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The Urban Cookie Collective are a British Eurodance/pop music/house band, who are best known for their hit single "The Key The Secret", which was originally released in 1993.
Rohan Heath (born 19 July 1964, son of a Guyanese writer Roy Heath) was the driving force behind the group. He played keyboards and wrote "The Key The Secret". Heath had formerly worked with Yargo and A Guy Called Gerald. Urban Cookie Collective's original vocalist was Diane Charlemagne, who co-wrote some of their tracks and now works with Moby.
The other main members were Simon Bentall (born 17 October 1967), Peter Samson (born 15 May 1968), Johnny Jay, Mark Hadfield and Neil Claxton (later of Mint Royale). Guest rappers occasionally took part in the studio.
Heath had learned classical piano as a child, and decided on a career in music after abandoning a PhD at University of Vermont. After a tour of Japan supporting the Happy Mondays, he left A Guy Called Gerald. He later joined 'Together' a band created by The Haçienda regulars Suddi Raval and Jon Donaghy. Together's single "Hardcore Uproar", made number 12 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1990.
After a brief stint with Eek A Mouse, Heath created the Urban Cookie Collective, a collective of Manchester based record producers songwriters and musicians.
They achieved a major breakthrough in 1993 with "The Key The Secret", which peaked at number 2 in the UK, and number 5 in Germany. The track also reached #26 in the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
After a subsequent remix it was picked up by the Pulse 8 record label. The follow-up release was "Feels Like Heaven" which was also successful, as well as the album, High On A Happy Vibe, which reached number 28 in the UK Albums Chart. "The Key The Secret" entered the UK chart twice more in 1996 and 2005 in remixed formats. The band also recorded a cover version of the Oasis song "Champagne Supernova", but Noel Gallagher claimed that he had not given permission and legal action stopped the track from being released.
The band remain active and still maintain a busy concert schedule, fronted by the singer Danielle Barnett for the past 10 years.
Rohan Heath (born 19 July 1964, son of a Guyanese writer Roy Heath) was the driving force behind the group. He played keyboards and wrote "The Key The Secret". Heath had formerly worked with Yargo and A Guy Called Gerald. Urban Cookie Collective's original vocalist was Diane Charlemagne, who co-wrote some of their tracks and now works with Moby.
The other main members were Simon Bentall (born 17 October 1967), Peter Samson (born 15 May 1968), Johnny Jay, Mark Hadfield and Neil Claxton (later of Mint Royale). Guest rappers occasionally took part in the studio.
Heath had learned classical piano as a child, and decided on a career in music after abandoning a PhD at University of Vermont. After a tour of Japan supporting the Happy Mondays, he left A Guy Called Gerald. He later joined 'Together' a band created by The Haçienda regulars Suddi Raval and Jon Donaghy. Together's single "Hardcore Uproar", made number 12 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1990.
After a brief stint with Eek A Mouse, Heath created the Urban Cookie Collective, a collective of Manchester based record producers songwriters and musicians.
They achieved a major breakthrough in 1993 with "The Key The Secret", which peaked at number 2 in the UK, and number 5 in Germany. The track also reached #26 in the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
After a subsequent remix it was picked up by the Pulse 8 record label. The follow-up release was "Feels Like Heaven" which was also successful, as well as the album, High On A Happy Vibe, which reached number 28 in the UK Albums Chart. "The Key The Secret" entered the UK chart twice more in 1996 and 2005 in remixed formats. The band also recorded a cover version of the Oasis song "Champagne Supernova", but Noel Gallagher claimed that he had not given permission and legal action stopped the track from being released.
The band remain active and still maintain a busy concert schedule, fronted by the singer Danielle Barnett for the past 10 years.