East 17

Formed in Walthamstow in 1992, the four young rappers took the band's name from their postcode and their inspiration from US hip hop artists. After hearing a demo, Tom Watkins, who discovered the Pet Shop Boys, signed the band in 1992. East 17 released their first single in August 1992 with House Of Love hitting the UK top 10, and the band's 1993 debut album, the imaginatively-titled Walthamstow, included another hit single Deep. Growing in popularity in the UK and Europe, the follow-up album Steam was also a solid hit and the single Stay Another Day from this album gave the band their only UK Number 1 single released for Christmas 1994. Two years later, the band recorded If You Ever with singer Gabrielle, hitting Number 2 in the UK single chart. However, music tastes were changing as dance and Britpop took centre stage leaving the band sidelined. A singles compilation was released in 1996, but a year later Harvey was booted out of the group after condoning ecstasy and Mortimer left. In 1998 Harvey, Hendy and Coldwell announced they were reforming as E17 and scored a hit with single Each Time but their album Resurrection bombed and the trio ended the group in 1999. In 2006, East 17 reformed with all original four members, but a year later Mortimer walked out again.