O'chi Brown
Videos
100% Pure Pain
Learning To Live Without Your Love
Bio
Whenever You Need Somebody
Tottenham-born O'chi Brown was discovered by a Trojan Records producer at the age of 17. She made her name in the early 80s with a string of Lovers Rock covers, ranging from Bob Marley to "Auld Lang Syne", "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Unchained Melody".
In 1985, the single `Why Can't We Be Friends?' marked a move towards a more upbeat pop sound and secured O'chi a deal with Magnet Records for an album to be recorded at Pete Waterman's newly-established PWL Studios with the Stock Aitken Waterman team.
The album, "O'chi", features the classic 1985 single, `Whenever You Need Somebody', a US Billboard dance chart #1 for O'chi and a #3 hit in the UK when covered by Rick Astley two years later. A duet with Rick, `Learning To Live (Without Your Love)', also features - one of three further UK singles together with the #23 US club hit `100% Pure Pain' and `Two Hearts Beating As One'.
"A thoroughly engaging album of modern love songs with a variety of beats" according to Billboard, "O'chi" not only reflects the soulful styling of other early PWL tracks for Princess, Haywoode and the Three Degrees, but also marked SAW's first foray into the garage-house/pop crossover sound of subsequent productions for Mel & Kim and others.
"O'chi" was followed in 1987 by a second Magnet LP, "Light The Night", O'chi's last album to date.
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