Alternative entry: metalcore/post-hardcore band Beloved.

The Beloved is a British electronic music group. In 1983, Jon Marsh placed an advert in the music press which read as follows:

I am Jon Marsh, founder member of the Beloved. Should you too wish to do something gorgeous, meet me in exactly 3 year's time at exactly 11am in Diana's Diner, or site thereof, Covent Garden, London, WC2.

At the meeting in 1986, Cambridge (Jesus, mathematics) graduate Steve Waddington was present and the two formed the core, with Tim Havard and Guy Gousden completing the lineup. The band originally had a guitar orientated sound, but soon began using drum machines and dance elements. They sounded at times like New Order, and a summation of this stage of their career can be found on the compliation "Where It Is". After slimming down to a two piece consisting of Marsh and Waddington, they began to embrace a dance sound more wholeheartedly, and in 1988 the single "The Sun Rising" became a club favourite. "The Sun Rising" featured a sample of "O Euchari" by Emily Van Evera, a sample also used by Orbital on their tune "Belfast". This was followed by the album Happiness in 1990, from which the hit single "Hello" was released.

By 1993, Waddington left the group and was replaced by Jon Marsh's wife Helena, who was working as a purchaser for the Parisian fashion house Comme des Garçons, for the album Conscience. The band faced some controversy for the video of the single "Sweet Harmony" which consisted of a naked Marsh among a group of women, also naked (although it was shot and edited so as not to show anything which might cause it to be censored). One of the nude stars of this video is British television presenter Tess Daly. By this time the project had dropped the definite article from its name and was now simply called Beloved. "Sweet Harmony" has since been used in Homebase advertising.

Beloved singles continue to be remixed and the band has not been formally wound up, but Jon Marsh has for some ten years been concentrating on his flourishing career as a club dj, as well as the raising of his young family. However, a new collaboration with Steve Waddington is reportedly in the works, and the Beloved has plans for a new album release some time in 2007.

Discography

Albums

• Where It Is (Flim Flam, HARPCD2, 1989)
• Happiness (Atlantic 1990) UK #14, US #154
• Blissed Out (East West 1990) UK #38
• Conscience (East West 1993) UK #2
• X (East West 1996) UK #25
• Single File (East West 1997)
• The Sun Rising (WEA 2005)

Singles

• "A Hundred Words" (April 1986)
• "This Means War" (September 1986)
• "Happy Now" (March 1987)
• "Surprise Me" / "Forever Dancing" (June 13 1987)
• "Loving Feeling" / "Acid Love" (October 1988)
• "Your Love Takes Me Higher" (January 1989) UK #91
• "The Sun Rising" (September 1989) UK #26
• "Hello" (January 5 1990) UK #19
• "Your Love Takes Me Higher" (reissue) (1990) UK #39
• "The Sun Rising" (reissue) (1990)
• "Time After Time" (1990) UK #46
• "It's Alright Now" (1990) UK #48
• "Sweet Harmony" (January 18 1993) UK #8
• "Celebrate Your Life" / "You've Got Me Thinking" (March 2 1993) UK #23
• "Outer Space Girl" (July 1993) UK #38
• "Rock to the Rhythm of Love" (1993)
• "Satellite" (March 16 1996) UK #19
• "Deliver Me" (June 30 1996)
• "Ease the Pressure" (July 29 1996) UK #43
• "The Sun Rising (remix)" (August 1997) UK #31
• "With You" (2000)
• "Timeslip" (2000)

Promos

• "Up, Up, and Away"
• "The Remix EP" (1990)
• "1000 Years From Today" (1990)
• "Let the Music Take You"
• "Crystal Wave" (March 1994)
• "Sampler" (1996)
• "Physical Love" / "3 Steps to Heaven" (1996)

External links

• Official Website
• Lazlo's Discography Machine
• Visual Discography