Chart entered : 16 May 1981
Chart peak : 4
Number of hits : 12
Their campy presentation didn't endear them to purists but unless I've forgotten someone Imagination remain Britain's most successful all-black soul band.
A couple of personal notes here. We've now entered the period when I was buying a weekly music paper- usually Record Mirror - on a regular basis . This was also the record which finally proved that my voice had broken as attempts to sing along with the high notes ended in failure.
Imagination started forming in 1980 when Leslie "Leee" John ( born 1957 ) who'd been working as a falsetto backing vocalist for soft soul acts such as The Delfonics and The Elgins met guitarist/ bassist Ashley Ingram ( born 1960 ) and decided to form a songwriting partnership initially under the name of Fizzz. They then recruited a drummer Errol Kennedy ( born 1953 ) from another soul band, Midnight Express. Errol was the older brother of Opportunity Knocks winner and light entertainment fixture Grace Kennedy.
Taking the name Imagination as a tribute to John Lennon they sent a demo of "Body Talk" to producers Steve Jolley and Tony Swain who'd recently been working with Irish singer Joe Dolan. Swain and Jolley did enough buffing up to earn themselves a co-writing credit and it was released on new label R & B Records. "Body Talk" is a languorous smooth soul number about sex underpinned by Ashley's crunchy bassline and Errol's rocksolid backbeat. Leee, sounding a lot like Stylistics's Russell Tompkins Jr, handles most of the vocal duties although Ashley's more manly tones come in with a couple of lines each verse. Leee also handles the keyboard duties , both the synth washes and the laconic grand piano that would become something of a signature sound. I had a sneaking regard for it at the time and it has held up well. The band promoted its themes by wearing jackets without a shirt and loose fitting trousers without underwear which boosted sales at the time if not their long term credibility.
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