's Café" (1992) were top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart. The group also had several songs enter the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, including "Moira Jane's Café", which hit No. 1 in 1992.
Career
Clark and Weekes first recorded together in 1988, using the name Top Billin.[1][2] They released two songs, "Naturally" and "Straight From the Soul", on the Dance Yard record label before signing to Phonogram for the single " My Thing/Surprise".[3] In 1990, the band signed to Circa in the UK and Cardiac in the US. Having changed their name to Definition of Sound, the duo recorded Love and Life: A Journey With the Chameleons (1991). The album featured four singles: "Now Is Tomorrow", "Wear Your Love Like Heaven", "Moira Jane's Cafe", and "Dream Girl".[3] Vocal duties on "Now Is Tomorrow" and some album tracks were handled by singer, Elaine Vassel. The video for "Moira Jane's Cafe" was directed by Mark Romanek.
Although they had no Billboard Hot 100 entries, the song "Now Is Tomorrow" (a No. 10 dance hit) climbed to No. 68 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart in 1991, whilst "Moira Jane's Cafe" became the first UK Rap record to become number 1 on the Billboard Dance Charts, earning the band accolades from their American peers. The album was well received by critics in the UK and America.[3]
The band recorded two more albums, The Lick (1992) and Experience (1996), Which Included Pass The Vibes, Which Reached No.49 on Triple J Hottest 100 of 1996, for different record labels and with different producers.[3] In 1997 they released three promotional singles through MCA/Universal, in advance of a planned fourth album. Before the album was released, the band decided to stop recording.
Clark and Weekes' are featured as Definition of Sound on the Freestylers' single "Here We Go" (1998).[4]
Initially, the final members Clark, Weekes, and Spencer continued as a songwriting remix and production team.
Clark went on to work in A&R and music publishing. He was also a recurring cast member on The Mayor of Kentish Town comedy radio show on Soho Radio, with Steve Furst (Little Britain/Lenny Beige) and Dominic Coleman (Miranda/Trollied).
Spencer has continued producing and recording musicians, as well as music publishing.
Weekes released a solo album before leaving the music industry.
Discography
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK [5] |
AUS [6] | ||
| Love and Life: A Journey With the Chameleons |
|
38 | 97 |
| The Lick |
|
– | – |
| Experience |
|
97 | – |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [5] |
AUS [6] |
NED [7] |
NZ [8] |
SWE [9] |
SWI [10] |
US Dance [11] | |||
| 1990 | "Now Is Tomorrow" | 94 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Love And Life: A Journey With The Chameleons |
| 1991 | "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" | 17 | 77 | 38 | – | 34 | 28 | 28 | |
| "Now Is Tomorrow" (reissue) | 46 | 85 | 77 | – | – | – | 10 | ||
| "Dream Girl" | – | 178 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Moira Jane's Café" | 34 | 153 | 50 | – | – | – | 1 | |
| "What Are You Under" | 68 | 116 | – | 41 | – | – | 4 | The Lick | |
| "Can I Get Over" | 61 | 106 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "Boom Boom" | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Experience |
| "Pass the Vibes" | 23 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996 | "Child" | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1997 | "Eccentric" | – | — | — | — | — | — | — | singles only |
| 1997 | "Outsider" (promo) | – | – | – | – | – | – | — | |
| 1998 | "Lipstick on My Collar" (promo) | – | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | |||||||||
Music videos
- "Now Is Tomorrow" Directed by Mike Owen.
- "Moira Jane's Café" Directed by Mark Romanek
- "Child" Directed by Dani Jacobs
See also
References
- "Definition of Sound - Biography | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- "Top Billin". Discogs. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- "Biography by Ed Hogan". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
- "Freestylers Featuring Definition Of Sound - Here We Go". Discogs. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- "Official Charts > Definition of Sound". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
- Top 50 peaks: "australian-charts.com > Definition of Sound in Australian Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- Top 100 peaks: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- "Dream Girl": "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 28 April 2017". Imgur.com. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- "Moira Jane's Café": "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 6 April 1992". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- "What Are You Under" and "Can I Get Over": "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 5 June 2015". Imgur.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- "dutchcharts.nl > Definition of Sound in Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- "charts.nz > Definition of Sound in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- "swedishcharts.com > Definition of Sound in Swedish Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- "hitparade.ch > Definition of Sound in der Scweizer Hitparade" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
- "Billboard > Artists / Definition of Sound > Chart History > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
