Latin Quarter (band)

Latin Quarter is a British band formed in 1983. They had one top 20 single "Radio Africa" in the United Kingdom.[1] The British radio were cautios in the eighties to play their singles because of their political based lyrics. They became more popular in Germany and in northern Europe.

Latin Quarter
Background information
OriginEngland, United Kingdom
GenresPop rock, reggae rock, folk rock
Years active1983–1990, 1992-1997, 2011–present
LabelsRockin' Horse Records
Arista
RCA
Associated actsSteve Skaith Band
The Meridians
The Bhundu Boys
Websitelatinquartermusic.com
MembersSteve Skaith
Steve Jeffries
Mary Carewe
Martin Ditcham
Yo Yo Buys
Past membersMike Jones
Richard Wright
Yona Dunsford
Greg Harewood
Carol Douet
Martin Lascalles
Dave Charles
Richard Stevens
Darren Abraham

Latin Quarter originally split up in 1989, continued in 1992 and 1997, and finally re-formed in 2011. The band toured Germany and UK and released their latest album, The Colour Scheme, in 2019.[2] Their sound mixes elements of pop, rock, reggae and folk with largely political based lyrics.

Career

Latin Quarter were the first band to be managed by Marcus Russell (who is from Ebbw Vale along with Mike Jones in the band). Russell formed the Ignition Management in 1983.

Steve Skaith and Mike Jones were both members of the left wing political group Big Flame.[3] Their political viewpoint is often reflected in the choice of subject matter and lyrics of Latin Quarter's output.

Mike Jones himself did not play with Latin Quarter, but he wrote the lyrics to the songs. The former technical school teacher from Liverpool had already been writing political songs for eight years and had been a friend of Steve Skaith’s since grammar school.

They formed Latin Quarter in autumn 1983 with guitarist Richard Wright. Yona Dunsford (vocals/piano) and Carol Douet (vocals/percussion) joined the trio at the end of the year, with the line-up completed by Richard Stevens (drums), Greg Harewood (bass) and Steve Jeffries (keyboards) by the time the band’s debut Radio Africa was released in September 1984.

The band was signed by Rockin’ Horse Records, an offshoot of Arista Records, and completed work on their debut album Modern Times. After being released for a third time, Radio Africa finally became a UK hit at the start of 1986 when it reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart. [4]

Jones described their first album Modern Times as "a veritable manifesto".[3] The album failed to chart in Britain but was a top twenty hit in Germany and Sweden and sold well throughout Europe.[5] They played at Glastonbury Festival 21 June 1986.

Darren Abraham and Martin Lascalles replaced Stevens and Jeffries on the follow-up Mick And Caroline, released 1987. An album that was not as successful as the debut.

The band had slimmed down to the quartet of Skaith, Wright, Harewood and Dunsford by their third album Swimming Against the Stream, released 1989 on the RCA label in Germany. With all lyrics still written by Jones, that album was dedicated to the eleven workers at Dunne's stores, Dublin, who were sacked for refusing to handle South Africa goods. Their three year fight against dismissal culminated in the Irish Government's ban on the importation of South Africa Agricultural produce. The single Dominion originally recorded for the T.V. documentary series Animal Traffic, directed by Arpad Bondy & Ron Orders.[6]

After low sales in the UK the band originally split up at the end of 1989. In October 1990, however, another album, entitled Nothing Like Velvet was released, which was made up of unreleased demos, alternative versions and live tracks. Judging by the sleeve notes, the band agreed to the release of these songs.

Skaith, Wright and Jones reunited as Latin Quarter, and they collaborated with The Bhundu Boys on the latter's 1993 Friends on the Road album, including a re-working of Radio Africa and two new songs written by members of both bands.[7] Latin Quarter, released the albums Long Pig 1993 and Bringing Rosa Home 1997, both on German record labels. Latin Quarter finally split up in 1998.

Jones went on to run courses in Popular Music at the University of Liverpool. Skaith went to live in Mexico where he formed the Steve Skaith Band with Mexican musicians, and released the albums Mexile 2003, Empires and Us 2005 and Imaginary Friend 2007.[8] He then returned to England and re-recorded some early Latin Quarter songs on Latin Quarter Revisited 2010.[9]

In 2011, Skaith and lyricist Jones re-formed Latin Quarter with original vocalist Yona Dunsford, bass player Greg Harewood and keyboard player Steve Jeffries. They released the albums Ocean Head in 2012 and Tilt in 2014. Chris Rea was a guest star playing slide guitar on the Tilt album.[10] Steve Skaith re-recorded acoustic versions of Latin Quarter-songs on Bare Bones in 2015.

In September 2016, Latin Quarter released The Imagination of Thieves, now featuring Skaith, Jeffries, Martin Ditcham (Drums), Yo Yo Buys (Bass and Guitars) and Mary Carewe (vocals).

On 14 February 2018, the new track Pantomime of Wealth was released as a digital release on Westpark Music.[11] The album with the same name was released 13 April 2018.

On 12 April 2019, Latin Quarter released The Colour Scheme as a trio featuring Skaith, Jeffries and Carewe. The album consist mainly acoustic rearrangements of early Latin Quarter songs plus a couple from the Steve Skaith Band albums.

Discography

Albums
Year Title
Studio albums
1985 Modern Times
1987 Mick and Caroline
1989 Swimming Against the Stream
1993 Long Pig
1997 Bringing Rosa Home
2012 Ocean Head
2014 Tilt
2016 The Imagination of Thieves
2018 Pantomime of Wealth
Compilation Albums
1990 Nothing Like Velvet
1993 Radio Africa
2010 Latin Quarter Revisited (by Steve Skaith Band)
2015 Bare Bones (by Steve Skaith)
2019 The Colour Scheme (acoustic rearrangements by Latin Quarter Trio)

Singles
Year Title AUS[12] UK[13][14] Album
1985 "Toulouse" - 93 Modern Times
"Radio Africa" - 76
"The New Millionaires" - -
"No Rope as Long as Time" - -
1986 "Radio Africa" (reissue) 93 19
"Modern Times" - 85
"America for Beginners" - 99
"Truth About John" - -
1987 "Nomzamo (One People, One Cause)" - 73 Mick and Caroline
"I (Together)" - -
1989 "Swimming Against the Stream" - - Swimming Against the Stream
"Blameless" - -
"Dominion" - -
1993 "Bitter to the South" - - Long Pig
"Like a Miracle" - -
"Phil Ochs" - -
1997 "Surprised" - - Bringing Rosa Home
"Angel" - -
"Branded" - -

References
  1. Andrew Beck, ed. (2003). Cultural Work: Understanding the Cultural Industries. Routledge. p. 102.
  2. "Latin Quarter - News". Latinquartermusic.com. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  3. Jones, Mike (May 2000). "Censoring Popular Music: the experience of Latin Quarter". Academia.edu. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 313. ISBN 978-1-904994-10-7.
  5. Jones, Mike (30 May 2000). "Censoring Popular Music: the experience of Latin Quarter". Academia.edu. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. "antiwarsongs".
  7. Tarte, Bob. "Friends on the Road - The Bhundu Boys - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  8. "bandcamp". Steveskaithband.bandcamp.com. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  9. "Steve Skaith Band". Steveskaithband.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  10. "Interview". Discussionsmagazine.com. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  11. "westparkmusic". Westparkmusic.bandcamp.com. 17 February 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 173. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 313. ISBN 978-1-904994-10-7.
  14. "Artists". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
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