Biography
Latin Quarter are a Pop / Rock / Folk /Reggae band from the United Kingdom noted for their protest songs, the most successful of which was Radio Africa which was first released in 1984, re-released several times and reached number 19 in the charts in 1986.
Formed in 1984 by Steve Skaith, Mike Jones and Richard Wright (not of Pink Floyd!), the most popular lineup consisted of Skaith, Jones, Wright with Yona Dunsford, Greg Harewood, Carol Douet and Martin Lascalles. Latin Quarter finally disbanded around 1998, but reunited in 2011 for a new album and tour in early 2012.
Albums:
Modern Times (1985),
Mick and Caroline (1987)
Swimming Against The Stream (1988)
Nothing Like Velvet (compilation; 1990)
Long Pig (1993/1995)
Modern Times (re-issue with bonus tracks; 1996)
Bringing Rosa Home (1997)
Radio Africa (compilation; 1997)
Modern Times (re-issue with extra bonus tracks; 2002)
Mick and Caroline (re-issue with bonus tracks; 2009)
Ocean Head (2012)
Due to small success in the UK and the poor support of their record company, Latin Quarter decided to change to RCA Germany in 1989. But problems and frustration inside the band grew and so two of the remaining five members (Dunsford and Harewood) left the band in February 1990. RCA Germany released 'Nothing like velvet', a compilation of new material, demos, remixes, b-side tracks etc. Latin Quarter were no more.
Their Manager Marc Russel (an old friend of Mike Jones) left around that time to support another upcoming band: Oasis.
In 1991, a rework of 'Radio Africa' featuring the Bhundu Boys from Zimbabwe, was released as a single.
In 1992 Skaith and Wright did a small german tour to support the work of Amnesty International.
That same year the small German record label Could Nine Records offered Skaith and Jones a new deal, so to the surprise of fans Latin Quarter were back in 1993 with a new album "Long Pig" (released in the UK in 1995), produced by Skaith and Wright. Yona Dunsford contributed her vocals to several songs. Sadly the album was no big success, the label run out of money.
Another german label - SPV Records - decided to give it another try. In 1997 "Bringing Rosa Home" was released, along with a re-release of their first album and a best-of-compilation. It failed to gain success, so Skaith, Jones and Wright decided to end Latin Quarter in 1998.
Steve Skaith moved to Mexico in 1999 and formed the Steve Skaith Band with local musicians, still writing songs to the lyrics of Mike Jones. His first solo album »Mexile« (2003) contains re-recordings of three Latin Quarter songs. In 2007 he relocated back to England, where he recorded his 2009 album »Latin Quarter Revisited« which features re-workings of 11 Latin Quarter songs.
In late 2010 Skaith announced that a Latin Quarter reunion is on the way, bringing together Yona Dunsford, Greg Harewood, Mike Jones and Steve Jeffries who all were part of the original 1985 lineup. The new album »Ocean Head« will be released in early 2012.
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