The Foundations | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Soul, pop, rock |
| Years active | 1966–1971 |
| Labels | Pye, Castle, Uni |
| Spinoffs | Development |
| Spinoff of | The Ramong Sound |
| Past members | Eric Allandale Pat Burke Clem Curtis Mike Elliott Tony Gomez Tim Harris Peter MacBeth Alan Warner |
The Foundations were a British soul band (m. 1967–1970). The group's background was: West Indian, White British and Sri Lankan. Their 1967 debut single "Baby Now That I've Found You" reached number one in the UK and Canada, and number eleven in the US, while their 1968 single "Build Me Up Buttercup" reached number two in the UK and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. The group was the first multi-racial group to have a number one hit in the UK in the 1960s.[1]
The Foundations were one of the few British acts to successfully imitate what became known as the Motown Sound. The Foundations signed to Pye, at the time one of only four big UK record companies (the others being EMI, which included the HMV, Columbia and Parlophone labels, Decca, and Philips, which also owned Fontana).[2]
The Foundations attracted much interest and intrigue due to the size and structure of the group. Not only was there a diverse ethnic mix in the group, but there was also diversity in ages and musical backgrounds. The oldest member of the group, Mike Elliott, was 38 years old. The youngest was Tim Harris, who, at 18, was barely out of school. The West Indian horn section consisted of Jamaican-born Mike Elliott and Pat Burke, both saxophonists and Dominican-born Eric Allandale on trombone. They were all highly experienced musicians who came from professional jazz and rock-and-roll backgrounds. Mike Elliott had played in various jazz and rock and roll bands including Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott,[3] the Cabin Boys (led by Tommy Steele's brother, Colin Hicks), and others.[4] He had also recorded under his own name for Sonny Roberts' Planetone label which issued early ska and reggae records. He was also a member of Rico's Combo, the house band led by Rico Rodriguez.[5][6][7] Pat Burke had studied music at the London Music Conservatorium.[8] He had also been in groups since arriving in the UK at age 15.[9] Eric Allandale had led his own band The New Orleans Knights at one stage,[10] and had released two singles, one of which was "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think)".[11] He also played with Edmundo Ros and was a former member of the Terry Lightfoot[12] and Alex Welsh bands.[13] He was also a member of Romeo Z who recorded the title song for the film, Kaleidoscope,[14] and a 1967 CBS single "Come Back, Baby Come Back" which was produced by Irving Martin.[15][16][17] Guitarist Alan Warner had been in a bands, The Skeletones, and The Line-up, a Dublin based group which was doing well on the club scene. Warner turned down an offer to join The Black Eagles which included Phil Lynott and Brian Downey.[18][19] Bassist Peter Macbeth was a former teacher. Tony Gomez, the keyboard player, was a former clerk,[citation needed] while Clem Curtis had been an interior decorator and professional boxer.[20] He had also done some wrestling and weight lifting.[21][22]
The origins of The Foundations go back to an outfit called The Ramong Sound,[23][24] aka Ramongs, and there were two lead singers, Raymond Morrison (aka Ramong Morrison[25]) and Clem Curtis.[26] Curtis had come to the group by way of his uncle who used to come around with his guitar and Curtis would sing along with him. Impressed with his nephew's singing he said to him, "There's this guy with a band called the Ramongs who is looking for singers". So Curtis went along and ended up joining the band.[27] Moving up from being a backing singer, he was sharing the lead with Raymond Morrison.[28] At some stage, Raymond was imprisoned for six months. Following his absence, a friend of the band suggested future Psychedelic shock rocker Arthur Brown.[29] Brown was a straight clean living man. He didn't drink, smoke or take drugs.[30] One of the members recalled a couple of years later that they did experiment with some underground-type music when Brown was with them.[31] Brown and Clem Curtis would each perform solo numbers as well as duets.[32] Prior to Brown they did unsuccessfully try to recruit Rod Stewart. They did have a jam session with Stewart but be turned down their offer as was going for other musical styles.[18] Alan Warner recalled that Stewart's girlfriend at the time ended up being the secretary for The Foundations management.[33][34]
The Foundations are said to have come together in Bayswater, London, in January 1967. They practiced and played in a basement club called the Butterfly Club, which they ran. The premises at one time were used as a gambling den.[35] While managing the club themselves, they played music nightly, and handled the cooking and cleaning. They would get to bed around 6 or 7 a.m., sleep until 4 p.m., get up and begin again to get ready to open at 8 p.m. Sometimes they barely made enough money to pay the rent, let alone feed themselves. At times, they lived off the leftovers and a couple of pounds of rice.[36][18]
The February 4, 1967 issue of Melody Maker shows a book for The Ramong Sound (mis-spelt as Ramog Sound) to play at the All-Star Club on Sunday, February 5th.[37]
Arthur Brown appears to have left the group between the first and second quarter or 1967.[38] Following their being forced out of their club by a protection racket gang, they moved next door to the new premises, a run down place that was once a mini-cab office. According to Alan Warner in his interview with It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine, dated 22 July 2011, this is where they were discovered.[18] The biography on AllMusic stated that Barry Class was the first to discover them,[1] although others claim it was Ron Fairway, a man with many music connections and who managed the group, The Ways and Means.[39][40]
The day Tony Macaulay came to hear them play, he was suffering from what he described as the worst hangover of his life. The band was playing so loud he could not judge how good they were, but he decided to give them a chance.[3] He would later comment in the book, 1000 UK No. 1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, that he woke up that morning with a stinking headache, and when he got to the studio and heard the Foundations, he thought they were pretty terrible. He decided his hangover was to blame, and so he gave them the benefit of the doubt.[41]
At first, they found progress quite slow, and one of their sax players, Pat Burke, had to drop out of the band and take another job while they went through a rough patch. He did rejoin them again later in 1967.[42] [43]
They were noticed by Brian Epstein, who added them to the roster of his NEMS Agency, but the contract became void when he died.[44]
"Baby Now That I've Found You" was released on August 25, 1967. Reviewed in the Quick Spins section of Disc and Music Echo, the reviewer Benny Valentine liked it but remarked that it needed a bit more drive on the production and singing. A sleeper,[45][46] it went nowhere. Luckily, the BBC's newly founded BBC Radio 1 was looking to avoid any records being played by the pirate radio stations and looked back at some recent releases that the pirate stations had missed. "Baby, Now That I've Found You" was one of them. The single then took off and, by November, was number one in the UK Singles Chart.[2] They were pictured on the front page of the November 11 issue of Melody Maker. Moving up from the previous week's no. 2 spot, they pushed The Bee Gees' single, "Massachusetts" off of the no. 1 spot of the Melody Maker Pop 30 chart.[47][48] This was the ideal time because of the soul boom that was happening in The UK since 1965 and, with American R&B stars visiting the country, interest and intrigue in the Foundations was generated. [citation needed]
When they were at the top spot with "Baby, Now That I've Found You", Ron Fairway commented to Melody Maker that most managements would have pulled them out of the "bargain priced dates" that had been booked for some time. He expressed gratitude to everyone for their support, and said that they would fulfill every engagement for which they had signed.[3]
Not long after "Baby, Now That I've Found You" became a hit, there were issues. Rock historian Roger Dopson describes what followed as a "behind the scenes struggle",[3] where Fairway was "pushed out" and his partner, Barry Class, remained as sole manager of the group. Fairway later attempted to sue the band, alleging that he was wrongfully dismissed, though the band said that he had resigned of his own accord.[49] Dopson also noted that Fairway also leaked a story to the media saying that the Foundations had broken up which only served to keep the Foundations name in the news headlines.[3] [50]
After "Baby Now that I've Found You" got it's hit status, here was talk within the group of adding a trumpet player to the line-up. Both Eric and Pat could double on trumpet, but they were still looking to add one.[51]
The Foundations did tour the United States after their first hit and they toured 32 states with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Maxine Brown, Tim Buckley, Solomon Burke, The Byrds, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and The Fifth Dimension.[52]
According to bass guitarist Peter MacBeth, they had a choice of three songs. They recorded two and then chose "Back on My Feet Again".[53] This, their second single was released in January 1968,[54] It made its debut at no. 24 in the Melody Maker Pop 30 on the week of February 10.[55] It did not do as well but made it to No. 18 in the UK,[2] and No. 29 in Canada. Also in January 1968, they were invited to put down some tracks for John Peel's radio show. One of the tracks that they laid down was a cover of ? and the Mysterians garage classic "96 Tears".[54][56] On the same day, PP Arnold was in the studio with Dusty Springfield and Madeline Bell as her backing vocalists.[54]
Bass player Peter MacBeth was interviewed by Bob Dawbarn for the February 17 issue of Melody Maker. He said that they had a van for their equipment and had recently bought a twelve-seater car that used to belong to the Queen Mother. There was still speculation on whether the group would add a trumpet player. Macbeth said that if they do go to the United States, they would pick up one to tour with them.[57]
Around the time after the release of "Back on My Feet Again" (their second single), tensions developed between the band and their songwriter/producer, Tony Macaulay. He would not allow them to record any of their own songs.[1] In an interview, the band's organ player, Tony Gomez, told the New Musical Express (NME) in an interview that he, Peter MacBeth, and Eric Allandale had some ideas that they wanted to put together. Curtis later recalled that Macaulay was a problem. "Tony Macaulay was very talented, but could be difficult to get on with. When we asked to record some of our own material – just as B sides, we weren't after the A side – he called us 'ungrateful' and stormed out of the studio."[3] The group felt that Macaulay had reined in their "real" sound, making them seem more pop-oriented than they were .[1] Tony Macaulay was later to recall, "I was never close to the Foundations. I couldn't stand them, and they hated me! But the body of work we recorded was excellent."[3]
The group was in France in January and they appeared on the Bouton Rouge television show. Their appearance was recorded on the 30th.[58]
A third single, also released in 1968 "Any Old Time (You're Lonely and Sad)". It entered the UK charts at no. 48 and stayed around for 2 weeks.[59][2]
Rumors had leaked out that Clem Curtis may be leaving the group. The group had been together for a year when there was speculation Curtis may be leaving. The August 31 issue of Melody Maker wrote that at presstime no confirmation could be obtained. However, they wrote that he wanted to develop his career and record as a solo artist with Tony Macaulay.[60] It was also suggested that Curtis left in 1968, because he felt that a couple of the band's members were taking it a bit too easy, thinking that because they had now had a hit, they did not have to put in as much effort as they had previously.[1] Saxophonist Mike Elliott also left around this time and was never replaced. Curtis hung around and helped them audition a replacement singer. They auditioned 200 singers.[61][62] It was reported in a Melody Maker article in September, 1968 that they were also trying out Warren Davis of the Warren Davis Monday Band to replace him. He said he would not leave the band until they found a replacement.[63] He had become friendly with Sammy Davis Jr.,[64] and was encouraged to try his luck in the United States. Also in that month, they played at the Brave New World in Portsmouth. Drummer Tim Harris was out of action due to a poisoned arm and Eric Allandale filled in as the drummer. They were also set to go into the studio in October to record and it was speculated that it would be with the new singer.[65]
Curtis moved to the United States for a solo career on the club circuit, encouraged by the likes of Wilson Pickett and Sam & Dave, playing Las Vegas with The Righteous Brothers.
Clem Curtis' successful replacement was Colin Young.[66] Young was born in Barbados and had previously been in a group called Joe E. Young and the Tonics.[67] Young had joined the group in late September / early October. He had been rehearsing with them for the week of October 5 and was ready to make his debut on Friday October 4 at Aberdeen University.[68][69]
With Young the band had two more big hits; "Build Me Up Buttercup" which was their third hit in January 1969 and "In the Bad Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)" which was a hit in April 1969,[2] and reached No. 23 in Canada 5 May that year.
With "In the Bad Bad Old Days" in the Melody Maker Pop 30 chart at no. 16 on the Week of March 29,[70] the bass player was interviewed. He said that the group wanted to have two albums out that year. The second album would be done after coming back from their US tour. He said that several months prior, they had written some songs for a freaky type of LP. He also said that if they played underground type numbers in the US, people would listen but he was unsure about back home in the UK how it would be received.[71] Around that time they had been asked by John Carter-Davies, a Texas oil millionaire to play at a 21st birthday party for his son David. When they were on tour with Stevie Wonder, they had success with a ballad they performed. This prompted them to consider releasing a Macaulay / Macleod ballad, tentatively titled, "No Place on Earth Could Find Him" (later referred to as "No Place on Earth Could Find You"[72]).[73]
At the height of their popularity, the Foundations management were in negotiations with a UK TV company for a television series that would star members of the band. They had turned down a number of offers to appear in films because of script unsuitability.[74]
It was noted by NME in the April 19 issue that the group had just finished a tour with Stevie Wonder and were completing their third album. They were also on their way to the US for their second major tour and had expectations of recording in Detroit. They were in the NME Top Five that week as well.[75] The group's publicist Rod Harrod was interviewed by New Musical Express about the Foundation's US tour which was published in the magazine's May 17 issue. At the time the group was halfway through their tour, and the lineup was Peter Macbeth, Eric Allandale, Tony Gomez, Tim Harris, Alan Warner, Pat Burke and Colin Young. The show they played at the Filmore was opened by The Savoy Brown Blues Band and was closed by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The group knew what kind of audience there would be.[76] They were preparing for their second appearance at the Filmore when they had a phone call from the manager of the Copa club. He informed them that a couple of members of The Temptations had been taken unwell and asked if the Foundations could step in for the night. Not knowing that the group played their own instruments, he asked them to go immediately to rehearse with the house orchestra. The group made history of sorts by becoming the first act to play as a band there as well as playing in clothes other than the suit types. The group also did well by earning a week's worth of pay in one night. They had also secured a booking for when they were on their next tour in next November / October. They also played at the Cheetah which earned them $14,000 for just one night.[77] They had been booked to play at a club in Dayton, Ohio. At the time of booking, the manager hadn't realize that they were a multi-racial group and wasn't going to let them go on. However, he changed his mind.[78] The group had planned to do a week's worth of recording at Motown Studios but couldn't get a recording permit so that was cancelled. So they instead were booked in for a week's worth cabaret work in Detroit. They were also to do a week in Toronto. Publicist Harrod wondered why they never received requests to play in Canada. He noted that there was another group in Canada that went by the same name.[79]
In the July 5 issue of Billboard it was reported that Barry Class had negotiated a new contract for the group with Pye. It was also noted that the group would take charge of producing their own material.[80] Tony Gomez was interviewed by Ian Middleton of Record Mirror for the August 2 issue. In reply to Middleton's question about the group changing musical direction, he said, "We've changed it some already". He also said "We all think the same musically". And he mentioned that they had split from Tony Macaulay because things got stale.[81]
Their album, Digging the Foundations was released in 1969. Containing twelve tracks, half of them were original compositions by the band members. The album cover showed the band members in prison garb, ball and chain with shovels and picks.[82] An ad in the April 26 issue of Billboard said that it was due for release in the US shortly.[83] It received a track-by-track review in the July 5 issue of Disc and Music Echo.[84] Due to South African authorities not allowing mixed groups to be seen, the album had to be issued there in a plain cover.[85]
In mid-'69, the group was approached to record music for two films. One was Take a Girl Like You which starred Hayley Mills and the other, The Games starring Stanley Baker. Also on Friday July 19, the group's van was being unloaded in Birmingham and Alan Warner's Fender Strantocaster was stolen. Due to the act, the group had to delay the recording of the B side to their single, "Born to Live, Born to Die". This in turn delayed the release of the single by a week. The new release date was set for August 8.[86][87]
It was reported by The New Musical Express in the August 9 issue that The Foundations were planning a rock-musical pantomime. It was supposed to be based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. There was a plan to use a colored actress to play snow white. They were allegedly working on music for the presentation and if a suitable theater could be found then it could go ahead. The group's aspirations were to have it done in the style of Hair. There had also been some dialogue with a major film company, depending on the success of it.[88]
The group were going to spend ten days from the beginning of October to film their musical contribution to Take a Girl Like You.
They were to begin an English tour with Chuck Berry that was to begin on September 27. There was also hope to have Creedence Clearwater Revival added as well. It was cancelled due to the promoters dropping Berry. Due to Creedence Clearwater Revival being unavailable and no other suitable top acts being found, it was all cancelled. The Foundations however were planning to tour the UK in early 1970.
The group also had a tentative booking for an Australian tour at Christmas time.[89]
The Foundations were at no. 1 in the Top Male Vocal Group category,[90] and "Build Me Up Buttercup" was no. 10 in the Top Record category in the August 16 issue of Record World.[91]
Bassist Peter Macbeth left the band in 1969, to join the group Bubastis with Bernie Living,[92][93] Steve Bingham became the replacement bass guitarist in 1969.[94]
Having left Barry Class's management, the group had joined a management company headed by Mike Dolan of Marquee-Martin and Jim Dawson. Barry Class took legal action against the group. Class was granted temporary injunctions by High Court Judge McGarry to restrain Dawson from disposing of any documents relating to the group. Also, with contracts negotiated prior to Nov. 28, 1969 (the day of contract breach), a percentage of money was to go to Class. The article in the January 3, 1970 issue of Billboard also mentioned that the group's royalties had been frozen. Dawson was also ordered to return any documents belonging to Class.[95]
An article appeared in the March 21 issue of Record Mirror when their current single was "Take a Girl Like You. The article told of the group's frustration with the material they were performing live and the teen scene they were having play on. With disgust, Colin Young explained that they were having to perform the same music on stage for the last two years which he felt was getting stale. One of the only other songs they were performing that wasn't one of their hits was the song "Help Me" by Sonny Boy Williamson. At the time of the article, the line up was given as Eric Allandale, Pat Burke, Tony Gomez, Tim Harris, Steve Bingham and Alan Warner. The group was also leaning towards a more progressive sound.[96]
After a successful run of hits, the Foundations broke off with their management and a Bill Graham-sponsored tour to support The Temptations at the newly opened Copacabana club. This ended up in disaster and the band came back to the UK in low spirits. It had been previously reported in a publicity sheet around early December 1969 that the band had broken away from their manager Barry Class. Jim Dawson who was formerly their agent and Mike Dolan took over the group's affairs.[97] The group's final hits were "Born to Live, Born to Die" which was written by Eric Allandale.[98] and "My Little Chickadee", a US only hit which barely made the hot 100.[citation needed]
"My Little Chickadee" proved to be the band's last hit. In spite of releasing "Take a Girl Like You", the title song to the Oliver Reed and Hayley Mills film, and a heavy blues rock song "I'm Gonna Be a Rich Man".[citation needed]
It was reported by New Musical Express in the week ending October 10, 1970 issue that lead singer Colin Young had left the group to persue a solo career. He had already signed a contract with Barry Class and was putting together his new group which was called Development.[99]
The Foundations split in late 1970.[citation needed]
During their time, the group took on bassists, Tony Collinge (possibly joined when the group left Barry Class in '69),[citation needed] Paul Lockey (in '70) who had been with Robert Plant in Band of Joy.[100][citation needed]
In late 1970 Barry Class attempted to have the Foundations name revived. The band had Graham Preskett as the musical director and on electric violin and guitar. Other members Jean Roussel on keys and Roger Cawkwell on sax and flute and Colin Young on vocals. The group had an agreement with management that the group would appear as The Foundations but between gigs Colin Young would explain that they were becoming a new outfit called Development. They toured throughout Latin America and even played at the Expo-Show in Buenos Aires. They continued though to early 1971.[citation needed]
The last record released in the early 1970s as "The Foundations" was a single "Stoney Ground" b/w "I'll Give You Love" MCA MCA 5075 1971.[101] There would be two more singles released credited to "The Foundations" in the late 1970s.[102][103]
Colin Young had an album released on the Stateside label, In The Beginning and credited to Colin Young's Development.[104][105] The musicians on the album included Graham Preskett on violin, guitar, banjo, harmonica, melodica, Steve Bingham on bass, Roger Cawkwell on flute, recorder and saxophones, Jean Roussel on organ and piano and Eddie "Tan Tan" Thornton on trombone and trumpet etc..[106] That year he also had a single, "Any Time at All" bw "You're No Good" released on Trend 6099 005. It was produced by Tony Rockliff and Barry Class.[107] It was also released on Uni 55286. A Hot 100 prediction, it was in Billboard's Top 60 Pop Spotlight section for the week ending June 5, 1971.[108]
When Curtis returned to the UK, he formed a new version of the group with little success in spite of releasing several singles, but later had a lucrative spell on the 1960s nostalgia circuit. Re-formed members include John Springate,[109] Derek "Del" Watson, Paul Wilmot (all members of the band Elegy) and Roy Carter who later on joined Heatwave.[110]
Also in the 1970s, there would be a collaborative attempt between two former members of the Foundations. Original Foundations trombonist Eric Allandale attempted to work with original Foundations drummer Tim Harris.[111]
According to an article about Brian Johnston of the White Plains on the White Plains Chronicles website, there is information provided James Payne that gives a partial line up of a 1973 version of the band. Listed were Clem Curtis on vocals, Eric Allandale on trombone, Brian Johnston on keyboards and Jim Payne on drums.[112]
In the mid-1970s, while Clem Curtis and the Foundations were on the road, there was also another Foundations line-up that was led by Colin Young who were touring at the same time, and were playing basically the same material. This eventually led to court action which resulted in Curtis being allowed to bill his group as either the Foundations or Clem Curtis & the Foundations. Young was allowed to bill himself as "The New Foundations", or as "Colin Young & the New Foundations".[3]
Also in the mid-1970s, Young and his group, The New Foundations, released a lone single on Pye, "Something for My Baby" / "I Need Your Love".[3] There were actually two more singles released in the late 1970s as the Foundations. They were "Where Were You When I Needed Your Love" / "Love Me Nice and Easy" and "Closer to Loving You" / "Change My Life" on the Summit and Psycho labels.[113] These featured Curtis as the lead singer.
The group were competitors in the Eurovision '77 with "Where Were You When I Needed Your Love".[114] They were picked to be winners but due to a strike by electricians, they weren't televised.[115] Also that month, "Where Were You When I Needed Your Love" was being played on Radio Tees and David Hoare had it as a hit pick.[116]
In 1984, Clem Curtis & The Foundations recorded a version of On Broadway" that was released on the IDM label that year. Charting in the UK, it debuted in the IPA Airplay Top 10 on September 1 at no. 3 and was at no. 5 on the 29th.[117][118]
In the early 1990s, an album of rerecording was released. It featured Clem Curtis on lead vocals, Alan Warner on guitar, Vince Cross on keyboards and Andy Bennett on drums. The recordings were arranged and produced by Keith Bateman. Released on Double Play GRF176, it included the old hits plus new tracks, "You Can't Fool Me", "Knock On Wood", "No-One Loves Me Like You Do", "Together", "Love You Now", "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay" and "Loving You".[119][120]
There was another line-up formed in 1999 that included Young (vocals), Alan Warner (Guitar), Steve Bingham (bass), Gary Moberly (keyboards), Tony Laidlaw (sax) and Sam Kelly then Steve Dixon (drums). This version of the group was re-formed due to the popularity of the film There's Something About Mary, and the interest created resulting from the 1968 hit "Build Me Up Buttercup" being featured in the film. Some time later, Young left this version of the group and was replaced by Hue Montgomery (aka Hugh Montgomery).[citation needed]
As of August 2008, the line up of the re-created Foundations group was Hubert Montgomery on lead vocals, Dave Graham on guitar and vocals, Gary Moberley on keyboards, Sam Kelly on percussion, Steve Bingham on bass and Alan Walsh on saxophone.[121]
Various sources erroneously state that there was an early 1970s English line-up that had nothing, or little to do with, the original Foundations. However, Curtis had been leading a new line-up of the Foundations since coming back to the UK and re-forming the group in the early 1970s.[citation needed]
Following the touring with The Foundations and the fatigue that went with it, Alan Warner was happy to settle down and spend time with his wife and daughter and had recently moved into their home in Edgeware, NW London. Answering an ad, he joined a band which had already been formed. It was the rock group Pluto. The line up also included Paul Gardner, Derek Jarvis and Michael Worth.[122] They recorded an album which was released on the Dawn label which was a subsidiary of Pye.[123][124] The band also released a single, "Rag a Bone Joe" bw "Stealing My Thunder in October 1971,[125] They followed up with a single "I Really Want It" bw " Something That You Loved" in 1972.[126]
In 1975, Clem Curtis recorded a disco version of "Unchained Melody" which spent three weeks in the Record Mirror UK Disco Chart, peaking at no. 75.[127] In 2005, he recorded the single "Stuck in a Wind Up" which was credited to Lord Large feat. Clem Curtis. Years later, spending a week in the iTunes chart, it peaked at no. 54 on April 3, 2022.[128]
Clem Curtis died on 27 March 2017 at age 76, from lung cancer.[129]
From the band's beginning to their breakup towards the end of 1970, the Foundations released ten singles in the United Kingdom including two versions of the same song. The majority of the singles were composed by Tony Macaulay and John Macleod. They had four significant hits from these plus a minor hit with one of their own compositions, "Born to Live, Born to Die". They had minor hit with "My Little Chickadee" in the United States. This was written by Tony Macaulay and John Macleod.[132] There were other titles announced that were either never recorded or were never released. They were "Our Love Went Thataway",[133] "Tear Jerker, Music-worker, You" which was to be released around the same time as "Better By Far" by Lulu and "No Place On Earth Could Find You".[74] In 1971, the single "Stoney Ground" was released. It is believed that this single was actually by Colin Young and his new backing band Development. It seems quite likely as the Colin Young and Development debut single "Any Time at All" pre-dates "Stoney Ground". In the mid and late 1970s, there were two more singles released under the Foundations’ name. They were "Where Were You When I Needed Your Love" and "Closer to Loving You" which featured the Northern Soul classic "Change My Life" as the B side. These last two singles to bear the Foundations’ name featured Clem Curtis once more as the lead vocalist.
During the 1960s, the Foundations recorded and released four LPs in the United Kingdom. Before the release of their debut album, it was originally announced in the October 1967, by Beat Instrumental Monthly, that the debut album's title was to be Sound Basis.[36] However, when it was released on Pye, it had the title of From the Foundations. The American version of this album, on the Uni label, was given the title of Baby, Now That I've Found You. This album featured Curtis on lead vocals. The next release was in 1968. It was a live LP called Rocking the Foundations, and also featured Curtis on lead vocals, plus two instrumentals – "The Look of Love" and "Coming Home Baby". Also in 1968, another LP was released, this time on the Marble Arch label. This self-titled third album featured re-recordings of their previous hits and songs, but with Young on vocals instead of Curtis. It also featured a version of a new track, "Build Me Up Buttercup". There was also a second American album released called Build Me Up Buttercup. This was a compilation of Foundations tracks. Side one consisted of tracks from their Rocking the Foundations album, while side two consisted of "Build Me Up Buttercup", the B side of that single, plus some earlier Foundations tracks. The group's last LP release was Digging The Foundations in 1969, which featured their hit "In the Bad Bad Old Days", "I Can Feel It", "That Same Old Feeling" and the minor US hit "My Little Chickadee". A track "Why Does She Keep On" that was mentioned in the 26 April 1969 issue of Billboard magazine was not included.[134] Since then, there have been various compilations of the Foundations songs, released on both the Golden Hour and PRT labels.[135][136]
UK EPs 7"
UK EPs 12"
UK CDs
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [2] |
AUS [138] |
CAN |
IRE |
NLD [139] |
NZ [140] |
US Hot 100 [137] |
US R&B [137] | |||
| 1967 | "Baby Now That I've Found You" | 1 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 33 | |
| 1968 | "Back on My Feet Again" | 18 | — | 29 | 18 | 32 | — | 59 | — | |
| "Any Old Time (You're Lonely and Sad)" | 48 | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | ||
| "Build Me Up Buttercup" | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | — | ||
| 1969 | "In the Bad Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)" | 8 | — | 23 | 7 | — | 20 | 51 | — | |
| "Born to Live, Born to Die" | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "My Little Chickadee" | — | — | 68 | — | — | — | 99 | — | ||
| "Baby, I Couldn't See" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970 | "Take a Girl Like You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "I'm Gonna Be a Rich Man" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971 | "Stoney Ground" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1977 | "Where Were You When I Needed Your Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1978 | "Closer to Loving You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998 | "Build Me Up Buttercup" (UK re-release) | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
