Pool Of Sound - The Real Thing

The Real Thing - 1978

If one group united the 1960s Mersey Beat era to the post Beatles era it has to be 'The Real Thing'. Although these pioneers in soul, funk and dance music were established in Toxteth, Liverpool, L8, in 1972, the band actually has its roots in the 1960s vocal harmony group, 'The Chants', Britain's first black acapella quintet established by Eddie Amoo.

Early days in Stanhope Street, L8

However, as Eddy was having success with 'The Chants', his younger brother Chris was watching intently. Inspired by his elder brother, Chris, along with Dave Smith, he formed his own vocal group, extravagantly-called 'The Sophisticated Soul Brothers'. The band consisted of Chris, Dave and their friends Ray Lake and Kenny Davis ( later joined by Edward Ankrah, the younger brother of Joe Ankrah also from 'The Chants' ). The 'S.S.B.' soon to become 'Vocal Perfection', began to pick up gigs and were eventually brought to the attention of legendary A&R man Tony Hall, who drove up to Liverpool from London to see them perform. He signed them immediately, but decided they needed to change their name. Whilst he was sitting in his car one day at traffic lights at Piccadilly Circus, Tony looked up the famous Coca-Cola advertising slogan blinking above him and made his mind up immediately. So it was that in January 1972, 'The Real Thing' were born.
Within days, the band was appearing on the long-running ITV talent show 'Opportunity Knocks', presented by Hughie Green. The guys performed a cover version of 'Grazin' The Grass' and easily won the show, getting the highest score for their episode.The band were the very first all-black group to appear on a TV talent show, but sadly, that pioneering TV performance no longer exists in the archives, having been wiped in the 1980s.

The Real Thing in 1977

The turn-around for their career began when Jeff Wayne wanted backing vocals for some TV commercials. He was producing David Essex at the time and David fell in love with the rawness and freshness of the group and the fact they were writing their own material. He took them to America with him where they were introduced to some fantastic musicians. Chris Amoo's brother Eddie had been coaching the group and eventually joined the band making the band a quartet once more. The group signed with Pye and released a brilliant new single, 'Stone Cold Love Affair' which became a big club hit both in Europe and the US. They finally found chart success with the pop soul single, 'You to Me Are Everything', which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 28 on Billboard's 'R&B Singles' and No. 64 on Billboard's 'Hot 100'. It is listed by the Guinness Book of Hit Singles as one of the top 100 songs of the millennium. Their follow-up, 'Can't Get By Without You' did not chart in the US but was still a success in the United Kingdom, where it reached No. 2.
These pioneers in soul, funk and dance music, from Toxteth, who wrote and performed their own songs, by the end of the decade had established themselves as Britain's best-selling black band of all-time.

They dominated the international charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s with their iconic songs. The journalist, author and founder of Mojo, Paul Du Nover, credits them alongside 'Deaf School' with restoring Liverpool's musical reputation in the 1970s" with their success.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2019/06/pool-of-sound-deaf-school.html