Liberty X
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| Liberty X | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | England | |
| Genre(s) | Pop / R&B | |
| Years active | 2001–present | |
| Label(s) | Universal Records (Philippines) V2 Records |
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| Website | Official Website | |
| Members | ||
| Kevin Simm Michelle Scott-Lee Kelli Young Tony Lundon Jessica Taylor |
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Liberty X (originally called Liberty) is a manufactured pop group formed from five contestants from the 2001 UK TV show Popstars. The group consists of Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Michelle Scott-Lee, Kelli Young and Jessica Taylor.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Popstars
Whilst the five winning contestants of Popstars formed Hear'Say, the five runners up (who would have been the "backup" had there been a problem with any members in Hear'Say) formed the group Liberty. The name Liberty was chosen to reflect the freedom they enjoyed from not being under the rigid enforcements of the television company and record label that was put upon Hear'Say. Their runner-up status led to them being cruelly dubbed "Flopstars" by some commentators. However, this tag was dropped when they signed a multi-million pound record contract with Richard Branson's independent record label, V2 records and they soon became seen as a "cool" alternative to Hear'Say.
Shortly after forming, Liberty received a legal challenge in the UK High Court from another pop group called Liberty who had had a few minor hits in the 1980s. The original Liberty claimed that the new Liberty were taking advantage of the goodwill that they had created in the name Liberty (which in English law is the tort of passing off). The judge agreed with the original Liberty and so the new group asked readers of UK tabloid newspaper, "The Sun" to pick them a new name. The winning name was in fact, not 'Liberty X' and was actually X Liberty and Michelle cleverly placed the X at the end of the name to give the group name a whole new meaning and sharpness.
[edit] Thinking It Over
The group's first two singles "Thinking It Over" and "Doin' It" launched them to fame, both released whilst the group were known as Liberty. "Thinking It Over" shot to #5 in the UK top 40 singles chart, and the single featured remixes by the Wideboys and Boy George. The follow up single "Doin' It" didn't do quite as well and charted at #14. Despite the low charting, it is said that if the single was released 2 weeks earlier, it would have been number 1. There was a gap of 5 months between "Doin' It" and the follow up "Just A Little" due to the band being involved in a court case. The track indeed took the band straight to the top of the UK charts and became the 9th best selling single of 2002. One good thing that came out of the whole name change court case is that in the 5 month break between releases, the band recorded "Just A Little" and the next single "Got To Have Your Love", and the original 3rd single was intended to be the R&B inspired "Wanting Me Tonight". This release was proceeded by their debut album, Thinking It Over (originally due to be called To Those Who Wait). Two further top 5 singles were released from the album - "Got To Have Your Love" produced by UK Producer Rod Gammons (Mark Morrison, Beverley Knight), a cover of the 1990 track by electro funk group Mantronix (Mantronix's founding member, Kurtis Mantronik, also remixed the Liberty X version for the single release), as well as the single, "Holding On For You".
[edit] Being Somebody
Following a short break, the group released "Being Nobody", a mash-up of Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" and Human League's "Being Boiled". The single was produced by Richard X and released under the name of Richard X vs Liberty X. The track followed the momentum caused by Richard X's other mainstream production, Freak Like Me for the Sugababes, which topped the charts the previous year. Both tracks featured on Richard X's album Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1. Despite the bands love for "Freak Like Me" the guys never thought of finding the mastermind behind the track but they were approached by Richard X who asked if they wanted to collaborate. The band had just finished a sell-out tour when the single was to be released. "Being Nobody" reached number three in the UK singles chart. Proceeding their second album, Being Somebody, the group released "Jumpin", another top 10 single, co-written by UK singer-songwriter, Lucie Silvas. The final single from the album was the ballad, "Everybody Cries", produced by Marius DeVries, was released in January 2004, but this was less successful than previous singles hitting #13.
The group took a hiatus following record label issues and each member decided to work on different individual projects. Kevin Simm appeared on Channel 4's "The Games", competing in a series of sporting events. Michelle Heaton appeared on ITV's ill-fated "Celebrity Wrestling". Jessica Taylor appeared on the BBC's "Come Ice Skating." Tony Lundon and Kelli Young took the time to work on new tracks for the band's third album, whilst both contributing on other artists album in both producing and writing. Tony featured on D-Side's debut album, writing and featuring on a song entitled "Fix You" and Kelli collaborated with Billy Crawford on a track on his album "Big City" called Go, Go. This track has now gone on to be sampled by Jamelia for a song that was not used for her latest album Walk With Me.
[edit] X
In mid-2005 it was announced that Liberty X had left V2 records, and had signed to independent label Unique Corp records. Their third album was announced as being titled, X to be released in October 2005. Despite not owning the rights to certain songs (including collaborations with Richard X), the band had to write brand new material. The first single, "Song 4 Lovers" however, had been recorded when they were signed to V2 Records back in 2004. It was finally released in September 2005 and it features Rev Run of Run DMC, who also co-wrote the track.
Their third album 'X' was released in October 2005, but to a lukewarm reception, despite the top 5 success of the single which preceded the album. It peaked at #27, leaving the top 40 after just one week. People were unimpressed with the content of the album as it contained 4 previous singles (Just A Little, Got To Have Your Love, Being Nobody, Holding On For You), plus the current single (Song 4 Lovers), and a track ("Yo DJ") which was used as a b-side to Song 4 Lovers.
In late October, following the top 5 success of their single, the group announced they had been asked to record the official 2005 Children In Need single, so they teamed up with producer Rod Gammons again to record "A Night To Remember," a cover of the Shalamar classic, backed with another disco/soul classic, "Everybody Dance." The group performed both singles live on the night, 18 November 2005. The double a-side single entered at #6 in the official British singles chart.
After a long overdue hiatus, the band returned in June 2006 with a slightly remixed new single "X". The song was a fan favourite, but due to a lack of promotion and lack of airplay and video play, the song failed to hit the top 40. The re-release of the album, which contained the new version of X and A Night To Remember which was planned, still went ahead, unknown to the public.
Despite rumours of the band splitting, members leaving and being dropped by their label, the band are very much together but each doing separate things. Michelle, not long back posted on the bands official site stating the band were still together and would be releasing a new single in the new year with a song from a forthcoming film. Michelle Heaton since then has married her lover of 4 years, Andy Scott-Lee who is best known for making the final seven in the second series of Pop Idol. Jessica Taylor got engaged to cricket star, Kevin Pietersen, Kevin Simm has appeared on Channel 4's The Games: Champion of Champions, competing for his team, and Tony Lundon is busy writing tracks for the band's fourth album.
The band has announced a series of club tour gigs in the UK in late March, April and May on their website Official website.
Liberty X are due to release there 12th Single in Mid-May 2007
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||||
| 2002 | Thinking It Over | 3 | ||
| 2003 | Being Somebody | 12 | ||
| 2005 | X | 27 | ||
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Australia | France | ||||
| 2001 | "Thinking It Over" | #5 | #81 | #22 | Thinking It Over | |
| 2001 | "Doin' It" | #14 | — | #36 | Thinking It Over | |
| 2002 | "Just a Little" | #1 | #4 | #10 | Thinking It Over | |
| 2002 | "Got to Have Your Love" | #2 | #75 | #49 | Thinking It Over | |
| 2002 | "Holding On For You" | #5 | — | #109 | Thinking It Over | |
| 2003 | "Being Nobody" | #3 | #36 | #67 | Being Somebody | |
| 2003 | "Jumpin" | #6 | — | #56 | Being Somebody | |
| 2004 | "Everybody Cries" | #13 | — | #29 | Being Somebody | |
| 2004 | "Fresh" | — | #58 | #35 | The Hits Reloaded - Kool & the Gang | |
| 2005 | "Song 4 Lovers" | #5 | — | #40 | X | |
| 2005 | "A Night To Remember" | #6 | — | #16 | X | |
| 2006 | "X" | #47 | — | #89 | X | |
| 2007 | "Footsteps" | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | |
[edit] B-Sides & other tracks
- "No Clouds" (1st Version) (Thinking It Over B-Side/original version on Thinking It Over album)
- "Greed" (Thinking It Over B-Side)
- "Never Meant To Be" (Thinking It Over B-Side)
- "Right Here Right Now" (Doin It' B-Side/Thinking It Over album track)
- "Never Meant To Say Goodbye" (Doin' It B-Side/Thinking It Over Import album track/Alternative Version on Jumpin')
- "Breathe" (Just A Little B-Side)
- "Good Love" (Got To Have Your Love B-Side)
- "Get With You" (Got To Have Your Love B-Side)
- "Everything" (Got To Have Your Love B-Side)
- "Shut Up And Dance" (Holding on For You B-Side)
- "Before It's Goodbye" (Holding On For You B-Side)
- "It Helps" (Jumpin' B-Side)
- "Shake It" (Jumpin' B-Side)
- "Sunshine" (Everybody Cries B-Side)
- "Enemy" (Everybody Cries B-Side)
- "Yo DJ" (Song For Lovers B-Side/X album track)
- "Everybody Dance" (A Night To Remember B-Side)
- "O Holy Night" (A Night To Remember B-Side)
- "Practice What You Preach" (Only on rare promo of 'To Those Who Wait')
- "Licence To Kill" (Never released)
