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East 17

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East 17
East 17 in 2019
East 17 in 2019
Background information
Also known asE-17 (1998–1999)
OriginWalthamstow, London, England
Genres
Years active
  • 1991–1997
  • 1998–1999
  • 2006–2013
  • 2014–present
Labels
  • London (1991–1997)
  • Telstar (1998–1999)
  • FOD (2011–2014)
  • Dax Music (2014–present)
Members
  • Terry Coldwell
  • Robbie Craig
  • Joe Livermore
Past members
Websiteeast17-official.com

East 17 are an English pop boy band started by Tony Mortimer, Brian Harvey, John Hendy, and Terry Coldwell in 1991. Their biggest hit, "Stay Another Day", was the UK Christmas number one in 1994.

The group has released 18 top-20 singles and four top-10 albums and was one of the UK's most popular boy bands during the early- to mid-1990s, aided by strong tabloid interest in their 'bad boy' image, compared to the clean-cut style of rivals Take That. Their style blended pop and hip hop in songs such as "House of Love" and "Let It Rain".

East 17 has sold over 18 million albums worldwide and according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the group has been certified with sales of 1.8 million albums and 2.8 million singles in the UK.[1]

East 17 have undergone multiple lineup changes, with Coldwell remaining the only constant member. The group continues today under the lineup of Terry Coldwell, Joe Livermore, and former Artful Dodger collaborator Robbie Craig.[2]

History

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Formation (1991)

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East 17 began in 1991 when Tony Mortimer was promised a record deal with London Records after he presented his own material. The deal was granted under the condition that he form a group, which would be in the format that London Records were looking for. Mortimer recruited Brian Harvey, John Hendy, and Terry Coldwell.[citation needed]

The group was named East 17 after the postcode of their hometown, Walthamstow.[3]

Walthamstow (1992–1993)

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The group was usually seen as a grittier, more political and hip hop or rap-aligned ensemble than rival boy band Take That, as noted by Guy Adams of The Independent:[4]

They shaved their heads, and had tattoos, and were a lot, lot cooler than the nancy boys of Take That. In the great five-year battle that dominated British pop, East 17 were also on the winning side. Their music was sharper and more streetwise. It was infused with hip hop and sold by the bucketload: 18 million records across Europe, compared with Take That's paltry 17 million.

— Guy Adams

East 17 had twelve top-10 hits on the UK Singles Chart between 1992 and 1998.[5] Their debut album, Walthamstow, reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. It featured a string of Top 20 singles, including "House of Love" and "Deep". "It's Alright" became a major success in Australia, reaching No. 1 in early 1994 for seven consecutive weeks.

Steam (1994)

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In 1994, upon the release of their second album, Steam, East 17 scored their only UK number-one single with "Stay Another Day".

Up All Night (1995–1996)

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The group's next album, 1995's Up All Night, was less successful.

In 1996, the group reached No. 2 with the track "If You Ever", a duet with Gabrielle.[6] The single was featured on their compilation album Around the World Hit Singles: The Journey So Far.

Mortimer's first departure and first split (1997)

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In January 1997, Brian Harvey was engulfed in a drug-related controversy[7] when he claimed that he had taken ecstasy pills on a night out, stating in the press that "It's cool to take drugs" and claiming that ecstasy "can make you a better person".[8]

This went against the group's image, and there was intense media scrutiny, leading to questions being raised in the House of Commons.[9][4] With the group's career and reputation tarnished by the affair, Harvey was immediately sacked and Mortimer decided to leave several months later due to creative differences between himself and the rest of the group.[4]

First reunion and second split (1998–1999)

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Coldwell and Hendy later reinstated Harvey and attempted a comeback in 1998, renaming the group E-17.[10] They landed a record deal with Telstar Records after recording an album's worth of self-written material in their home studios. Their first single as E-17 was "Each Time", which reached No. 2 in the UK. But without Mortimer's songwriting influence, the group's initial success soon wavered; sales of their next single, "Betcha Can't Wait", were disappointing, reaching number 12 in the charts, and their album Resurrection failed to make the UK Top 40. The band was later dropped by their label in 1999 and subsequently split up.[citation needed]

Post-split activities (1999–2006)

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In 2001, Harvey, now as a solo artist, released a collaboration with Wyclef Jean, with the Top-20 single "Loving You", but later returned to perform numerous gigs with Coldwell and Hendy. On the ITV1 docusoap Redcoats, the trio were shown performing at Butlins in Bognor. Whilst in 2005, Harvey, Coldwell, and Hendy performed in Mongolia. In May 2005, Harvey was seriously injured in a car accident, requiring surgery.[11]

Second reunion and Mortimer's second departure (2006–2009)

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On 4 February 2006, Harvey appeared on the UK music television show CD:UK, where he announced that East 17 might make a comeback with its original lineup. In mid-February 2006, the group reformed and played their first comeback concert on 30 May at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London.[5] After reforming for the one-off performance, it was reported that Mortimer had left the group again due to a confrontation with Harvey, leading to an altercation between the two.[4]

A Channel 4 documentary, East 17: The Reunion, which charted the group's rise and fall, along with their subsequent attempt to re-launch, was broadcast in May 2007.[4]

East 17 performing in Sibiu, Romania, on New Year's Eve 2007.

East 17 continued to perform without Mortimer as a trio.[4] They played at the University of Strathclyde on 24 September 2006, after DJ Colin Murray was unable to attend. A new single, "Fuck That", was due to be released in early 2008,[12] along with a new album, "Universalization", but both went unreleased.

East 17 performed at the 2009 Glastonbury Festival on 25 June in the dance lounge.[13] In November 2009, the group collaborated with Mortimer in aid of the Born Free Foundation. They performed two of their best-known songs—"Deep" and "Stay Another Day"—for the Wild & Live! event at the Royal Albert Hall.[citation needed] After the performance, the four agreed that it would be best if they never sang together again. However, according to a BBC Radio 2 interview with Zoë Ball in December 2009, songwriter Tony Mortimer mentioned that the band were on "talking terms" and planning a comeback for 2010.

Mortimer's second return, Harvey's departure, Dreelan's arrival and departure, and Dark Light (2010–2013)

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Tony Mortimer returned to East 17 in 2010. Brian Harvey left soon after, when his commitment was questioned by the rest of the group; he had been missing rehearsals and cancelling performances. In 2011, T-Mobile used the East 17 song "House of Love" in a Royal Wedding "spoof" commercial. In April 2011, it was announced that Blair Dreelan had joined the band for their Back to the Future tour in August and September 2011 to promote their comeback single, "Secret of My Life". On 28 September 2011, Dreelan left the group due to contractual obligations. On 27 November 2011, East 17 appeared as musical guests on X Factor Romania.[14]

East 17's fifth studio album, Dark Light, along with the new single "I Can't Get You Off My Mind", were released in 2012.

Mortimer's third departure, Craig's arrival, 24/7, and Hendy's departure (2013–present)

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Tony Mortimer departed for the third time in 2013. Robbie Craig (born 1967[15]) later joined East 17 in early 2014. John Hendy and Terry Coldwell became the only original members in the group at that stage.[16]

In 2017, East 17 partook in B*Witched's Australia & NZ Tour as a supporting act alongside Atomic Kitten, S Club 3, and Liberty X. During this time, the band released their sixth studio album, 24/7, exclusively in Australia, titling it 24/7: Australian Tour Edition.[17] In June 2018, John Hendy departed the group, citing personal reasons.[18] Since then, Terry John joined the band as Hendy's replacement,[19] performed with them at numerous shows, but eventually also left and was replaced by Joe Livermore.[20]

On 27 August 2021, East 17 released 24/7 internationally.[21]

On 27 May 2022, East 17 released a new single, said to be from an upcoming album, called "I Just Wanna".[22]

On 1 December 2023, the band issued the single "Merry Quitmas".[23] It was released in collaboration with Riot Labs, an anti-smoking charity.[24][25]

On 11 December 2024, they released the single "Tell Me You're the One".[26]

Band members

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Current

  • Terry Coldwell (1991–1997, 1998–1999, 2006–2013, 2014–present)
  • Robbie Craig (2014–present)
  • Joe Livermore (2019–present)

Past

  • Tony Mortimer (1991–1997, 2006, 2010–2013)
  • Brian Harvey (1991–1997, 1998–1999, 2006–2010)
  • John Hendy (1991–1997, 1998–1999, 2006–2013, 2014–2018)
  • Blair Dreelan (2011)
  • Terry John (2018–2019)

Timeline

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Discography

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Main article: East 17 discography

Tours

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Main

  • Letting Off Steam: The Around the World Tour (1994–1995)
  • Moscow Olympic Stadium (1996)
  • East 17 Live in Australia (2012)[27]

Supporting

  • Australia & NZ Tour (2017)

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Work Category Result Ref.
1993 Mercury Prize Walthamstow Album of the Year Nominated
Bravo Otto Awards Themselves Best Pop Band (Bronze) Won
1994 Won
Smash Hits Poll Winners Party Best Group in the World Nominated [28]
Best British Group Nominated
Steam Best Album Nominated
"Steam" Best Single Nominated
Best Pop Video Nominated
1995 Brit Awards "Stay Another Day" Best British Single Nominated
Ivor Novello Awards Most Performed Work Nominated [29]
MTV Europe Music Awards Themselves Best Dance Won [30]
1996 Smash Hits Poll Winners Party "If You Ever" Best Single Nominated [31]
Themselves Best British Group Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Certified Awards". Bpi.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  2. ^ "ROBBIE CRAIG | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com.
  3. ^ Holland, Sinead. "Feature: East 17 star Tony Mortimer is Stansted family man". Herts and Essex Newspapers Ltd. Archived from the original on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Adams, Guy (28 February 2007). "Feature: On the road with East 17". Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Report: East 17 play one-off reunion show". IPC Media. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  6. ^ "East 17 Featuring Gabrielle at OfficialCharts.com". OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  7. ^ "East 17 singer sacked for making ecstasy remarks". The Independent. 18 January 1997. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  8. ^ "One Direction: when teen poppers turn rock'n'roll". the Guardian. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  9. ^ Barry Legg (16 January 1997). "Prime Minister's Questions". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 450. What is his reaction to the comments made today by Brian Harvey of East 17, who says that Ecstasy makes people feel better and that he takes up to 12 tablets a day?
    Nigel Evans (16 January 1997). "Business of the House". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 463. Brian Harvey and East 17 are idolised by many thousands of youngsters, some as young as 12. All the campaigning that has been done by voluntary bodies and others may now be jeopardised by the fact that Brian Harvey has come up with those stupid remarks.
    Barry Legg (17 January 1997). "Public Entertainments Licences (Drug Misuse) Bill". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 526. We heard some dreadful remarks from Mr. Brian Harvey of East 17. [...] However, there was also a promising sign yesterday. I spoke to a 12-year-old schoolgirl in my constituency, who said that she would be taking down the posters of East 17. [...] Incidentally, I was pleased yesterday to note that many radio stations and record companies said that they would ban the music of East 17.
  10. ^ "Report: E17 star on drugs charges". BBC. 15 June 2002. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  11. ^ "Report: Singer Harvey hopes to walk again". BBC. 8 August 2005. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  12. ^ Colothan, Scott (25 January 2008). "Report: Brian Harvey: 'East 17 Will Take On Take That'". Gigwise.com. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  13. ^ Swash, Rosie (25 June 2009). "Review: East 17 at Glastonbury 2009". Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  14. ^ "Noi artisti internationali urca pe scena X Factor. East 17 canta duminica la Antena 1!" (in Romanian). Antena 1. 24 November 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  15. ^ director (24 June 2023). "Robbie Craig member of East 17". East 17. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  16. ^ Bayley, Leanne (29 January 2014). "East 17 are back! But um, who the hell is Robbie Craig?". Glamourmagazine.co.uk.
  17. ^ "East 17 Drop New Album 24/7". Auspop. 17 February 2017. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  18. ^ "East 17 Fans". Archived from the original on 26 February 2022 – via Facebook.
  19. ^ "East 17 Fans". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022.
  20. ^ Pickstock, Heather (26 December 2021). "The day boy band East 17 gigged at a Somerset school". SomersetLive. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  21. ^ "East 17 Release New Album and Music Video". music-news.com. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  22. ^ "East 17 Brand New Single". Pressparty. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Merry Quitmas – East17 X Riot". Spotify. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  24. ^ Shaw, Neil (5 December 2023). "E17 hoping for Christmas number one with song about sick Santa". Berkshire Live. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  25. ^ Jackson, Daisy (15 December 2023). "You can book East 17 to sing their iconic Christmas song on your doorstep (for some reason)". The Manc. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  26. ^ "East 17 – Tell Me You're the One". Official Charts. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  27. ^ "East 17". Eventfinda.com.au.
  28. ^ "Articles On Smash Hits". Smash Hits Magazine Remembered. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  29. ^ "Archive | the Ivors | the Ivors Academy | Champions of Music Creators".
  30. ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 28 October 1995. Retrieved 27 April 2020 – via Google Books.
  31. ^ "Articles On Smash Hits". Smash Hits Magazine Remembered. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
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