Chatterbox, when the stars talk, they talk to
Nick and Sue. And welcome back to the Chatterbox
Redux podcast with Nick and Sue. And in this
edition, we chat to Lee John of Imagination.
We apologize for this late edition of the podcast.
This was meant to be uploaded last Monday, but
I've had aches and pains and man flu and all
sorts of things, so I'm back. And what did you
have, dear? I had woman flu. Woman flu. And Twinkle's
not been too well either but yeah, migraines
and Lord knows what for a week but we're back
with you and it just so happens nothing to do
with man flu or anything else it just so happens
that I'm off work next week for a paid holiday
so we can catch up with some of the additions
that we were meant to have so looking forward
to bringing you loads and loads of podcasts over
the next 10 days or so We're chatterbox giving
you all you need to know about music And now
at Chatterbox UK, we're just lucky enough to
welcome back Lee John. Lee, how are you, sir?
Welcome. I'm very well, thank you very much.
It's a big 40th anniversary year, I should say,
because we started in the middle of the year
with everything. So it's really spectacular.
There's a lot of creative things going on with
me. I'm touring, I'm recording, I've got three
or four different recording situations happening.
The 40th anniversary box set of Imagination featuring
Lee Jung with 17 albums. Gene, I know! And on
it, there's some very, very, very special things.
There's live shows you've never heard before.
Actually, we were in Russia. before Puddistraker
and we were doing live shows there on these huge
stadiums and we do songs and some of the songs
we were doing were like 30 minutes long like
a 30 -minute version of body talk and in and
out of love we always kind of do a reggae thing
and then we extended that and that was 40 minutes
of it so you've got a lot of these recordings
and also some some recordings we never heard
before songs that we're gonna be on Some of the
albums like the very first body talk album. We
did a track or fly which is very jazzy And we
kept saying was gonna be on the album six, but
we We had like surpassed the amount of tracks
we could put on and so it got left off and then
it was gonna be put on the next album then it
got left off of that and so forth so you got
a lot of those sort of songs and When we were
gonna change labels, we did a whole heap of songs
Some people, two of a kind, beautiful songs I
did with Shootin' Bradley James, some great songwriters
and producers, and they were supposed to go on
the next album and they never did, they got the
deal for BMG actually, these songs, but they
never, so there's interesting and some amazing
mixes, some really great mixes. Bridget, so do
correct me, but am I right in thinking that this
17 box set could be classed as an anthology,
but a lot more, basically? Oh, definitely. I
mean, some anthologies, they tend to just have
the whole box set and that's it. This is definitely...
from the night dubbing, to working with David
Morales, to working with Kenny G, to working
with, oh my goodness, I've even got a track that
I produced with Sunita called Changing Times.
And you won't even believe it's her singing on
it. It's on that box set because it was gonna
be part of production. So there's all these little
things that you think, wow, how's their affiliation?
And there's a reason why. Because she was a backing
singer for us. in our very first tour with Norma,
Norma, Norma's name. She's another singer, Norma.
Kimberly, Edward's Norma and Sunita, they were
the background singers. And Mel Gaynor, of course,
who plays and does, plays drums for us now and
also is my musical director, he was playing for
us on our very first Imagination Tour. as well,
he's playing percussion and drums. When Errol
was dancing, he would be playing drums. So we
have this whole, and that's all embodied in this
box set, you know? That's amazing. That really,
it is amazing, of course. I must put this out
as well. There are signed, so many signed copies
as well, I believe. Yeah, my goodness. I've signed...
a lot of pictures and copies of the CDs and stuff.
Believe me, it was a day and a half to sign the
book. They're all very specially done. They're
all very specially done. So it's a very limited
edition, this is, you know. And so this is going
to be out February the 10th and then May the
20th at the Shepard's Bush Empire. We are celebrating
a huge, huge show celebrating 40 years of imagination
featuring Lee John. And our special guest will
be the one and only Central Line. who I've known
for years and years. And, you know, they used
to go clubbing with us years ago, way before
imagination, because they came from the hub of
Light of the World and Incognito and Tunejiscum
and all these, all these rift funk groups from
High Tension and people like that. They were
all part of the same community, you know? Amazing.
And of course, imagination was back in the days
of what I class as real clubbing, because I was
a nightclub DJ myself. OK. So long before the
radio side, there was certainly making people
have turntable hits, which was a very exciting
time though, Lee. It was, the white labels. I
mean, you know, a lot of people would try and
were fighting to get... the white label of Body
Talk, you know, when it first came out, everybody
didn't know who was this group, where did it
come from, and it was on a white label, and everyone
was really, really excited because it was out.
in all the clubs and all the DJs were playing
it because it's one of the slowest records of
that year. But it was so resounding with the
melodies and the bass and just the movement of
it. It kind of changed everything, you know,
as far as production and sound and everything
like that. And I wrote that record on my mum's
kitchen table in Hornsey Road. And that's the
truth. So that was a lot of stories like that.
I mean, obviously the listeners, they can always
contact me if they want to hear the interview
about your life up to COVID, because we've got
a wonderful interview there of you. Let's talk
about the present and what's coming in the future,
because this Shepherd's Bush empire. on 20th
of May. That's actually just the first of a world
tour, I believe. That's right. We're touring
all over. In actual fact, we are starting some
shows in January, which is a very cold or cool
period. We're going to... Tbilisi near Georgia,
and then we're doing a casino tour in France,
which is in February Then we start doing some
shows in the UK and then we're also looking at
South Africa and It goes on from there. It's
like and then we've got festivals coming in for
the summer And then we're looking at things in
September. I'm doing I think with a smooth jazz
album that I'm doing with Bill Sharp We're gonna
be doing some special shows for that Because
that album no one's heard us yet. So that's another
thing Okay. So there's a lot of different, there's
a hell of a lot of different things going on.
And I'm forgetting some of the things, I'm just
on the track with Billy O 'Bam, who was, he's
from France and he's, he worked with Serge Gainsbourg.
And we have like a dance track, which has got
these rhythms that are really, really cool. And
I'm working with a production team for another
artist called Eddie. I produced an album for
her years ago. And we did a separate track from
the album called Faith. So right now that's being
mixed for her, which I'm involved in the production
on that. So I'm doing all that plus my film projects,
Flashback, History of UK Black Music, which has
been going on for nearly a decade because there's
over 100 interviews over 800 hours. And we're
still, we're nearly finishing that. But in the
interim period, just to relax me and get my brain
into something else, I did another documentary.
a short, it's about 30 minutes on St. Lucia,
where my parents come from. So I went to St.
Lucia, did that. But prior to that, I've also
done for the community, a documentary called
Police and Thieves, which basically to enhance,
there was so much of the crime and the stabbings
and things like that. I wanted to show upliftment,
positivity, and to show people in the community
who've contributed. I've got a very good friend
of mine, Leroy Logan, who's, book, I think I
wrote it right here, was made into the small
acts series Red, White and Blue with Tyrone Huntley
playing me and John Balega playing the Leroy
Logan. So and that he got, John Balega got a
Grammy Award for that and Tyrone Huntley recently
was co -directing Beverly Knight in a new musical
and So he portrayed me. So that was quite interesting.
So there's a lot of different things in my career
in different areas that I'm involved in. This
is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox giving you all
you need to know about musical entertainment.
Chatterbox, Chatterbox, Chatterbox, Chatterbox.
What was it like watching someone playing you
though? Did it seem strange or was it good? It
was kind of strange, but it was more I was kind
of more, well, my mother was very influential
in Leroy becoming a policeman because she was
involved in the community. I was kind of looking
at somebody playing my mum more than someone
playing me. I was watching this girl playing,
which is Julia Jiskim's niece in actual fact,
was playing my mother. So I was kind of like,
wow, you know. And then Tyrone, I was thinking,
because I've seen people imitate the imagination
or imitate me in shows and things like that,
you know, or karaoke or something like that.
I've seen that as the years have gone by. So,
but in... He the only thing was he didn't he
could only see images of how I used to be But
he didn't know me per se so it was we it was
a shame. We didn't talk beforehand And he was
given, he said that they were on a very tight
schedule. So everything that they did, all his
bits were done all in one day. It was like bam,
bam, bam, bam, bam. And I went down to the set,
but he wasn't there the day I went. And ironically,
in the scene that Leroy Jambayega was speaking
to this youth, talking about me. talking about,
you know, I've got a friend who's in the music
industry, Lee Jonghyun, Lee Jong, imagination,
you know, and he's talking and I was there that
day on the set to hear that. So it was just like
it wasn't intentionally that that happened. But
it was it was it was interesting to know that
someone actually portrayed you in a film. So
and I kind of forget because I'm so much into
today and tomorrow. So I forget what I've done.
I know what I've done back there, but I'm so
forward thinking in the way I am that I'm not
lost in, you know, that moment. So Small Act
was like a year, two years ago, which was a great
thing for me, but it's probably ignited me to
be even much more creative. And that's where
I am. That's my kind of mantra. That's brilliant.
Have you got anything you want to ask, Lee? Yeah,
I've got a weird question to ask. How many songs
Would you think you have released a rough idea?
Oh my gosh, that's incredible. That's funny.
No one's ever asked me that because besides imagination
songs, I've had a few featured things with Lee
John and I've had a few things with my that I've
done. But I've also written and produced some
stuff for other artists as well. That was successful,
especially in the 90s. I had I worked with an
Austrian producer called Peter Rohoffer. And
we had hit after hit in America, It Gets Much
Better, a track called Sugar Pie Guy, because
he had a group called Club 69. So I was working
with him on that. I worked with Arthur Baker
in the back, Beat Disciples. I did duets with
Tata Vega. Tata Vega had Giving Up For Love in
the 70s on Motown. And we did two tracks together,
Inspiration and Let There Be Love, which was
a huge club hit. In those days, You know, the
club hits and the R &B hits were like being in
the pop chart in the UK. So when you got into
those American charts, it was equivalent of being
in the pop chart because they were just as important.
You know, like So Good So Right and Burning Up
were hits, were top 10 in the R &B chart in America
in the early 80s, but weren't released as singles
over here, though they were known. But to answer
your question, I have no idea how many... I just
keep writing. How many songs have been released
with Imagination? That again I really don't know.
I've never really counted because there are things
that still sometimes come through with remixes
and things like that and also we're on a lot
of compilation albums. So it's yet again I've
never really One thing I'm really excited about,
Lee, and we spoke last time, and you've mentioned
it already today, is the flashback movie that
you're working on, and I've seen clips. And we've
also spoken with Precious Wilson, who's partaking
in it as well. Yeah. And so we're very much looking
forward to the flashback when it comes out. And
it's the baby of my life, I think flashback has
become. So once we've completed that, By all
means, we can do an interview on all of that
because it's the people that participated within
that film I'd like to also bring into it because
for me, at this point in time, when I'm doing
my shows and performing, it's about me out there
doing it for the audience. But when I'm doing
a project where others are involved, it's great
to involve them as part of it because they're
the people that make it. It's like with the box
set, with the 40th anniversary box set, it's
all about imagination, legion, music. you know,
lyrics, words, performances, but also, it's also
about the people that have contributed to making,
you know, being part of that. You know, we've
got people like Kenny G playing on there. You've
got so many other artists and stuff on the actual
albums, you know, and the mixers and people like
David Morales and Frankie Knuckles and... um
so many other people so it's all these people
have contributed to making the 40 years count.
So and we are looking at Flashback to be uh on
some sort of a cinema release I take it? Yeah
we're looking at it to be um I'm not going to
say what it's going to be on but it will be on
something very special. Perfect I'm really looking
forward to that and it is a very special movie
about a really great subject and People like
myself, being a DJ since the 80s, can also learn
from it as well. Totally. Flashback really is,
as I said, it's a quick snapshot of the history
of UK British black music, so therefore there
are things you probably didn't know about which
we've kind of put in there. We can't get everyone
in, but we've got a lot, you know, so we're trying
to pay homage to everyone, you know, as much
as we could. That's brilliant. Very much looking
forward to it. I mean, when I spoke to you the
first time last year, I could tell that there's
so much happening now and in the near future.
It was a very exciting time because what's great
for people like us doing a show like Chatterbox
is, yes, we could have a bombarded with people
from the 60s, 70s and 80s. We get a lot of guests
from those decades, but it's so much better to
have somebody that's doing something now and
something that's coming up than somebody that
talks about something they did 60 years ago.
No disrespect to them but we've been through
a really bad time and I think it's just a nice
finish that gives people hope and it's just lovely
all the way around and you're just great. I think
artistically and creatively you know that for
me is my ongoing situation. There's always going
to be something different. I'm working with a
producer in Switzerland right now. I've got something
going on in France. I have something with George
Versillo in South America. We have a track called
Solitude coming out in April. Rob Scott, who
had a big solo album a few months, three years
ago. We have a fantastic track that's going to
come on an independent label in May, I believe.
So there's a big campaign with that. So everything
on the back of the box set, we have a lot of
different things happening. And then, of course,
I did a short film on St. Lucia, which we're
just finishing that off. And there's some other
things in the pipeline. So I'm already the ending
of next year already with all my projects. So,
you know, it's always going to be that with me
now. It's not really... I love that the past
was great and the music will always sustain me.
I'm moving forward and I always have. You know,
the Gorillaz, working with the Gorillaz last
year was a huge... brought me a completely new
audience and we played 20 ,000 per show at the
O2 in September of last year. first shows that
Britain had opened up for after the lockdown,
which was spectacular. And we did the big festival
in Cornwall, which is over 50 ,000 people. That
was last year. So, you know, there's a lot of
new things going on, new audiences. Of course,
we have new people even embracing things like
Just An Illusion with Men vs. Bees, the Rowan
Atkinson film, which was on Netflix. I think
it's about 20 million views on that film and
20 million views on the front cover of Netflix.
Because when you opened up Netflix, that came
up with him in the shower singing Just An Illusion.
Yeah, so the music lives on, you know, that's
my pension money, I call it. Yes, absolutely.
Have you got anything for Lee before we let him
go? No, I've got a message to pass on to him
afterwards. Well, we will let them go pretty
quick in a minute. It was a hospital phone call
for Nick and the lady knows we do a radio show
and she was asking who we were interviewing and
I said Lee John. She's your number one fan, Sally.
Oh, please send her my love. Please send her
my love and she's coming to one of our shows.
I was going to get you to come in to get you
to say hello to her but it doesn't matter. It
doesn't matter. Oh, no problem. Please send her
all my love. And as I said, if you go to the
website, you see all the gig guides, all the
dates that we're going to be doing. Of course,
The Shepherd's Bush Empire is going to be a very,
very special show. And we're supported. We've
got my good friends. Central Line will be there
as well. That's what I've known for many, many
years. So that'd be really great. And we want
everybody to come down in the busload. So pre
-order your tickets now. Pre -order your tickets
now for The Shepherd's Bush Empire from May the
20th. And also pre -order. your 40th anniversary
17 album box set right now. And the website is
www .lijan .com. If you go to www .lijan .com
with three E's, so that's L -E -E -E, J -O -H
-N dot com. That will be where you can get your,
the links to the tickets to the show and the
links to... I'm on Instagram, the official Lee
John Instagram, but because there's a few other
ones which other people have put set up, which
is very interesting because they steal everything
from my site and put it on theirs. That's funny.
And then we have a Facebook and on Twitter as
well. So I'm on all the different social media
platforms. I tend to use more Twitter and Instagram,
but my social media people push the Facebook
side. Perfect. Lee John, it's been an absolute
pleasure. Looking forward to another update when
it comes. It's very exciting. There'll be more.
There'll be much more. I'm excited. I'm the DJ,
you know. We're going to send you a commercial
next week so that you can put on for the box
set and also for the show. So Archie will do
that. So remind Archie, please send. You the
commercial. I see you guys. Lee John, I'll let
you go. I've sent 20, 25 minutes to Archie. We've
been 24, so... No problem. Take care. God bless.
Thank you. Bye -bye. Bye -bye. Bye -bye. you
You've been listening to the Chatterbox Redux
podcast with Nick and Sue and today our guest
was Lee John of Imagination. We thank you for
your company and look forward to welcome you
again next time for another interview on the
Chatterbox Redux Podcast. Take care for now,
bye bye. It takes two to tangle and two to present
a radio show. So here's Nick and Sue, your musical
duo. This is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox giving
you all you need to know about musical Shout
out!