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| Strike | |
|---|---|
| Origin |  UK |
| Genre(s) | Dance-pop House Eurodance Hi-NRG |
| Years active | 1994– present |
| Label(s) | Fresh Records |
| Members | |
| Victoria Newton vocals Matt Cantor Andy Gardner |
|
Strike are a UK dance band formed in 1994 consisting of Matt Cantor, Andy Gardner and the vocalist Victoria Newton.[1]
Contents |
First Album
Strike formed towards the end of 1994. A chance vocal session for Victoria Newton at the studios of Fresh Records in Ladbroke Grove, landed her the role as the lead singer.[2] Strike’s first single was "Formula One" (not a Top 75 UK hit). They didn't 'break through' until U Sure Do was released in December 1994 originally charting at 31 in the UK, only to re-enter the chart and climb to number 4 in April 1995. This was likely due to the track's being an instantaneous monster of a club hit. [3] They then began to tour extensively, appearing on major TV shows such as Top of the Pops, The Big Breakfast and MTV and playing to audiences as large as 70,000. ‘U Sure Do’ achieved chart success in many territories and this took the band to Spain, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Holland, Germany and Japan.[4][5] Strike went on to produce another four UK top 40 hits and a critically acclaimed album ‘I Saw the Future’ released in 1997 on Fresh Records.[6] They toured with and supported many international artists including the Backstreet Boys, Jocelyn Brown and the Spice Girls.[7]
Victoria Newton
Victoria Newton was offered a solo recording contract with Strike's label, Fresh. In September 1999, when the new remixes of the re-issued "U Sure Do" were storming the nation's clubs, Newton was gearing up for her debut release, 'Martha's Harbour'. This was a cover of the All About Eve hit. Mixes came courtesy of Mike Koglin and Blu. Released in September 1999, 'Martha's Harbour' sadly failed to reach the UK Top 75, though was a #8 UK club smash, and was a favourite of legendary DJ Paul Van Dyk. A solo album was recorded and planned for release for late 1999, entitled 'Live For Today' - bizarrely sharing the title of a Strike track also! - but regrettably this was cancelled last minute. A Sol Bros remix, in 1998, of Strike's track "I Saw The Future" appeared on a compilation; a clip of which appeared online too.
Recent Releases
In 2006 remixes of 'U Sure Do were released.[8]
Discography
Albums
 |
Singles
- "Formula One" - 1994, # ?
- "U Sure Do" - 1994, #31 UK; re-entry 1995, #4 UK; #9 AUS
- "The Morning After (Free At Last)" - 1995, #38 UK
- "Inspiration" - 1996, #27 UK, #46 AUS
- "My Love Is For Real" - 1996, #35 UK
- "I Have Peace" - 1997, #17 UK
- "U Sure Do '99" - 1999, #53 UK
- "U Sure Do 2006" - 2006 #?
EP
- "The Biteback EP" - 1995, #? UK
Sources
- Jazz CDs. Biography of Victoria Newton. Last accessed 8 May 2007.
