Love Inc. (group)

Love Inc.
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresHouse, Eurodance
Years active1997–2000, 2002–2003
LabelsVIK/RCA
Past membersChris Sheppard
Brad Daymond
Simone Denny

Love Inc. were a Canadian Eurodance music group from Toronto, Ontario. The group was formed by DJ/remixer/producers Chris Sheppard and Brad Daymond, with Simone Denny on vocals.

Musical career

Sheppard and Denny previously worked together in dance outfit BKS.

The group scored its first major hit on the Canadian pop chart with "Broken Bones", which won Best Video at the 1998 MuchMusic Video Awards.[1] "Broken Bones" peaked at number 6 (Canadian Airplay) and #23 (Top 100 singles) in 1998. The group performed it during the halftime show at the 86th Grey Cup.

It was followed that same year by "You're a Superstar". "You're a Superstar" also became the band's only hit in the United States, where it peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1999. The singles "Who Do You Love" and "Homeless" followed in 1999.

In 1999, Daymond left the group to pursue a remix and production career with Alex Greggs as "Riprock & Alex G". After Love Inc.'s self-titled album was released, Sheppard and Denny continued as a duo and in 2000 released Into the Night, which included the title track, "Come On (It's Only Love)", and "Here Comes the Sunshine". It would also be their last album. Five singles in total reached the # 1 position on the Canadian Dance Charts published by the now-defunct publications The Record and RPM Magazine.

The group's debut album remains the only dance album created domestically in Canada to achieve platinum certification (sales over 100,000 units).

Love Inc. were also aided by Frankfurt-based pop dance innovator Peter Ries, who co-produced both albums with the band. Other participants included composer Vincent DeGiorgio and Germany's Doug Laurent and award-winning songwriter/artist Dan Hill.

A few years after their break up, they would achieve success overseas when "You're a Superstar" and "Broken Bones" became hits in the UK and Ireland. "You're a Superstar" spent four weeks at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart in December 2002, and "Broken Bones" reached number 8 in May 2003.[2] "Do Ya (Feel The Love)", co-written with Ms. Denny, was also featured on the initial Queer As Folk soundtrack, released on RCA Victor worldwide. You're a Superstar was featured on the Christmas special series finale of The Office as music in the background.

In 2003, Denny provided the vocals for Widelife's track "All Things (Just Keep Getting Better)", the theme from Queer Eye For The Straight Guy.[3][4]

In 2013, Denny returned to performing with a touring version of Love Inc., this time billing themselves as "Love Inc. Featuring Simone Denny," performing the band's songs at nightclubs across Canada.

Brad Daymond (born Bradley Daymond Ralph on February 22, 1970, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) died on August 3, 2018, from complications after a cardiac arrest he had suffered three months earlier, at the age of 48.[5][6]

An unrelated band of the same name released a single called "Love is the Message" in 1991, which in February of that year charted for three weeks, peaking at number 59 on the UK Singles Chart.[7]

Legacy

  • "Broken Bones" would be used as a sampled track on Canadian rapper Belly's 2011 single "Purple Drugs," using the main lyrics from "Broken Bones" ("...Take a ride on a purple airplane, honey I don't know when I'll be back again") as the basis for the song.

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
CAN
[8][9]
Love Inc.
  • Release date: 1998
  • Label: BMG Music Canada
  • Formats: CD
33
Into the Night
  • Release date: August 29, 2000
  • Label: BMG Music Canada
  • Formats: CD
46

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
CAN
[11]
CAN
Dance

[12]
AUS
[13]
NED
[14]
UK
[2]
US
Dance

[15]
1997 "Broken Bones" 23 1 52 8 Love Inc.
1998 "You're a Superstar" 13 1 57 23 7 22
"Homeless" 21 1
1999 "Who Do U Love" 18 1
2000 "Come On (It's Only Love)" Into the Night
"Here Comes the Sunshine" 14[a] 1
"Into the Night" 39
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Notes

  1. ^ "Here Comes the Sunshine" reached number 14 when RPM ceased publication in November 2000.

References

  1. ^ "Best Video Winners 1991-2003". MuchMusic. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
  2. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 331. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy Goes Into The Record Business". Chart. 25 November 2003. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-22.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ "Duran Duran Debut New Song On Queer Eye Soundtrack". Chart. 14 January 2004. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved 2008-11-22.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "Bradley Raymond Ralph February 22, 1970 - August 3, 2018". Peaceful Transition. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  6. ^ Friend, David (8 August 2018). "Bradley Daymond, Love Inc. member who worked with 'N Sync, dies at age 48". Ctvnews.ca. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  7. ^ "love-inc- - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  10. ^ a b c "Canadian certifications – Love Inc". Music Canada. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  11. ^ *Canada Top Singles peak for "Broken Bones" *Canada Top Singles peak for "You're a Superstar" *Canada Top Singles peak for "Homeless" *Canada Top Singles peak for "Who Do U Love" *Canada Top Singles peak for "Here Comes the Sunshine"
  12. ^ Canada Dance peaks RPM
  13. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 171.
  14. ^ "Love Inc. - You're A Superstar". Top40.nl. Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  15. ^ "allmusic ((( Love Inc. > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
  16. ^ "British certifications – Love Inc". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 23, 2024. Type Love Inc in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.