After Dinner Speakers: The Real Thing, Holly Valance, Flight Lieutenant John Peters

This Liverpool-based group had its origins in the Mersey boom. Lead singer Eddie Amoo was a former member of the Chants, whose excellent beat singles garnered considerable praise. Although they failed to chart, the Chants continued to record for various labels until the name was ultimately dropped. The Real Thing emerged in 1976 with "You To Me Are Everything", which reached number 1 in the UK. Their next release, "Can't Get By Without You" continued their brand of commercial sweet-soul, but later singles were less successful until a more forthright performance in 1979 with the Star Wars-influenced "Can You Feel The Force", took the group back into the Top 5, establishing their popularity with the UK disco audience. Subsequent material fared less well, although remixes of those first two hits charted 10 years after their initial release.