Hot Chocolate has gone cold.
May 10, 2015 2:32 AM Subscribe
Errol Brown, lead singer for the popular British band of the '70s and '80s Hot Chocolate (previously), has died of liver cancer at the age of 71. Brown's soulful voice gave the band a string of hit singles that ran from 1970 to 1984, one of which, "You Sexy Thing", was remixed and re-released twice, making the UK top 10 in the '70s, '80s and '90s.
Although generally considered a "disco" act, Errol Brown and Hot Chocolate had an interestingly varied musical portfolio.
Their first break was when they recorded a reggae version of "Give Peace a Chance", submitted it to John Lennon to get his approval and he liked it so much it was released on Apple Records (under the name Hot Chocolate Band).
Soon after the breakup of the Beatles and a shakeup at Apple, they were adopted by 'starmaker' Mickie Most and got their first UK hits, the rather conventional sounding "Love Is Life" and "I Believe (in Love)".
Like other British bands in the '70s, Hot Chocolate's music was first introduced to the U.S. audience by a hit cover version by an American band, in this case "Brother Louie", a song about a doomed interracial relationship covered by Stories.
In 1974, Hot Chocolate went truly international with a heartbreaking ballad about suicide, "Emma", that went Top 10 in the UK, US, Ireland, Australia and the Netherlands.
Then the hook-filled "You Sexy Thing" became the band's biggest worldwide success (three times, as noted above), followed by the two 'win songs', "So You Win Again" and "Every 1's a Winner".
Going into the '80s, Hot Chocolate had more UK hits, including one about UFO sightings, "No Doubt About It", the bouncy and bubbly "Girl Crazy", the sweetly nostalgic "It Started With a Kiss", and a return to more conventional Brit-Soul-Pop, "I Gave You My Heart (Didn't I)", none of which crossed over the ocean to the US. After the group officially broke up in 1986, Brown recorded a few UK-only hits and Hot Chocolate re-formed in the '90s, mostly performing the old hits with a new singer, not Brown.
Although generally considered a "disco" act, Errol Brown and Hot Chocolate had an interestingly varied musical portfolio.
Their first break was when they recorded a reggae version of "Give Peace a Chance", submitted it to John Lennon to get his approval and he liked it so much it was released on Apple Records (under the name Hot Chocolate Band).
Soon after the breakup of the Beatles and a shakeup at Apple, they were adopted by 'starmaker' Mickie Most and got their first UK hits, the rather conventional sounding "Love Is Life" and "I Believe (in Love)".
Like other British bands in the '70s, Hot Chocolate's music was first introduced to the U.S. audience by a hit cover version by an American band, in this case "Brother Louie", a song about a doomed interracial relationship covered by Stories.
In 1974, Hot Chocolate went truly international with a heartbreaking ballad about suicide, "Emma", that went Top 10 in the UK, US, Ireland, Australia and the Netherlands.
Then the hook-filled "You Sexy Thing" became the band's biggest worldwide success (three times, as noted above), followed by the two 'win songs', "So You Win Again" and "Every 1's a Winner".
Going into the '80s, Hot Chocolate had more UK hits, including one about UFO sightings, "No Doubt About It", the bouncy and bubbly "Girl Crazy", the sweetly nostalgic "It Started With a Kiss", and a return to more conventional Brit-Soul-Pop, "I Gave You My Heart (Didn't I)", none of which crossed over the ocean to the US. After the group officially broke up in 1986, Brown recorded a few UK-only hits and Hot Chocolate re-formed in the '90s, mostly performing the old hits with a new singer, not Brown.
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posted by raisindebt at 3:29 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by raisindebt at 3:29 AM on May 10, 2015
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posted by joost de vries at 3:40 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by joost de vries at 3:40 AM on May 10, 2015
Tx for making this memorial post foop.
When I was 10 yr old I rocked out on Every 1's a Winner. Back then it was for me so funky I couldn't stand still; it just swept me along.
And as a singer the song is still in my repertoire. There's something in the way he modulates his voice that makes that song and others interesting to listen to and interesting to sing.
So thank you Erroll with providing me with almost 40 yrs of fun singing your songs.
posted by joost de vries at 5:16 AM on May 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
When I was 10 yr old I rocked out on Every 1's a Winner. Back then it was for me so funky I couldn't stand still; it just swept me along.
And as a singer the song is still in my repertoire. There's something in the way he modulates his voice that makes that song and others interesting to listen to and interesting to sing.
So thank you Erroll with providing me with almost 40 yrs of fun singing your songs.
posted by joost de vries at 5:16 AM on May 10, 2015 [5 favorites]
, Hot Chocolate went truly international with a heartbreaking ballad about suicide, "Emma" yt ,
I came to HC via the Sisters of Mercy (via a bootleg in the pre-internet era and this linked live version) and it taught me that the song is the thing.
And so, I kinda came to love that band.
posted by Mezentian at 6:13 AM on May 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
I came to HC via the Sisters of Mercy (via a bootleg in the pre-internet era and this linked live version) and it taught me that the song is the thing.
And so, I kinda came to love that band.
posted by Mezentian at 6:13 AM on May 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
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posted by Faint of Butt at 6:51 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:51 AM on May 10, 2015
That stories link doesn't work in the UK. This does, I doubt you'll thank me.
posted by epo at 7:17 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by epo at 7:17 AM on May 10, 2015
Oh my, that song "Every 1's a Winner", my band did that one in Bishkek... it wasn't James Brown but it was close, there was something there that was plugged right into the eternal timeless funk and also intersected perfectly with the 1970s/disco... and it was a special privilege to channel that. Thank you guys see you in the Singularity!
posted by Meatbomb at 8:14 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by Meatbomb at 8:14 AM on May 10, 2015
First MP3 I ever downloaded in the pre-Napster days was "You Sexy Thing". Sad he's gone.
posted by downtohisturtles at 8:34 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by downtohisturtles at 8:34 AM on May 10, 2015
My favorite Hot Chocolate track is the wonderful oddity Children of Spacemen, certainly the most straightforward musical declaration of faith in the idea that humans descended from aliens you'll hear all day. Hope you're cruising the starways, Errol.
posted by vathek at 9:10 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by vathek at 9:10 AM on May 10, 2015
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posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 10:04 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 10:04 AM on May 10, 2015
Over the years Errol would turn up on things like Buzzcocks and various nostalgia shows and he never seemed to age... I kinda assumed he was immortal. Sadly not.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:19 PM on May 10, 2015
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:19 PM on May 10, 2015
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posted by Soulfather at 1:46 PM on May 10, 2015
posted by Soulfather at 1:46 PM on May 10, 2015
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posted by On the Corner at 1:10 AM on May 11, 2015
posted by On the Corner at 1:10 AM on May 11, 2015
Over the years Errol would turn up on things like Buzzcocks and various nostalgia shows and he never seemed to age... I kinda assumed he was immortal. Sadly not
Many of us assumed he was Gordon from Sesame Street.
Sadly not.
posted by Mezentian at 2:36 AM on May 11, 2015
Many of us assumed he was Gordon from Sesame Street.
Sadly not.
posted by Mezentian at 2:36 AM on May 11, 2015
A gorgeous man with a gorgeous voice. RIP, Errol Brown.
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posted by marienbad at 5:11 AM on May 11, 2015
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posted by marienbad at 5:11 AM on May 11, 2015
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I believe in miracles.
posted by nfalkner at 3:28 AM on May 10, 2015 [2 favorites]