The Real Thing: Pioneers of British Soul and Funk

The Real Thing are a British soul and funk band from Liverpool, who rose to fame in the 1970s. They are best known for their chart-topping disco anthem "You to Me Are Everything," which helped define the sound of UK pop-soul in that era.

Early career

The group was formed in Liverpool in 1970 by brothers Chris and Eddy Amoo alongside Dave Smith and Ray Lake. Their early sound blended soul harmonies with emerging funk rhythms, leading to their debut album "The Real Thing" in 1972 on the Pye Records label.

Breakthrough

The band's major breakthrough came in 1976 after signing with Pye's subsidiary label, Handshake. Their second album, "4 from 8," spawned the massive single You to Me Are Everything, which spent three weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Key tracks

You to Me Are Everything — This 1976 disco-soul crossover became the band's signature hit, selling over a million copies in the UK and achieving platinum status.

Can't Get By Without You — The successful 1976 follow-up single that solidified their chart dominance, also reaching the UK Top 10.

Can You Feel the Force — A 1979 track that marked a shift towards a more electronic, disco-funk sound and became another major UK Top 5 hit.

Love's Such a Wonderful Thing — This 1978 single demonstrated their enduring soulful balladry and secured another Top 10 placement.

The success of their 1976-1979 hits propelled the album "4 from 8" to gold certification in the UK. The band continued to release albums throughout the late 70s and 80s, including "Step into Our World" and "It's Your World," maintaining a loyal fanbase.

Their music has been sampled by numerous hip-hop and dance artists, underlining their lasting influence. The Real Thing have toured consistently for decades, with the Amoo brothers remaining at the core, and were recognized with a MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2017.

Fans of The Real Thing's brand of melodic soul and danceable funk should also explore the work of similar UK acts. Hot Chocolate shared a similar trajectory of smooth soul-pop with major chart success. Light Of The World were key players in the same British jazz-funk and boogie scene. Central Line delivered a comparable mix of funk rhythms and soulful vocals in the early 80s. The Stylistics represent the classic Philadelphia soul harmony style that heavily influenced The Real Thing's sound.

The vibrant soul and classic disco tracks from The Real Thing remain staples on classic hits FM stations and specialist retro dance radio streams. Their music is frequently featured in rotations that celebrate the peak era of 1970s pop-soul.

You can hear the timeless music of The Real Thing on the radio stations featured here on onairium.com. Tune in to discover their classic hits and deeper album cuts across our curated selection of stations.