Drizabone

Drizabone, also billed as Driza Bone, is an international dance music and remix project led by record producers and musicians Billy April and Vincent Garcia. The act uses different female vocalists across its recordings and is associated with soul, acid jazz, lounge and northern soul.

Early success and lineup changes

The group is mainly active in the early 1990s. Its name comes from the Driza-Bone brand of waterproof riding coats. Early recordings feature Sophie Jones, whose demo performances are used for the song that becomes “Real Love”. Dee Heron, who comes from Jamaica, West Indies, then takes over vocal duties after giving up her secretary’s job. The duo later decide that Heron’s vocal range is too limited and spend several months looking for a replacement.

Remixes and chart singles

While searching for a new singer, April and Garcia work as remixers for Linda Layton on “Without You (One On One)”, as well as for Alison Limerick, Lisa Stansfield on “Change”, and Shanice. Their best-known remix is Shanice’s 1991 single “I Love Your Smile”, which outperforms the original and reaches number 2 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.

As Driza Bone, their own most successful track is “Real Love”, which reaches number 16 on the UK Singles Chart in June 1991. The follow-up hit is “Catch the Fire”, which reaches number 54 in the UK.

Later vocalist and album

The group later finds Atlanta, Georgia-based singer Kymberley Peer, who has previously worked with Howard Hewitt and Freddie Jackson. She has also appeared as an actress in the musical Don’t Get Got Started alongside Marvin Winans and Vanessa Bell Armstrong. With Peer, Drizabone records “Pressure”, which becomes their first single in three years and leads into their debut album.

Further singles include “Pressure”, which reaches number 33 in the UK, and “Brightest Star”, which reaches number 45. “Real Love” is reissued in 1995 and reaches number 24, becoming their biggest hit since the original release. Their album Conspiracy charts in the UK and peaks at number 72 in November 1994.

Label

All of the group’s charting releases appear on the Fourth & Broadway label.