Breathe

Breathe emerged in the mid-1980s as a British pop ensemble whose sleek, relaxed style incorporated light R&B grooves. The group is chiefly recalled today for the pair of tracks drawn from their opening full-length release—namely “Hands to Heaven” and “How Can I Fall”—both of which scored notable commercial success on either side of the Atlantic. The musicians first assembled in London in 1984 under the name Catch 22, a five-piece lineup of school friends from Hampshire that included frontman David Glasper, guitarist-keyboardist Marcus Lillington, multi-instrumentalist Phill Harrison, bassist Michael Delahunty, and drummer Spike, also known as Ian Spice. Following Harrison’s departure the remaining members adopted the moniker Breathe, and in 1987 a demo they recorded caught the ear of Siren Records in the U.K. The label secured domestic rights while A&M took on North American distribution; the resulting debut album, All That Jazz, reached stores in April 1988 and climbed to No. 22 at home and No. 34 stateside thanks to those charting singles. Extensive touring followed, although Delahunty exited toward the end of the year, leaving Breathe to continue as a trio. Their sophomore effort, Peace of Mind, surfaced in August 1990 yet managed only a No. 116 placement on the American album survey and failed to register in Britain, although the single “Say a Prayer” did reach the Top Ten of the U.S. adult-contemporary chart. Activity wound down by 1992. Glasper subsequently launched a solo career, Lillington moved into web design while performing with the band Stroke the Toad alongside original member Phill Harrison, and Ian “Spike” Spice passed away in 2000. Cherry Pop Records issued an expanded edition of All That Jazz in 2013.