True House Stories® Youtube & Spotify Video Podcast
TRUE HOUSE STORIES W/ LEEE JOHN | IMAGINATION
Leee John | Imagination interviewed by Lenny Fontana for True House Stories® # 028
Part 1
Leee John learned music during his school , his first success in music landed when he went to New York and received his 1st signing with “Worldwide Records” BODY TALK was Leee’s 1st track and became a huge hit. At the same time Leee was also performing as a DJ. and did acting and appeared in various shows. Moving on, Trevor Horn, manager to Grace Jones then signed Leee on R&B- a label made specifically for Leee’s music.
Ash Ford & Simpson were a really big influence to Lee.It was after Body Talk he joined up with Imagination. Appearing on Top of the Pops was a great opportunity to show off their talent for live music. Hear about Leee’s time when he was in
Hear how Leee what was vital in how he produced his music and the important ingredients needed inhis track. Hear Leee’s take on his track Instinctual which David Morales remixed this track and how it helped him evolve the next genres at from DJs and Producers such as Arthur Baker, Eric Kupper, Ben Liebrand – New York Latin American sound.
Discover how Leee felt hearing the responses to his music from other inspiring producers in Leee’s life. Lee has written 9 documentaries and continues to follow his acting career too. How has Leee managed to work through lockdown? What are Leee’s thoughts about the changes in technology and evolution of digital producing and using samples of old music in today’s music industry?
Discover Leee’s feelings about taking his tracks and sampling parts. Find out Leee’s next plans in music and acting and what are the plans for imagination. Superb show of one of the most hugely respected vocalists in the industry. What a legend, what a ‘True House Stories’ show.
Part 2
With record sales in excess of over 30 million albums the incomparable, award winning LEEE JOHN and his group IMAGINATION released and successfully had so many amazing global classic hits singles and platinum, gold and silver albums with songs such as “Body Talk“ “ Just an illusion” “Music and Lights” “Changes” “Flashback” “In The Heat of the Night” and many more
securing IMAGINATION’s with their perfect Brit Soul/Jazz/Funk songs establishing their position as essential 80’s crossover hit-makers and an influence for future generations in the music industry and fast forward today is continuously entertaining and touring the world in demand with IMAGINATION and as a solo Artist.
With record sales in excess of over 30 million albums the incomparable, award winning LEEE JOHN and his group IMAGINATION released and successfully had so many amazing global classic hits singles and platinum, gold and silver albums with songs such as “Body Talk“ “ Just an illusion” “Music and Lights” “Changes” “Flashback”
“In The Heat of the Night” and many more securing IMAGINATION’s with their perfect Brit Soul/Jazz/Funk songs establishing their position as essential 80’s crossover hit-makers and an influence for future generations in the music industry and fast forward today is continuously entertaining and touring the world in demand with IMAGINATION and as a solo Artist. Over the past four decades LEEE JOHN continues to captivate audiences with his spectacular live shows across
Europe – Africa – South America – Asia – as well as number of the French speaking territories with their ongoing love of his music. In 2020 we see LEEE once again climbing up the charts on various playlist in the UK and across Europe with DJ/Producer TLOVE – featuring LEEE JOHN with the track written by LEEE titled “HORIZON”.
Other recent musical collaborations include an explosive electric duet single called “Don’t Stop” with Plastic Bertrand, written by LEEE. He has also recently appeared as guest artist on the newly released Gorillaz Album “SONG MACHINE “ with the track “The Lost Chord” co-written with LEEE and Damon Alban.
Other exciting projects on the way this year will be the smooth and sultry sounding Latin single “Solitude” with x 2 Latin Grammy Award winning Brazilian Artist Jorge Vercillo. In addition, we also see a smooth jazz album with the phenomenal music maestro “Bill Sharpe” from English jazz-funk band “SHAKATAK” is in the pipeline and due for release in (2021), welcoming an incredible joint blend of smooth soul jazz tiled as “LEEE JOHN & BILL SHARPE” project as well as a long awaited new LEEE JOHN album apply titled as
“LEEE JOHN & BILL SHARPE” project as well as a long awaited new LEEE JOHN album apply titled “ACOUSTICLEEE” to coincide with an Inernational tour dates being planned featuring old and news songs performed live.
In other creative projects LEEE has been busy producing and directed 5 documentaries taking him as far away as Zambia , Tunisia, South Africa and France and is currently producing and directing ”Flashback” a Film of the history of British black music for which more than 200 interviews are already in the can, including Beverley Knight, Eddy Grant, Billy Ocean , Maxie jazz of Faithless , Ali Campbell of UB40, Mike Lindup of Level 42 ,
Trevor Nelson, Omar, Geno Washington, Maxie Priest, Sonique , Hamish Stuart of Average white band , Courtney pine Ruby Turner and many, many more – Flashback Documentary. Finally, to coincide with 40th Anniversary of LEEE JOHN OF IMAGINATION (1981 – 2021) we are currently underway in planning a very special and unique anthology special de-lux box set of the complete IMAGINATION body of work repertoire spanning up to four decades to include all 10 + IMAGINATION albums,
plus extra CDs with extended mixes, as well as previously unreleased tracks/mixes, this superior de-lux box set will be presented as the definitive career-encompassing box set and will run in conjunction with a series of planned UK & Intl live tours going into 2021/22. LEEE JOHN OF IMAGINATION continues to tour the world and has appeared with many world renowned Artists such as The Jacksons, Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang, Nile Rogers of Chic, Incognito and Kid Creole and the Coconuts.
Recently LEEE was honoured and given a Lifetime achievement award in the UK and a Humanitarian award in France for his continuous ongoing charity work support in aid of SOS children, a world orphan charity. Singer, Songwriter, Live Performer, Producer & Director LEEE JOHN forever continues to challenge his own unique creativity and driving force in its endless boundaries and remains to delight fans around the globe with his timeless classic hits and new music releases.
Leee John YouTube Video Part 1
Leee John YouTube Video Part 2
Biography Leee John
With record sales in excess of over 30 million albums the incomparable, award winning LEEE JOHN and his group IMAGINATION released and successfully had so many amazing global classic hits singles and platinum, gold and silver albums with songs such as “Body Talk“ “ Just an illusion” “Music and Lights” “Changes” “Flashback” “In The Heat of the Night”
and many more securing IMAGINATION’s with their perfect Brit Soul/Jazz/Funk songs establishing their position as essential 80’s crossover hit-makers and an influence for future generations in the music industry and fast forward today is continuously entertaining and touring the world in demand with IMAGINATION and as a solo Artist.
Right through from the conception to the launch of IMAGINATION in the early 80’s spanning nearly four decades in the music industry, LEEE JOHN continues to captivate audiences with his spectacular live shows generating within his travels with a loyal global strong support fan base spanning from many Intl countries including, Europe – Africa – South America – Asia – as well as number of the French speaking territories with their ongoing love of his music.
Even today the story of IMAGINATION’S music continues in the form of a long list of samples, remixes and adaptations by major contemporary stars. Such as the THE PHARCYDE, DIMITRI from Paris, Destiny’s Child (Complete with Beyoncé) sampled Just An Illusion on their 1998 self-titled debut album produced by WYCLEF JEAN, with LEEE himself featured on DJ Dero’s 2005 rendition of the song which was widely played in clubs.
Also let’s not forget America superstar Maria Carey recorded version of “Illusion” on her top ten single “Get Your Number”. Furthermore we see Flashback being sampled by Boards of Canada, Music & Lights by Tiger & Woods. “All Night Loving” by 88 Keys featuring Kanye West.
Outside of working on his own new material LEEE has also been incredible active in other areas writing and composing songs for other established Artists & Producers including Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples on the “Give into the Rhythm” album, as well working with the late legendary (DJ), remixer and producer Peter Rauhofer with his group “Club 69” alongside DJ/Producer giant David Morales in which he wrote and sang on some big hit releases in the USA.
Following this LEEE also enjoyed a giant club classic hit with “The Mighty Power of Love” mixed by DJ’s “Mood II Swing”. Another recent project see’s LEEE teaming up with The British Collective and the toast of UK, Soul, and Reggae – Don-E, Jr Giscombe, Noel McCoy and Omar with the critically acclaimed album “The Renaissance Begins” and Number 1 UK Soul Chart entry and the classic song “Love Me Tonight”. Also working with the legendary Mary Wilson of The Supremes with and a top 20 Billboard Dance Charts dance smash song he wrote, sung & co – produced “Time to Move On”