Living In A Box

In 1987 the British pop-funk ensemble Living in a Box arrived on MTV via its self-titled single. Richard Darbyshire (vocals/guitar), Marcus Vere (synthesizers), and Anthony Critchlow (drums) formed the lineup, yet the act secured only one U.S. Top 40 entry with “Living in a Box”; by contrast, the same group enjoyed far greater success across the U.K. Living in a Box came together in Sheffield, England, in 1985. Darbyshire had previously fronted the Zu Zu Sharks during the early ’80s. Offered a choice by Chrysalis Records between launching a solo career or fronting Living in a Box, he opted for the band. The label granted Living in a Box a five-year contract, and the self-titled debut LP appeared in 1987. The follow-up album Gatecrashing was recorded in 1989; its tracks “Blow the House Down” and “Room in Your Heart” both reached the British Top Ten. Subsequent personnel shifts at Chrysalis sparked creative disagreements while a third album was in progress. Living in a Box disbanded in 1990 before that project could be finished. Darbyshire issued his solo debut How Many Angels in 1994; several songs on the LP, including “Better to Have Lost,” had originally been slated for the unfinished third Living in a Box album.