Breaking out of the late 80s London club scene, within a few short years The Brand New Heavies became transatlantic soul stars, rubbing noses with the very heroes they once idolised. Through a combination of chance and raw talent, these school friends discovered a fresh formula for funk – acid jazz. And in doing so, if their youthful press shots are anything to go by, they’ve stumbled upon the elixir of life. Their feelgood music has served them well over 30-plus years, evidently as good for the body as for the soul.
“I never get bored of it,” says bassist Andrew Levy, who catches up with Classic Pop before heading over to Japan for a four-day residency. In fact, Andrew is now 53. “It’s still hard to say that,” he chuckles.