Hot Chocolate (band)


Hot Chocolate are a British soul band popular during the 1970s and 1980s, formed by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson. The act had at least one hit every year from 1970 to 1984, and their 1975 song "You Sexy Thing" made the Top 10 in three decades.

Beginnings

Formed in 1968, the band initially consisted of vocalist Errol Brown, guitarist Franklyn De Allie, drummer Jim King, percussionist Patrick Olive, and bassist Tony Wilson; with keyboardist Larry Ferguson joining the band in the following year. The band was originally named "Hot Chocolate Band" by Mavis Smith, who worked for the Apple Corps press office. This was quickly shortened first to "The Hot Chocolate" and then to "Hot Chocolate" by Mickie Most. By 1970 the band's line-up had changed again to include Harvey Hinsley and Tony Connor replacing De Allie and King respectively.
Hot Chocolate started their recording career making a reggae version of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance", but frontman Errol Brown was told he needed permission. He was contacted by Apple Records, discovered that Lennon liked his version, and the group was subsequently signed to Apple Records. The link was short-lived as the Beatles were starting to break up, and the Apple connection soon ended.
Later in 1970 Hot Chocolate, with the help of record producer Mickie Most, began releasing tracks that became hits, such as "Love Is Life", "Emma", "You Could Have Been a Lady", and "I Believe in Love". All those releases were on the Rak record label, owned by Most. Brown and bassist Tony Wilson wrote most of their original material, and also provided hits for Herman's Hermits, "Bet Yer Life I Do", Julie Felix, "Heaven is Here", and Mary Hopkin, "Think About Your Children".
Gradually the band started to become UK Singles Chart regulars. One of the hits from this period, "Brother Louie", featured a guest spoken vocal from Alexis Korner.

Success

It was in the disco era of the mid-1970s that Hot Chocolate became a big success. A combination of high production standards, the growing confidence of the main songwriting team of Wilson and Brown, and tight vocal harmonies enabled them to secure further big hits such as "You Sexy Thing" and "Every 1's a Winner", which were also US hits, peaking at No. 3 and No. 6, respectively. After Wilson's departure for a solo career, that included a 1976 album I Like Your Style, Brown assumed all songwriting duties. Wilson was initially replaced by Brian Satterwhite; before Satterwhite departed the band and Olive switched to bass as his primary instrument.
In 1977, after 15 hits, they finally reached Number One with "So You Win Again". It was one of the few of their recordings that was not written, at least partly, by Brown. The track was a Russ Ballard composition.
The band became the only group, and one of just three acts, that had a hit in every year of the 1970s in the UK charts.
The band eventually had at least one hit, every year, between 1970 and 1984.
The band continued well into the 1980s, and clocked up another big hit record: "It Started with a Kiss", in 1982, which reached Number 5 in the UK. In all, the group charted 25 UK Top 40 hit singles. Their single "You Sexy Thing" became the only track that made British Top Ten status in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Later years

Renewed interest in Hot Chocolate came in part with the band’s appearances on a string of successful film soundtracks starting with the 1997 comedy The Full Monty, as well as in a 1989 acne lotion commercial. From the late 1980s onwards the group experienced a resurgence of credibility: Urge Overkill, PJ Harvey and the Sisters of Mercy all added Hot Chocolate songs to their live sets, and Cud's cover of "You Sexy Thing" featured in John Peel's Festive 50.
Errol Brown and Larry Ferguson departed the band in 1986; ultimately leading the group to disband. Brown then began a solo career. Two of his singles made the UK Singles Chart – "Personal Touch" and "Body Rockin'". Hot Chocolate had a hit in 1988 in Germany. "Never Pretend" was written by Harvey Hinsley and Susan Stuttard, and the vocalist was Grant Evelyn. The band's enduring popularity was verified when two compilation albums both reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart. In 2003, Errol Brown received the MBE; and in 2004, the Ivor Novello Award for his contribution to British music.
In 1992 the band reformed with new vocalist Greg Bannis and keyboardists Steve Ansell, Andy Smith, Willy Dowling, and Steve Matthews, and manager and agent Ric Martin took control over the band's bookings and live appearances. Kennie Simon took over lead vocals in 2010 following the departure of Bannis and Hot Chocolate continue to make live appearances in the UK and Europe.
On 6 May 2015, original frontman and principal songwriter Errol Brown died from liver cancer. He was 71.

Personnel

Members

;Current members
;Former members
1968–19691969–19701970–19751975

  • Errol Brown – lead vocals
  • Franklyn De Allie – guitars
  • Jim King – drums, percussion
  • Patrick Olive – percussion
  • Tony Wilson – bass, lead vocals
  • Errol Brown – lead vocals
  • Franklyn De Allie – guitars
  • Jim King – drums, percussion
  • Patrick Olive – percussion
  • Tony Wilson – bass, lead vocals
  • Larry Ferguson – keyboards
  • Errol Brown – lead vocals
  • Patrick Olive – percussion
  • Tony Wilson – bass, lead vocals
  • Larry Ferguson – keyboards
  • Tony Connor – drums, percussion
  • Harvey Hinsley – guitars
  • Errol Brown – lead vocals
  • Patrick Olive – percussion
  • Larry Ferguson – keyboards
  • Tony Connor – drums, percussion
  • Harvey Hinsley – guitars
  • Brian Satterwhite – bass, backing vocals
  • Derek Lewis – percussion, backing vocals
    • 1975–19861986–198819881988–1992
  • Errol Brown – lead vocals
  • Patrick Olive – bass, percussion
  • Larry Ferguson – keyboards
  • Tony Connor – drums, percussion
  • Harvey Hinsley – guitars
    		• Disbanded
    • Patrick Olive – bass, percussion
    • Tony Connor – drums, percussion
    • Harvey Hinsley – guitars
    • Grant Evelyn – lead vocals
    		Disbanded
    1992–19941994–20102010–present-

    • Patrick Olive – bass, percussion
    • Tony Connor – drums, percussion
    • Harvey Hinsley – guitars
    • Greg Bannis – lead vocals
    • Willy Dowling – keyboards, backing vocals
    • Steve Matthews – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Patrick Olive – bass, percussion
  • Tony Connor – drums, percussion
  • Harvey Hinsley – guitars
  • Steve Ansell – keyboards, guitars
  • Greg Bannis – lead vocals
  • Andy Smith – keyboards
  • Patrick Olive – bass, percussion
  • Tony Connor – drums, percussion
  • Harvey Hinsley – guitars
  • Steve Ansell – keyboards, guitars
  • Andy Smith – keyboards
  • Kennie Simon – lead vocals, keyboards
    		• -

    Timeline


    ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
    PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:0 right:20
    Alignbars = justify
    DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
    Period = from:01/01/1968 till:01/01/2017
    TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
    Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom
    ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1968
    Colors =
    id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals
    id:Bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
    id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar
    id:Piano value:purple legend:Keyboards
    id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
    id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
    id:Perc value:claret legend:Percussion
    id:Albums value:black legend:Studio_release
    id:bars value:gray
    BackgroundColors = bars:bars
    BarData =
    bar:Errol text:Errol Brown
    bar:Grant text:Grant Evelyn
    bar:Greg text:Greg Bannis
    bar:Kennie text:Kennie Simon
    bar:Franklyn text:Franklyn De Allie
    bar:Harvey text:Harvey Hinsley
    bar:Larry text:Larry Ferguson
    bar:Willy text:Willy Dowling
    bar:Steve2 text:Steve Matthews
    bar:Steve text:Steve Ansell
    bar:Andy text:Andy Smith
    bar:Tony text:Tony Wilson
    bar:Brian text:Brian Satterwhite
    bar:Jim text:Jim King
    bar:Tony2 text:Tony Connor
    bar:Patrick text:Patrick Olive
    bar:Derek text:Derek Lewis
    PlotData=
    width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:
    bar:Errol from:start till:01/01/1986 color:vocals
    bar:Grant from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1988 color:vocals
    bar:Greg from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/2010 color:vocals
    bar:Kennie from:01/01/2010 till:end color:vocals
    bar:Kennie from:01/01/2010 till:end color:piano width:3
    bar:Franklyn from:start till:01/01/1970 color:guitar
    bar:Harvey from:01/01/1970 till:01/01/1986 color:guitar
    bar:Harvey from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1988 color:guitar
    bar:Harvey from:01/01/1992 till:end color:guitar
    bar:Larry from:01/01/1969 till:01/01/1986 color:piano
    bar:Steve from:01/01/1994 till:end color:piano
    bar:Steve from:01/01/1994 till:end color:guitar width:3
    bar:Andy from:01/01/1994 till:end color:piano
    bar:Willy from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1994 color:piano
    bar:Willy from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1994 color:bvocals width:3
    bar:Steve2 from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1994 color:piano
    bar:Steve2 from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1994 color:bvocals width:3
    bar:Tony from:start till:01/01/1975 color:bass
    bar:Tony from:start till:01/01/1975 color:vocals width:3
    bar:Brian from:01/01/1975 till:01/07/1975 color:bass
    bar:Brian from:01/01/1975 till:01/07/1975 color:bvocals width:3
    bar:Patrick from:start till:01/07/1975 color:perc
    bar:Patrick from:01/07/1975 till:01/01/1986 color:bass
    bar:Patrick from:01/07/1975 till:01/01/1986 color:perc width:3
    bar:Patrick from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1988 color:bass
    bar:Patrick from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1988 color:perc width:3
    bar:Patrick from:01/01/1992 till:end color:bass
    bar:Patrick from:01/01/1992 till:end color:perc width:3
    bar:Derek from:01/01/1975 till:01/07/1975 color:perc
    bar:Derek from:01/01/1975 till:01/07/1975 color:bvocals width:3
    bar:Jim from:start till:01/01/1970 color:drums
    bar:Jim from:start till:01/01/1970 color:perc width:3
    bar:Tony2 from:01/01/1970 till:01/01/1986 color:drums
    bar:Tony2 from:01/01/1970 till:01/01/1986 color:perc width:3
    bar:Tony2 from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1988 color:drums
    bar:Tony2 from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1988 color:perc width:3
    bar:Tony2 from:01/01/1992 till:end color:drums
    bar:Tony2 from:01/01/1992 till:end color:perc width:3
    LineData =
    at:01/06/1974 color:black layer:back
    at:01/11/1975 color:black layer:back
    at:01/08/1976 color:black layer:back
    at:01/04/1978 color:black layer:back
    at:01/06/1979 color:black layer:back
    at:01/06/1980 color:black layer:back
    at:01/09/1982 color:black layer:back
    at:01/10/1983 color:black layer:back
    at:01/06/1993 color:black layer:back

    Discography

    ;Studio Albums
    All albums released by Rak Records unless otherwise noted.