Phats & Small

Phats & Small are a British electronic dance music group from the United Kingdom, formed in Brighton in 1998. The line-up centres on Jason Hayward, known as “Phats”, and Russell Small, and also includes Ben Ofoedu. Their work sits in house and EDM, and they remain active from 1998 to the present.

Career

The group becomes best known for “Turn Around”, an international hit released in 1999. The track uses samples from Toney Lee’s “Reach Up” and Change’s “The Glow of Love”. It enters the UK Singles Chart at number three and then rises to number two. Despite the record’s success, the group’s earnings from the song amount to £5,000 under their recording contract.

Ofoedu appears in the video for “Turn Around”, miming to the vocals, while the original recording uses Lee’s voice. Ofoedu later performs the song live. In 1999, Phats & Small also release their debut album, Now Phats What I Small Music, a title that plays on their name and the Now That’s What I Call Music! compilation series. Ofoedu sings on two tracks from the album, “Feel Good” and “Tonite”, both of which also appear as singles.

Remixes and later releases

In the same period, the group gains notice for remixes of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” and Simply Red’s “Ain’t That a Lot of Love”. Other remixes from around this time include PJ’s “Happy Days”, Space Raiders’ “I Need The Disko Doktor”, High Steppers’ “I Will Follow”, and A1’s “Be the First to Believe”.

Ofoedu later leaves to pursue a solo career as a singer, songwriter and producer, and backing vocalist Tony Thompson is promoted to main vocalist. Thompson sings on most tracks on the second album, This Time Around, which appears in 2001 and includes the title track, “Change” and “Respect The Cock”. The album is co-produced by Jimmy Gomez. After a break from the studio, the group returns in 2005 with vocalist Ryan Molloy and the album Soundtrack to Our Lives. That release includes “Sun Comes Out”, which features a returning Ofoedu and a new female vocalist, Carrie Luer. In 2016, a new version of “Turn Around” is made with new vocals from Ofoedu.

Other details

Russell Small is also one half of the production team The Freemasons, alongside James Wiltshire, who also co-produces for Phats & Small. Small is a Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. supporter, having been taken to matches by his uncle when he is young. “Turn Around” also appears on the CD release of the computer game K.S.-n-Kickin.