Always-reliable boutique label IZIPHO SOUL step into 2024 with a quality 7” on cult Chicago soul group. The Lost Generation – or, more accurately, that band’s current iteration – THE NEW LOST GENERATION.
Chicago soul collectors will have a soft spot for the Lost Generation. They were major players on the Windy City soul scene in the late 60s/early 70s and the original line up consisted of brothers Lowrell and Fred Simon, Jesse Dean, Leslie Dean and Larry Brownlee. A childhood friendship with Gus Redmond of Brunswick Records won the band a recording contract with the label and their 1970 Carl Davis produced track ‘The Sly, Slick and the Wicked’ became a massive hit and remains a classic of the Chicago soul sound.
Competition in Chicago was tough back then and after the hits dried up the band disbanded in 1974. Lowrell Simon enjoyed a moderately successful solo career and after working with Mystique, brother Fred joined a lineup of the Chi-Lites.
Fast forward to the new millennium when Fred Simon decided to form a “new” Lost Generation . He recruited Audra ‘Waxie’ Rushing, Diana ‘Lady D’ Simon and Charles ‘Sweet Charlie’ Jackson and in 2003 the New Lost Generation released a now hugely collectable album. (below) The set’s opening track, ‘Thinkin Bout Cha’ eventually became a big sound on the UK rare soul scene and remains a mainstay on the Chicago steppers circuit!
Now to oblige those looking for a copy of this lovely song, Izipho are issuing it as their first 2024 release. The album version was over 12 minutes long so the Izipho team have made it 7” friendly, via the “Bringing Forth” edit from Philip Ward who has reconstructed the song by bringing forward Fred Simon’s spoken part to the intro, whilst including extra vocal acrobatic segments from lead vocalist Sweet Charlie Jackson.
The release’s putative B side is another soul gem – a cover of the Lou Rawls’ classic ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’. Always a great song, the New Lost Generation deliver a fresh but equally soulful perspective. It’s a classic of sophisticated soul and hard to believe that it’s never had an official release! Its quality makes this new Izipho single a real double A sider! Released date is January 26th but pre-orders are now being taken. Learn more @ https://www.iziphosoul.com/
