Biography

Scottish R&B trio the Chimes formed in 1988 when multi-instrumentalists and producers Mike Peden and James Locke (formerly of the synth-poppers Fiction Factory) drafted singer Pauline Henry to sing on some dance-pop demos they had recorded. The resulting tracks got the trio signed to CBS Records, who released their first single, "Love So Tender," in 1989. Though the single was a critical hit, thanks largely to Henry's expressive but controlled voice, it was not a particularly strong-seller. The trio hooked up with Soul II Soul's Jazzie B and Nellee Hooper, the club producers of the moment, to record the follow-up, "1-2-3," which was a bigger hit, though a less-interesting song. Third time was the charm, however, as the trio's next single, a canny acid house reworking of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," reached the U.K. Top Ten. Their debut album, 1990's The Chimes, was a minor hit in the U.K. and a critical and college radio favorite in the U.S., but Henry left Locke and Peden later that year for a solo career. Her first solo album, 1994's Pauline, scored a minor hit with another unexpected remake, a trip-hop version of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love." Locke became an indie producer, helming albums for acts like the Glasgow dream pop quartet the Bathers. Peden became a noted producer and remixer on the British underground dance scene of the '90s, with credits on a huge number of singles and albums. In 2001, a collection of single sides, remixes, and album tracks, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, was released. ~ Stewart Mason, Rovi