M People
M People is a British band from Manchester , founded in 1990 , consisting of Mike Pickering, Heather Small (formerly a member of the British soul band Hot House) and Paul Heard. The band name M People originated from the initials of the founder Mike Pickering. With their pop songs based on house music , the formation was particularly successful in their home country Great Britain in the 1990s.
biography
M-People's career began with the club hit How Can I Love You More . The song entered the UK charts in October 1991 and reached number 8. In early 1992, the debut album Northern Soul was released , which made it to number 26 on the UK album charts . The following two releases, Color My Life and Someday , were in the top 40 in March and April of that year. The fourth hit was called Excited , was only found on the 1992 version of the album Northern Soul and at number 29 was the second most successful single .
As a harbinger of the second album, the single One Night in Heaven was released in June 1993 . In the English charts , the song reached number 6 and, at number 15, also entered the German single charts for the first time . The second single, Moving On Up , was released in September and was a worldwide hit. In addition to Germany (place 21) and England (place 2), the title was also in the Austrian (place 17), Swiss (place 19) and the American charts (place 34). The album Elegant Slumming also sold well in many countries, reaching top 30 positions in German-speaking countries and even number 2 in the UK charts. The release Don't Look Any Further , a cover version of the 1984 hit by Dennis Edwards and Siedah Garrett , was just as successful. The following song, Renaissance, was a major hit only in the UK.
The EP Elegantly American , which hit stores in September 1994, included three remixes of One Night in Heaven and a new mix of Moving On Up . Only in the UK charts did the record climb to a chart listing (number 31).
With the third studio album, Bizarre Fruit , M People was able to seamlessly build on the previous successes. In addition to the top 30 spots in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the longplayer stayed in the home charts for 115 weeks and rose to number 3. The recently released single Sight for Sore Eyes and its 1995 successor Open Your Heart and Search for the Hero climbed to top 10 positions in England and to middle positions in Germany. The last release, Love Rendezvous , was much less successful at number 32 in the UK charts.
In November 1995, M People added Bizarre Fruit II . This is a double album, which in addition to the songs of the first version contained other tracks, including Itchycoo Park , which was selected as the next single and climbed to # 11 in the UK charts. The second CD of the pack contains live versions and remixes of previous hits.
Almost two years passed before the next publication. It was not until September 1997 that M People, now a quartet through the addition of percussionist Shovell , added Just for You, another record . The single was placed in the UK Top 10 and a lower position in Germany. Shortly thereafter, the album Fresco was released , which was just as successful as its predecessor. Fantasy Island , the second single, fell short of expectations and only ranked 33rd in the UK. Angel Street , another track by Fresco , was the next top 10 success for the group and was also in the German hit parade.
The compilation The Best of M People , which was released in November 1998, included the band's great successes as well as the songs Testify and Dreaming , which were to be the group's last chart hits in late 1998 and early 1999 - in the UK charts Both climbed into the Top 20. The album got chart positions across Europe .
After an album called Testify was released in the USA in May 1999, some of which had new versions of older hits, it only managed to enter the UK charts once: the best-of album Ultimate Collection rose to number 17 in 2005.
M People is still active today. In 2013 the band went on a Greatest Hits tour through Great Britain.
Members
- Mike Pickering (actually Michael Duncan Pickering, born February 24, 1958 , Accrington, Lancashire , England ) - Keyboard Programming
- Heather Small (born January 20, 1965 , London , England) - vocals
- Paul Heard (born October 5, 1960 , Hammersmith , London, England) - Keyboard, Programming
- Shovell (actually Andrew Lovell) - percussion (from 1997)
Discography
Albums
| year | Title music label |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 DE
|
 AT
|
 CH
|
 UK
|
 US
|
|||
| 1991 | Northern Soul Deconstruction / RCA 75157 |
- | - | - |
UK26th  (13 weeks)UK |
- |
First published November 4, 1991
Producers: M People, Paul Heard |
| 1993 | Elegant Slumming Deconstruction / RCA 74321 |
DE18th (33 weeks)DE |
AT23 (8 weeks) AT |
CH19 (14 weeks) CH |
UK2  × 3
(112 weeks)UK |
- |
First published: October 4th, 1993
Producer: M People |
| 1994 | Bizarre Fruit / Bizarre Fruit II Deconstruction 74321 24081 |
DE30th (50 weeks)DE |
AT28 (15 weeks) AT |
CH29 (18 weeks) CH |
UK3 × 5
(128 weeks)UK |
- |
First published: November 14, 1994
Producer: M People |
| 1997 | Fresco M People / BMG 74321 52490 |
DE11 (17 weeks) DE |
AT21 (17 weeks) AT |
CH20 (6 weeks) CH |
UK2 × 2
(45 weeks)UK |
- |
First published: October 13, 1997
Producer: M People |
More albums
- 1995: In Concert - 633 (Live album; Recording: Plymouth Pavilions in Plymouth on December 6, 1994; Deconstruction 74321 13023)
- 1999: Testify (including live versions and remixes of some hits; only released in the USA; Epic 69887; release: May 25th)
Compilations
| year | Title music label |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
CH
|
UK
|
US
|
|||
| 1998 | The Best of M People M People / BMG 74321 61387 |
DE20 (13 weeks) DE |
AT27 (9 weeks) AT |
CH39 (7 weeks) CH |
UK2 × 3
(49 weeks)UK |
- |
First published: November 2, 1998
|
| 2005 | Ultimate Collection Sony BMG Music Entertainment 82876669192 |
- | - | - |
UK17 (7 weeks) UK |
- |
First release: April 5th, 2005
feat. Heather Small |
| 2019 | Gold crimson |
- | - | - |
UK53 (1 week) UK |
- |
First published: November 1st, 2019
|
More compilations
- 2002: 3 CD (box with 3 CDs; RCA / BMG UK & Ireland 74321 983082)
- 2007: One Night in Heaven: The Best of M People (2 CDs; Music Club Deluxe 073)
- 2009: One Night in Heaven: The Very Best Of (2 CDs; Sony Music / Camden 88697472742)
- 2009: The Collection (Camden 88697552692)
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
CH
|
UK
|
US
|
Dance
|
|||
| 1991 | How Can I Love You More Northern Soul |
- | - | - |
UK29 (9 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: October 14, 1991
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
| 1992 | Color My Life Northern Soul |
- | - | - |
UK35 (4 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: February 23, 1992
Authors: M People, Paul Heard |
| Someday Northern Soul |
- | - | - |
UK38 (3 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: April 6, 1992
feat. Heather Small Author: Marshall Jefferson Original: Ce Ce Rogers, 1967 |
|
| Excited Northern Soul ( Reissue ) |
- | - | - |
UK29 (5 weeks) UK |
- |
Dance1 (14 weeks) Dance |
First published: September 28, 1992
Joined US-Dance in October 1994 Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
|
| 1993 | How Can I Love You More (Mixes) | - | - | - |
UK8 (8 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: January 25, 1993
Remixes: Sasha , Tom Frederikse |
| One Night in Heaven Elegant Slumming |
DE15 (20 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK6 (11 weeks) UK |
- |
Dance1 (12 weeks) Dance |
First published: June 14, 1993
Joined US-Dance in July 1994 Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
|
| Moving On Up Elegant Slumming |
DE21 (20 weeks) DE |
AT17 (11 weeks) AT |
CH19 (12 weeks) CH |
UK2 (11 weeks) UK |
US34 (16 weeks) US |
Dance1 (13 weeks) Dance |
First published: September 13, 1993
Joined US-Dance in March 1994 Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
|
| Don't Look Any Further Elegant Slumming |
DE29 (19 weeks) DE |
AT25 (6 weeks) AT |
CH23 (18 weeks) CH |
UK9 (11 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: November 22, 1993
Authors: Frannie Golde, Duane Hitchings, Dennis Lambert Original: Dennis Edwards feat. Siedah Garrett , 1984 |
|
| 1994 | Renaissance Elegant Slumming |
DE83 (11 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK5 (8 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: February 24, 1994
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
| Elegantly American (EP) | - | - | - |
UK33 (2 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: September 5th, 1994
One Night in Heaven / Moving On Up (Mixes) Remixes: David Morales , Marc Kinchen |
|
| Sight for Sore Eyes Bizarre Fruit |
DE57 (11 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK6 (9 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: November 7, 1994
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, Heather Small |
|
| 1995 | Open Your Heart Bizarre Fruit |
DE54 (11 weeks) DE |
- |
CH36 (4 weeks) CH |
UK9 (8 weeks) UK |
- |
Dance1 (14 weeks) Dance |
First published: January 23, 1995
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
| Search for the Hero Bizarre Fruit |
DE39 (17 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK9  (7 weeks)UK |
- | - |
First published: June 12, 1995
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
|
| Padlock (Mixes) Bizarre Fruit II |
- | - | - | - | - |
Dance13 (10 weeks) Dance |
First published: September 1995
Remixes: Junior Vasquez Radio version: B-side of Search for the Hero Writer: Tamy Smith Original: Gwen Guthrie , 1983 |
|
| Love Rendezvous Bizarre Fruit |
DE75 (6 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK32 (4 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: October 2, 1995
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard |
|
| Itchycoo Park Bizarre Fruit II |
DE55 (12 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK11 (9 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: November 13, 1995
Authors: Ronnie Lane , Steve Marriott Original: Small Faces , 1967 |
|
| 1997 | Just for You Fresco |
DE76 (9 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK8 (7 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: September 22, 1997
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, Heather Small |
| Fantasy Island Fresco |
DE76 (9 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK33 (11 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: November 24, 1997
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, Heather Small |
|
| 1998 | Angel St. Fresco |
DE79 (9 weeks) DE |
- | - |
UK8 (7 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: March 16, 1998
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, Heather Small |
| Testify Testify |
- | - | - |
UK12 (10 weeks) UK |
- |
Dance5 (12 weeks) Dance |
First published: October 26, 1998
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, Heather Small |
|
| 1999 | Dreaming Testify |
- | - | - |
UK13 (6 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: February 1, 1999
Authors: Mike Pickering, Paul Heard, Heather Small |
More singles
- 1994: Kahlua - Music for Your Mouth (remixes of Moving On Up , One Night in Heaven and Renaissance )
- 1998: The Best of M People Megamix (DJ mix by Brian Butler)
- 1998: The Best of M People (Remixed 1) (2 × 12inch)
- 1998: The Best of M People (Remixed 2) (2 × 12inch)
- 1998: Megamix
- 2010: Remixes (EP)
Video albums
- 1993: Elegant TV (VHS)
- 2006: One Night in Heaven (DVD)
Awards for music sales
Note: Awards in countries from the chart tables or chart boxes can be found in these.
| Country / Region |
silver |
gold |
platinum
|
Sales | swell |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards for music sales (country / region, awards, sales, sources) |
|||||
|
Germany (BVMI)
|
- |
2 × gold2
|
- | 500,000 | musikindustrie.de |
|
United Kingdom (BPI)
|
silver1
|
gold1
|
13 × platinum13
|
4,200,000 | bpi.co.uk |
| All in all |
silver1
|
3 × gold3
|
11 × platinum11
|
||
swell
- ↑ EP Elegantly American
- ↑ Testify album
- ↑ Mike Pickering at Discogs (English)
- ↑ Heather Small at Discogs (English)
- ↑ Paul Heard at Discogs (English)
- ↑ Shovell at Discogs (English)
- ↑ a b c Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .
Web links
- M People at Allmusic (English)
- M People at Discogs (English)
- Forum to M People and Heather Small (English)