Biography
E.U., also known as Experience Unlimited, came together in the 1970s with an opening sound shaped by early Earth, Wind & Fire, Santana, and War. Over time the ensemble grew into one of Washington, D.C.’s foundational and most enduring go-go outfits. Fronted by bassist and vocalist Gregory "Sugar Bear" Elliott, the band cultivated a chiefly local audience through live work and albums such as Free Yourself (1977) and Future Funk (1982). Their profile shifted in 1988 when the track “Da’Butt,” featured in Spike Lee’s School Daze, unexpectedly reached the pop Top 40 and claimed the number-one R&B spot. Later that year Salt ’N’ Pepa scored a number-four R&B hit by enlisting E.U. for “Shake Your Thang,” their reinterpretation of the Isley Brothers’ “It’s Your Thing.” The group then signed with Virgin, where five singles charted, among them the go-go/new jack swing hybrid “Buck Wild” and the ballad “Taste of Your Love,” both of which climbed into the R&B Top Ten. Returning to independent status, E.U. released new material only occasionally while continuing to perform regularly as Sugar Bear & E.U.
Albums
