UNITED KINGDOM: CODE RED TREAT FANS TO AN ACAPELLA VERSION OF THEIR NEW SINGLE "IS THERE SOMEONEOUT THERE" AHEAD OF DEBUT ALBUM RELEASE

Record ID: 336644

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: CODE RED TREAT FANS TO AN ACAPELLA VERSION OF THEIR NEW SINGLE "IS THERE SOMEONEOUT THERE" AHEAD OF DEBUT ALBUM RELEASE
  • Date: 1st August 1997
  • Summary: MUSIC VIDEO (RTV) QUEUE OF FANS OUTSIDE RECORD SHOP CODE RED POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS INSIDE SHOP
  • Embargoed: 16th August 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA6CAXGXBOKL8NFZX13JRR95QNQ
  • Story Text: Britain's latest "boy band", Code Red, are hoping that soon they will be able to give up their day jobs once their debut album is released next month.
    Code Red already have two hit singles to their credit, "This Is Our Song" and "I Gave You Everything". Their latest single "Is There Someone Out There" has been selling briskly since its July release and the album of the same title will include all three tracks.
    Neil Watts, Roger Ratajczak, Phil Rodell and Lee Missen - alias Code Red - were discovered by producer/writer Nicky Graham, the man responsible for the success of Bros, PJ & Duncan and Let Loose.
    Until recently the boys, whose ages range from 18 to 21, were dividing their time between music and a variety of jobs from waiting on tables to shop work. Ratajczak was starting to make a name for himself as an actor for British television.
    Now all their time is taken up with touring. Code Red have already taken their show to America and now they're planning an extensive Asian tour.
    Given the amount of time the band will be spending together, it's just as well that they are all good friends. Ratajczak and Missen attended the same nursery school but it was a skiing mishap in France that first brought them together when they were 14 and 15 respectively. After Ratajczak took an awkward fall Missen helped him retrieve his skis and the two got chatting. They kept in touch and spent a lot of time at each other houses working out new songs.
    Rodell and Watts had been next-door neighbours for years and they too had been writing songs together. Ratajczak recruited them and in 1993 Code Red was born.
    Whilst comparisons between Code Red and bands like Take That and East 17 spring to mind, the group's music is more reminiscent of American blue-eyed soul and rhythm 'n' blues.
    Asked whether Code Red had ambitions to become the next Take That, Missen retorted, "No, we're going to be the first Code Red." "We wouldn't mind being as successful as them, though," Rodell added.
    Judging by the enthusiasm of the fans who queued outside a London record shop to get their autographs, Code Red are well on their way.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Audio restrictions: This clip's Audio includes copyrighted material. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing the audio contained in this clip.
Register