Average White Band, also known by the acronym AWB, is an English group formed in 1972 in London. Band members of Scottish descent and originally composed of Malcolm ‘Molly’ Duncan, Owen ‘Onnie’ McIntyre, Michael Rosen, Roger Ball and Robbie McIntosh.
Group which released a first album "Show your hand" a year later in 1973, album which will unfortunately go somewhat unnoticed despite the production of 3 singles which are "Put it where you want it", "Show your hand" and “This world has music”.
It was the change of label from MCA Records to Atlantic Records that was going to change the situation with the production of the album "AWB" the following year in 1974, an album which, unlike its predecessor, did not go unnoticed, far from it ! The album was a worldwide hit and launched the band's career for good on the international scene. In particular thanks to the enormous single "Pick up the pieces" which will be its flagship single.
Success confirmed but not amplified when the album "Cut the cake" was released in 1975, an album that struggled to produce any single of global class apart from the titles "If I ever loose this heaven" and "School boy crush". Two singles which will be the only ones to get pretty much out of the game.
Ditto for the album "Soul searching" in 1976 which will save the furniture only with the high-caliber single "Queen of my soul".
A deceleration that accelerated in 1978 with the release of the album "Warmer communications", an album of modest success, which saw the group fall sharply in the Charts.
Business resumed temporarily at the very end of the 1970s when the album "Feel no fret" was released in 1979, an album with notorious success on both sides of the Atlantic, in particular thanks to the singles "Walk on by" and "When will you be. mine ”.
New album "Shine" in 1980, last successful album of the group. A success which is essentially based on 2 high caliber singles which are "Let’s go round again" and "For you, for love".
The album "Cupids in fashion" which will be released in 1982 will be the last classified album and only in the USA. Album which will not produce any single classified and which will seal definitively the fate of the group, which will end up separating the following year ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Show your hand 1973
Pick up the pieces 1974
Cut the cake 1975
If I ever lose this heaven 1975
School boy crush 1975
Queen of my soul 1976
A love on your own 1976
Get it up for love 1977
Your love is a miracle 1978
Atlantic Avenue 1979
Walk on by 1979
When you will be mine 1979
Let’s go round again 1980
For you for love 1980
Easier said than done 1982
Cupid’s in fashion 1982
The spirit of love 1988
Clips :
1973 ... all in all, rather confidential beginnings. But everything is already there, the style as the sound. Rather a good omen for the future ...
1974 ... a sequel that will prove to be incredible with the arrival of THIS title ! Here they are simply signing the biggest success of their entire discography and one of the most emblematic songs of the decade. MAS-TER-FUL !
1975 ... new year and new single. A single that will unfortunately be unable to compete with the previous jewel as the bar has been set high and this despite a level of success achieved of the most honorable ...
1975 ... just like this one. After reaching the Nirvana with 'Pick up the pieces', we suspected that it would be almost impossible for them to reproduce the feat ...
1975 ... this does not prevent them from continuing to produce titles of more than certain quality. The highest places in the Charts will no longer be accessible to them, that's all ...
1976 ... another major success with this title. The group continues its great adventure quietly but surely and increases its prize list in the same way ...
1976 ... a title full of finesse which shows that in this field also their know-how is evident. A group with more than obvious versatility !
1977 ... a year 1977 which will prove to be more complicated to manage than expected. After 3 years of mastering things perfectly, the group seems to be losing ground ...
1978 ... no return to favor in this new year. The end of the decade saw the group particularly struggling and especially lacking inspiration, it's clear ...
1979 ... incomprehensible fact, the titles which hold the road do not leave in single. Strategy at the very least very surprising and above all totally counterproductive ...
1979 ... a year 1979 which finally saw them rise to the surface. It was high time because it smelled more and more the scorch all that ...
1979 ... a recovery in hand which is also confirmed with this title. The group has finally found a level of inspiration worthy of the name. Phew !
1980 ... a successful year 1979 which will serve as a launching pad to pass in the best possible way to the following decade. The proof with this enormous title which remains to this day one of their most emblematic !
1980 ... the group is inspired like never before and connects the titles of very big caliber at a speed for the less impressive. We want more !
1982 ... the relapse will be severe to say the least. After an empty year 1981, the group returned in a more than average form and approached at high speed the exit door ...
1982 ... a year 1982 which will never see them return to the race. Mass is said and nothing, and no one, will stop the course of time concerning them ...
1988 ... a last quality title to end the adventure in style. An adventure that allowed them to produce several titles that have stayed in history and just for that, hats off, gentlemen !
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :