Representative Albums: "Machine," "Moving On," "There But for the Grace of God Go I"
Representative Songs: "There But for the Grace of Go," "Marisa," "Get Your Body Ready"
Biography
Best known for its 1979 cult classic "There But for the Grace of God Go I," Machine was a soul/disco/funk band that tackled social and political issues at a time when many of its colleagues were afraid to. Machine was formed in New York in 1977, when the disco-era was in full swing and most R&B, disco, and funk lyrics were escapist in nature. The members of Machine -- who included lead singer Clare Bathé, lead singer/guitarist Jay Stovall, bassist Melvin Lee, keyboardist Kevin Nance, and drummer Lonnie Ferguson -- were big fans of the R&B message songs of the early '70s, and they regretted the fact that after 1975, many R&B artists had gotten away from social and political commentary. Machine set out to change that when, in 1978, it signed with RCA and recorded the single "There but for the Grace of God Go I" -- a brilliant piece of social commentary about Latino immigrants who move to the U.S. in search of a better life but quickly realize how dangerous the mean streets of the Bronx can be. Released in early 1979, the disco/soul masterpiece became a club hit and is considered a cult classic. Machine's self-titled debut album also came out in 1979, and in 1980, RCA released its sophomore effort, Moving On. Regrettably, Machine's second album was also its last. Moving On wasn't a big seller, and in 1981, Machine broke up. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
August Darnell
Clare Bathé
Jay Stovall
Kevin Nance
Lonnie Ferguson
Melvin Lee
Machine was an American funk disco group formed by August Darnell in 1977. The group is most remembered today for their 1979 disco hit, "There but for the Grace of God Go I". The group disbanded in the early 1980s and founder August Darnell went on to form Kid Creole and the Coconuts.
Discography
Machine (1979)
There But For the Grace of God Go I 12" (RCA Victor, 1979)
Moving On (1980)
Is It Love / I Finally Found 12" (RCA Victor, 1980)
Power and Reason / Thunder, Lightning, and Rain 12" (RCA, 1980)
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