Chris Amoo, lead singer of The Real Thing, is currently on tour with bandmate Dave Smith to mark the 50th anniversary of their 1976 UK No 1 hit, 'You to Me Are Everything'. Amoo recalls playing the unreleased track at Liverpool's Timepiece nightclub, where the dancefloor filled despite no one having heard the song before.
The Real Thing emerged from a thriving underground funk and R&B scene in 1970s Liverpool, largely upheld by a generation from the Toxteth area. This community embraced Black American culture, drawing inspiration from groups like the Jackson 5 and the Temptations, rather than local acts such as The Beatles.
DJ Les Spaine, now considered a godfather of the UK's funk scene, played a key role, amassing imported records from Black US soldiers at the nearby Burtonwood airbase. The Timepiece nightclub, located on Fleet Street, became a vital hub for Toxteth's Black community, offering a safe space for people of all races who loved Black music, despite the colour bans enforced at other clubs.
The Real Thing's success in 1976, as the first Black British band to achieve a UK No 1, brought jubilation to their community. Following this, the Liverpool vocal harmony band Distinction, featuring Barbara Phillips, became the first Black British female group to sign with a major record label.