Yesterday I noted how the reformed Animotion saw success with the Clime Fisher penned, Room To Move, and decided it would be the perfect launching point for today's Retro Spin.
Simon Climie and former Naked Eyes keyboardist Rob Fisher were working as session musicians in 1986 when they met at Abbey Road Studios, and formed the duo partnership. They're best known for their hit, Love Changes (Everything), which upon its initial release reached number sixty-seven on the UK charts. However, it would later be remixed and re-released, it would peak at number two. It would also chart in other countries, reaching number twelve in New Zealand, twenty-four in Australia, seven in Germany, eight in Switzerland, fifteen in Austria, and twenty-three in the USA.
They released their debut, Everything, in 1988, which reached the top twenty in the UK, and Sweden, as well as the top ten in Germany, South Africa, and Switzerland. It was less successful in the USA, peaking at one hundred twenty on the Billboard Hot 200.
Despite the popularity of the above noted track, it was actually Rise To The Occasion, which the label chose as the lead single from the album. It would reach number ten in the UK Singles Chart, and later reached number one in South Africa, number six in Belgium, number fourteen in Germany, number seventeen in Sweden, and number nineteen in Austria.
Let's go ahead and pause here to dive into the record, shall we?
I personally bought this album for the hit, Love Changes (Everything), which kicks off everything as track one. This is both good and disappointing because while it's good to get the hit right out of the starting gate, it sets level of expectation. Unfortunately, the album as a whole can't meet it.
Room To Move was a fun bonus to have included, but frankly Animotion's cover is far superior. That unto itself is rare, a cover being better than the original.
The hip-hop style, Rise To The Occasion is pretty cool instrumentally, but feels incredibly out of place after all the songs that came before it. Additionally, it's honestly ruined the moment the singing starts.
Overall, Everything is a pass for me. It has the hit I was after, and I'm fine with that. However, everything else just doesn't resonate with me. I think the biggest turn off for me was that I didn't really like the vocals of Simon Clime. He sounds like a generic Barry Gibb.
The boys released the single, Love Like a River in 1988, which would be their last major hit. This was followed by the duo's 1989, and final album, Coming In For The Kill. It was poorly received, sold less, and the guys went their separate ways shortly thereafter.
I don't actually own their final release, and after playing through their debut, I really have no desire to. As such, my journey with Clime Fisher ends here. It was an overall miss for me, but I suppose I did get the one it out of it, so not a total loss.
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS October 8, 1983 |
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS October 8, 1988 |
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