In the Spirit, Lloyd Charmers

"In the Spirit" (L. Charmers) Lloyd Charmers. Dist. by Randy's Records, N.Y.C. A-304 Lloyd Charmers' professional career began in 1962, when he performed as The Charmers with Roy Willis on Vere Johns' Talent Hour, starting a recording career soon after. When The Charmers split, he joined Slim Smith and Jimmy Riley in The Uniques. Charmers subsequently moved on to a solo career, releasing two albums in 1970, and also recording x-rated tracks such as "Birth Control", and the album Censored, these more risqué outings appearing under his real name or as 'Lloydie and The Lowbites'. He was also a member of The Messengers, along with Ken Boothe, B. B. Seaton and Busty Brown. He set up his own 'Splash' record label in the early 1970s, and moved into production. Productions by him were notable for their sophisticated arrangements. With his session band, The Now Generation, he produced artists such as Ken Boothe (including some of Boothe's most successful solo releases of the period, including his cover of David Gates' "Everything I Own", B. B. Seaton, The Gaylads, and Lloyd Parks. Tyrell's influence can be heard in The Specials' song "Too Much Too Young", which borrows the melody and structure of "Birth Control".