C+C Music Factory is a dance music production group (led by Robert Clivillés and David Cole) distinguished for having seven number 1 Dance/Club Play hits in the early to mid 1990s, as well as several pop crossover hits, one of which, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and R&B singles charts. The group also released singles and albums under alternate names (such as Clivillés + Cole); the last offspring was called MVP. Clivillés and Cole also produced various hits for other artists such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Deborah Cooper, and many others.
After Cole died in January 1995, his partner Clivillés continued to use the C+C name alone.
C+C Music Factory earned a total of 35 music industry awards worldwide, including five Billboard Awards, five American Music Awards, and two MTV Video Music Awards.
Members
C+C Music Factory consisted primarily of two record producers and vocalists who varied by the particular recording project:
Main members
Supporting members
Among the guest vocalists included hip-hop outfit Trilogy, and emcees Paul Pesco and Q-Unique.
Chart history
In 1990, their first album Gonna Make You Sweat peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, number 11 R&B album chart, and went 5x platinum. In 1994, their follow up album, Anything Goes! peaked at number 106 on the Billboard 200, and number 39 on the R&B album chart.
They had a large number of club hits, several of which also crossed over to become pop hits.
All four singles from their debut album reached number 1 on Billboard's Dance/Club Play chart, and all four were also crossover Pop and R&B hits. The first single "Gonna Make You Sweat" reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and R&B Singles chart (and number 3 in the UK). The fourth and final single from their debut album "Just a Touch of Love", featured in the movie Sister Act. The album contained two more Top 5 singles; "Here We Go" reached number 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart (and number 20 in the UK), and "Things That Make You Go Hmmm" (inspired by a phrase uttered periodically by late-night talk show host, Arsenio Hall) reached number 4 (and number 4 in the UK).
In 1992, they had another number 1 Dance/Club play hit with the song "Keep It Comin'" (Dance Till You Can't Dance No More); including a variation with emcee Q-Unique that was recorded for the soundtrack and opening cheerleading routine from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Both versions of the song feature lead vocals by Deborah Cooper.
Their second album, Anything Goes! had two less successful singles, "Do You Wanna Get Funky" and "Take a Toke." Neither reached the Hot 100, but did achieve high critical acclaim in some circles.
An album was released in Europe in late 1995 by Robert Clivillés with the name C+C Music Factory, which spawned one more US number 1 Dance/Club Play hit "I'll Always be Around." Neither the single nor the album featured former member David Cole, who had died prior to the recording of the material featured on this release. The album was released by MCA in 1995 in Europe, but it was not released in the US. This was the final studio album of new material to be released under the C+C Music Factory name.
C+C Music Factory recently performed in Boston and Dallas[1] with Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock.
Music videos
The stylish visuals and production for C+C Music Factory's first videos helped to distinguish the group's first releases from previous mainstream dance hits like Technotronic's "Pump Up the Jam". Controversy erupted when it was found out that vocalist Zelma Davis appeared instead of vocalist Martha Wash in the video for the groups first single, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." Davis, the vocalist (aside from rapper Freedom Williams) on the next three singles, lip-synced to Wash's vocals in that video. Wash later sued the group and appeared on the Joan Rivers show unannounced immediately after the Milli Vanilli lip synch 'act' expose' erupted'. Speculation about bad blood between Wash and the group were laid to rest when Wash and Davis both appeared in the video for 1994's Hot Dance Music/Club Play number 1 single, "Do You Wanna Get Funky", on which they both share lead vocals.
A video for "Just a Touch of Love" is featured at the beginning of VHS copies of the movie Sister Act. The video consists of members of the band singing and dancing with nuns in the movie, with scenes from the movie intermingled.
The house cover & remix of U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)" featured Deborah Cooper on lead vocals with Robert and David singing background.
Releases under alternate names
In 1987, the duo scored a hit in dance clubs with its first recording, 1987's "Do it Properly," recorded under the name 2 Puerto Ricans, a Blackman, and a Dominican.[2]
In 1989 the duo released a single and album under the name the 28th Street Crew on Vendetta/A&M Records.[3]
In 1991, as Clivillés + Cole[4] they released an LP single, "A" side featuring a cover of a rock song by U2 called "Pride" but most often referred to by the tag line "In the Name of Love," but it was the B-side, "Deeper Love," ironically referred to by its tag "Pride," featuring vocals by Deborah Cooper, a long time Clivillés and Cole vocalist, that proved to be a hit, peaking at number 15 in the UK. Deborah Cooper performed "Deeper Love" on Saturday Night Live for C+C Music Factory. It was also covered by Aretha Franklin with production by Clivillés + Cole.
In 1992, the duo recorded a song under the moniker S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. on the Soundtrack to the movie The Bodyguard (starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner). The song, "It's Gonna be a Lovely Day," was the only song on the soundtrack performed by an artist other than Whitney Houston to be released as a single in the U.S. Lead vocals were by Michelle Visage, of Seduction, whose debut CD, Nothing Matters Without Love, had been produced by Clivilles & Cole in 1989.
Discography
As C+C Music Factory
Albums
Singles
See also
References
External links
