Breathe (British band)

The band enjoyed chart success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with hit singles "Don't Tell Me Lies", "How Can I Fall?

During 1982 they formed a five-piece jazz-infused outfit called Catch 22, performing covers and the occasional original song.

[6] It was a common industry practice to break a new artist with an up-tempo number, so in May 1987, an abbreviated mix of "Jonah" was chosen instead of "Hands to Heaven" as Breathe's third UK single.

Los Angeles-based label A&M Records released the album All That Jazz in the United States on 24 August 1987,[7] issuing "Jonah" as Breathe's first stateside single.

Although this title track did not chart, the album would soon go on to score the group two of the band's best-known hits, "Hands to Heaven" and "How Can I Fall?".

[citation needed] In America, "Hands To Heaven" debuted on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart on 20 February 1988.

With repeated rotation of the music video on VH1, "Hands To Heaven" crept onto the Billboard Hot 100 at #90 on 16 April and drifted about the lower regions of the chart for the following two months until it finally broke into the Top 40 in June.

[8] In mid-1988, the group experienced managerial and personnel problems that led to the departures of manager Karl Adams and, more significantly, bass player Michael Delahunty.

In Britain, with the success of "Hands to Heaven", Siren Records decided to revamp the album All That Jazz, which had not yet charted.

A new cover was commissioned to reflect the changed band lineup, with the track listing altered by the addition of a remix of "Don't Tell Me Lies".

[15] Also in October, the remixed "Jonah" was released as Breathe's seventh single in the UK, and found minor chart success with a peak of #60.

[22] Later in the year, they were honoured at the ASCAP annual pop awards, held in London on 27 September, for "Hands To Heaven" and "How Can I Fall?

"[23] David Glasper and Marcus Lillington continued to pen songs for the band's second album Peace of Mind and by December 1989 Breathe was back in the studio with producer Bob Sargeant.

[24] In 1990, David Glasper and Marcus Lillington were again honoured amongst songwriters whose songs had achieved the greatest airplay in the US during the previous year.

[25] Peace of Mind was released on 20 August 1990 in the UK, Europe and internationally, and issued in the United States on 4 September 1990.

[27] By 1992 Breathe had disbanded, allegedly due to their frustration with the lack of promotional support they were receiving from A&M, which had been acquired by PolyGram (now Universal Music Group) in 1989.

[32] In November 1988, Smash Hits magazine stated that David Glasper was 6'2" (187 cm) tall with hazel eyes, and drove a blue Volkswagen Beetle with American number plates.

[33] Producer and engineer Chris Porter, who worked with Glasper during 1987–88, later recalled that he "was a sensitive soul and very earnest".

[34] A magazine article in 1988 reported that "Spike" was 6'1" (185 cm) tall, blue-eyed, drove an orange Volkswagen Beetle, and had once worked in a toy factory.

[33] Music producer and engineer Chris Porter, who worked with the band during 1987–88, later stated that "Spike probably had the toughest job at the time".

[39] ^a Manufactured and distributed as a regional release, Best of Breathe contains no previously unreleased or non-album material and was produced without the involvement of the original performers.

David Glasper later stated, during promotion of "Hands To Heaven", that "What hurt the group was management's emphasis on a major selling point for most bands – appearance.

Brunel became a major venue on the touring circuit with concerts by Elton John, Genesis, Humble Pie, The Kinks, The Sex Pistols and others.

Promotional photo of Breathe, taken in 1990, and following the departure of Michael Delahunty two years earlier.