| The Chase | |
|---|---|
 Fourth and current line-up of The Chase
(from left to right; Austin Coe, Kevin Buchanan, Maxwell Leighton & Reuben Myers)
| |
| Background information | |
| Origin | England, UK |
| Genre(s) | Pop, Pop-Rock, R&B |
| Years active | 2001 - 2005, 2007, 2012 - Present |
| Label(s) | Blackstreet Records |
The Chase are a British four piece boy band consisting of Reuben Myers, Austin Coe, Kevin Buchanan and Maxwell Leighton. The group formed as a trio in early 2001 and the original line-up was Myers, Coe and Buchanan. The Chase signed to Parlophone Records, who intended to market the group as a replacement for the declining "a1" and as a rival to American pop giants "Backstreet Boys", but were dropped by the label in 2002 after Buchanan quit the band in the midst of promoting their fourth single Walk Of Life and just before embarking on their first headlining tour, citing infighting with Myers as the reason for his departure. One month after Buchanan's departure, Maxwell Leighton was introduced as his replacement and the band inked a new deal with Island Records. With this new line-up The Chase re-released their debut album as well as releasing their second studio album, five more singles and embarking on two headlining tours. In early 2005, rumours that Leighton and Myers had engaged in a drunken brawl after The BRIT Awards ceremony began circulating and were later confirmed by Leighton in an interview. Prior to this, it had also been speculated that the pair had not been getting on for a lengthy period of time. After wrapping up the recording of their third studio album and only a few months away from releasing the lead single, Leighton departed from the group due to infighting with Myers. The group were then dropped by Island and their third album was shelved. Myers and Coe then parted ways, resulting in the break-up of The Chase.
The band reformed briefly in 2007, taking part in the music reality TV show "Get Your Act Together". For the show, the original line-up of Myers, Coe and Buchanan reformed. It has been rumoured that Leighton was going to be approached rather than Buchanan but Myers, the lead singer, stated that he would not take part in the project if Leighton were to be involved. The ninety minute show centered around a different artist or group each week, documenting life after topping the charts, the struggles they have endured after stepping out of the limelight and most importantly, their attempts at a comeback. The band were mentored by music mogul Harvey Goldsmith, who would arrange meetings with labels, organise live shows and sink a lot of money into promoting the band throughout the show. The Chase were hailed as the most "entertaining", "talented" and "promising" act on the show but despite receiving a lot of support and offers, they were one of only two acts not to "get their act together" at the end of the show as they failed to sign a record deal and did not know their next move. Myers, Buchanan and Coe toured around small venues in the UK performing their hits for the rest of the year before parting ways for a second time.
On 18 October 2012 it was announced that The Chase-alongside B*Witched, Honeyz, 911, Liberty X, Five and Atomic Kitten-would reunite for the ITV reality-documentary series The Big Reunion. Due to some confusion between the bosses at ITV, both Kevin Buchanan and his once replacement, Maxwell Leighton were asked to take part and both agreed before the error could be corrected. Although not "one hundred percent happy" with the idea of Leighton returning and becoming a quartet, Reuben Myers decided to return to the group alongside original member Austin Coe. The show began airing on 31 January 2013 and followed the six bands meeting for the first time since they split, and rehearsing ahead of a comeback performance at Hammersmith Apollo. In March 2013, the band began touring for the first time in six years. During the shows from May 2013 and onward, the group performed a brand new song titled "I Dream", confirming that they had been working on new material and were continuing on as a quartet. After signing a new deal with Blackstreet Records, The Chase released their third studio album "Fractures" on 4 October 2013 with "Today" as the lead single.
History[]
2000 - early 01: Formation[]
In July 1988, Reuben Myers and Austin Coe met at the age of 5 when they both started school together and formed a close friendship. Throughout school life both Coe and Myers had a very strong and close relationship with both sets of parents dubbing the pair as "inseparable". Sharing a passion for music, Reuben and Austin would regularly attend concerts together and performed as a duo several times in school talent shows.
The pair soon formed a musical duo and were signed to Parlophone. Initially dubbed as "Priceless", the duo were hailed as maturer alternative to British pop band "a1" and a "cuddlier" version of controversial boy band "Five". After recording a few demos with Parlophone both Myers and Coe expressed their dislike of the "cheesy pop" sound being forced upon them as well as their name and also felt as if a third member was needed in order to feel "complete". The boys fired their manager Ryan Steele before hiring Harry Martin and setting out to find a third member and a new name. After auditioning multiple guys, Kevin Buchanan was selected to join the group, completing the line-up. Buchanan, Coe and Myers re-titled the group as "The Chase" after a line in one of their early songs. The boys began to work on their debut album and ditched the initial "cheesy pop" sound for a heavier, pop/R&B crossover style which was a first for a UK boy band.
2001 - 2002: Wondrous and commercial breakthrough[]
The Chase officially began working on their debut in early 2001 following their transformation for pop duo to R&B trio. The boys released their debut single; "Making My Way" in May 2001 and remains one of their signature songs to date. The song was met was positive reviews and went on to reach number three in the UK Singles Chart. The track also peaked at number two on the Irish Singles Chart and eventually went on to top the German Singles Chart. The follow-up single "Promises" was released in August 2001 and gave the band their first UK number one single. The track topped the German Singles Chart becoming their second chart-topping hit in that region and cementing a large fan base and future successful career. The Chase released the track as their debut single in Australia and it went on to become a top ten hit, peaking at number eight.
Their debut album "Wondrous" was released in August 2001 in Germany, three weeks prior to any other region due to their overwhelming success in that territory. The album debuted and peaked at number two on the German Album Chart and was later certified as platinum. Success in their homeland did not come as quickly though as "Wondrous" was released during the week of the September 11th terrorist attacks and the music industry as a whole faced a dramatic sales slump. The album first charted at a disappointing number seventy however, it rose to number seventeen the next week and eventually went on to peak at number three and go on to receive a Platinum certification. The record also managed to reach number four in Ireland and a modest number thirty-three in Australia.
After achieving commercial success in many different territories, The Chase as well as their management then focused on the US market. Their third single "Summertime" was "comically" released in November 2001 and although critics as well as fans thought it was risky to release a summer themed song in winter, the risk paid off as it topped the UK charts and became one of their biggest selling song to date. "Summertime" served as the group's debut single in America and was released there in February 2002 under Def Jam Records, making them the first British male act to sign to the label. While the song failed to chart in the US, the group and their management claimed that the failure was "OK" and "expected" as it had no promotion whatsoever. The band released their previous chart topper "Promises" as the second US single and again, it failed to chart. At the time of release, group member Austin Coe said; "We aren't really looking for these tracks to top the charts or make us superstars in the US. We just want to test the water, let people hear our stuff before really focusing on the US. We can't fully commit right now so that's why we have done no promotion over there. In a few months time, we will set up camp in the States, start intense promo and right now we're currently working on an alternative US edition of our album. We still have a lot of work today before we even try to dent the Billboard charts."
The Chase released their fourth single; "Walk Of Life" in March 2002. It went on to reach number five in the UK, giving them another consecutive top five hit. The single did not receive a release in the US as they were intending on releasing a brand new recording over there in the summer and starting their album campaign with that new song.
2002 - 2003: Buchanan's departure, Leighton's arrival, new label and re-release of "Wondrous"[]
In March 2002, one week after the release of their fourth UK single, "Walk Of Life", Kevin Buchanan parted ways with the group. The news came as a shock to both fans and management when he confirmed that he no longer wished to be part of The Chase. Buchanan cited infighting between himself and Reuben as the biggest factor in his departure. He also claimed that he felt "left out" and "awkward" throughout his time in the group due to Myers and Coe's decade-long relationship which he was suddenly "wedged into". Speaking to Heat Magazine later in 2012, he openly discussed the reasoning behind his departure; "I just did not feel right in that group at all. Yes, I loved our fans and was immensely proud of what we had achieved. I even liked the boys for the most part of it but over time, things soured and it became something I couldn't stand. From day one, I always felt a little out of place as Austin and Reuben had known each other since they were kids and often shared the same opinions so if I wanted to say something it always felt like a two-against-one situation. The management constantly kissing Reuben's arse didn't help matters either. Whether it was intentional or not, there was definitely a wall between me and them." Buchanan then went on the discuss the fighting between himself and Myers; "Reuben is a very passionate, hardworking guy and nobody stands in his way. I don't want to bash him and say he's a terrible person because we did have a lot of great times together but he is really intense, volatile and goes from one extreme to another and I couldn't cope with that. He takes everything seriously and puts a lot of pressure on himself which ultimately stresses him out and then it'll all become too much and he would just snap. Reuben was unpredictable and whenever he was pissed off, he would get violent and really go into an extreme rage. He was really vicious at times and I just had enough. I had to step away for the sake of my own sanity. Recording the US version of our album was when it all reached boiling point. There was a constant negative, tense atmosphere and I had to step away from it all."
Following Buchanan's departure, Parlophone called a crisis meeting. Learning of Kevin's departure, their US label Def Jam had terminated their contract. They claimed that the reasoning behind initially signing the group was due to Buchanan's rapping skills and soulful voice which would play a major part in marketing the band as an R&B act in the US. Without Kevin, Def Jam were not willing to keep Austin and Reuben. Losing a major US record deal and with a headlining tour coming up while being one member down, Parlophone decided to drop The Chase.
Despite losing two record deals and a member in the space of a week, Myers and Coe persisted and set out to find a new label and member. It wasn't long before the boys were approached by Island Records, a legendary record label. Coe and Myers signed to Island UK in spring 2002. Rather than auditioning a third member, they were introduced to Maxwell Leighton through Island Records. Leighton signed a deal with the label earlier in the year, setting out as a solo artist but was yet to release any material. After listening to some of Leighton's recordings, Coe and Myers asked him to join the band. The Chase quickly began to work on a new version of "Wondrous" with this brand new line-up. The new version of the album included all of the original tracks with Buchanan's vocals re-recorded by Leighton, the four tracks that were set to be included on the cancelled US version (again, Buchanan's vocals had been removed) and two brand new tracks penned by the new line-up of Coe, Myers and Leighton. Myers explained to Smash Hits Magazine why the group decided to re-release their debut album rather than work on a second studio album. "We were in a really awkward position. We had our first tour coming up, we were supposed to be promoting the "Walk Of Life" single and we hadn't even given our second album a thought let alone start writing it with a guy we've only known for five minutes. We were very much still living in the "Wondrous" era and as we'd be performing songs from that album on our upcoming tour, we thought it would be best for fans to adjust to hearing Max on the songs. We also had a lot of great songs recorded for the now cancelled American edition of the album and it would have been a shame to waste them so we re-recorded them with Max and put them on the album to let the fans hear them."
In July 2002, The Chase released their fifth single and first with the new line-up, "No Love Lost". The song was one of the two tracks that were written by Coe, Myers and Leighton. The single went on to reach number four in the UK and the re-released version of "Wondrous" debuted and peaked at number eight in the UK Album Chart the following week.
The same month, the group embarked on their first headlining tour, titled "Chasing The Chase". The tour saw them perform across Europe as well as Australia.
2003 - 2004: "On The Run", second tour, Reuben's Fatherhood and success across Asia[]
During their time on the "Chasing The Chase" tour, the group had begun to write songs for their second studio album and planned on releasing it as soon as possible. The band even recording the majority of the songs using makeshift studios in their hotel rooms, staying up as late as five o'clock in the morning despite having to perform later on that day. Recalling the creative process of their second studio album; Coe said; "I have really fond and vivid memories of it. We were having a ball and I do think that the entire second album era was the highlight of being in the band. We were all in the creative zone, ideas coming left, right and centre and we were all so positive and focused on it. All of the songs were written by myself, Maxwell and Reuben, no help whatsoever and I'm extremely proud of that." Coe then goes on to describe the actual recording of the album; "As we wanted to get it finished as soon as possible, we set up little makeshift studios in our hotel rooms and just recorded right there and then. No matter how late at night, we would start recording and I even remember it being like four in the morning and seeing Reuben get out of bed completely naked and just head towards the mic and start recording. It was hilarious. The whole process was really natural and relaxed."
The Chase released the lead single from the album in May 2003. The single, "Whatever Makes You Happy debuted at number one in the UK, Germany and Ireland. It also went on to become their highest charting and biggest selling single in Australia, peaking at number two. The song is their biggest selling in the UK and overall to date. The track saw the group introduced a heavier, rock pop sound to their music and was well received by music critics. The music video which features the band walking down a deserted street in London while objects such as pianos, wardrobes, televisions and even cars fall from the sky and crash on the ground, narrowly missing the group went on to win 'Best Video' at The BRIT Awards 2004.
The group's second studio album; "On The Run" was released in June 2003 and debuted at number one on the UK Album Chart, giving the group their first number one album. It stayed atop of the chart for two weeks and was certified Platinum. The record outsold their debut and went on to top the charts in Germany and Ireland, reach the top ten in Poland and peak at number thirteen in Australia. In September 2003, The Chase released the second single from the album, "Never Meant To Be". The piano driven ballad reached number seven in the UK, continuing their string of top ten singles. Despite receiving critical acclaim, the track did not achieve a lot of commercial success outside of the UK and Germany, peaking at number twenty-two in Ireland and sixty-three in Australia.
In early 2004, the group released "Whatever Makes You Happy" as their debut single in the Asian market. The song was an immediate success, reaching the top ten in Japan, Philippines and Taiwan. The Chase quickly released "On The Run" across Asia with two new bonus tracks especially for that market. Like the lead single, the album was an instant success and cemented their popularity.
The Chase embarked on their second headlining tour in February 2004. The "Run For Your Life Tour" kick-started in Asia before moving across Europe and eventually finishing in Australia. Two more singles were released from the album in 2004 before promotion ended. "Day or Night" was released in January 2004 and reached number three in the UK, becoming their last top five hit there to date. "Waiting On You" then followed in April 2004, peaking at number six in the UK and becoming the group's last top ten single to this day.
The group continued to stay in the public eye for the remainder of 2004 despite releasing no singles for the rest of the year. In July 2004, Reuben's then girlfriend Kylie Marsh gave birth to their first daughter, Summer Myers. The couple featured in OK! Magazine and The Sun speaking of their joy and they even announced that they had recently gotten engaged. Marsh received a backlash from fans of Myers, sending her death threats and claiming that they would continue to make her life "hell" unless she called off the engagement to Reuben. The couple featured on the front page of many national newspapers when they had received a death threat aimed towards their two week old daughter, Summer.
Controversy soon followed the band again in September 2004. The band had been noted for being "clean cut" and the perfect role models as they had never been pictured in a drunken state, smoking, heavily partying, exposing themselves and they had not been heard swearing at that point in time. In the September issue of popular magazine, Gay Times, Coe, Leighton and Myers featured in a now infamous photo shoot and interview which saw the boys pose provocatively in leather outfits and discuss their favourite sex positions. The magazine spread received a mixed reception among fans and media personalities. Alexis Hammond from The Mirror ran an article in which she branded the whole affair as "repulsive" and said "..there are some things which are better left unsaid and bedroom antics are one of them. I'm sure their underage fans would love to know that Reuben 'doesn't mind a finger being slipped in' and that Maxwell is more than happy to pose for a photo with nothing but a practically see-through sheet covering 'it'. While their younger fans may not have direct access to the magazines, the images and interviews are already doing the rounds on the internet." Jason Shields of Heat Magazine was more defensive of the group; "While I nearly choked on my tea when I saw the image of "boy next door" Reuben Myers posing shirtless, in a pair of tight leather trousers with the zip slightly undone and highlighting a bulge which certainly isn't a torch or a banana, I was not mad at him or the band. Why would I be? The people who are outraged by this are overreacting and are certainly living in a different century. It's a well known fact that all pop acts should have some sort of sex appeal in this day and age. It helps bring in sales and attracts different audiences. The images that your daughter is seeing are probably tame compared to the ones she's been conjuring up in her head, believe me! So what if they want to flex some muscle and show a little skin for their hormonal fans? There is nothing wrong with a little raunchiness and lusting over a piece of eye candy from time to time. As long as the group don't start to promote drug abuse and unsafe sex, everything is OK."
In October 2004, The Chase had a cameo appearance in popular UK soap opera, Hollyoaks. It was later confirmed that all three of the boys had been offered a six month contract to appear on the show as regular characters due to their well received performance in their cameo roles. However, due to work commitments they declined the offers.
2004 - 2005: Cancelled third album, Leighton's departure, "Best Of" and initial split[]
In November 2004 it was confirmed that the group had begun writing and recording for their third studio album. A spokesperson for the group said that the third record will be their most "personal" effort to date and will incorporate a "grittier, urban sound" as opposed to the rock pop style explored on the "On The Run" album. Austin Coe was interviewed on the night of The BRIT Awards 2005 and stated that the album will received a US release as the band signed a contract with Island US alongside their already existing deal with Island UK. While fans were excited to hear the news of a third studio album, many were suspicious as to why all three members decided to arrive separately at the award ceremony. Towards the end of 2004, rumours about infighting in the band were rife once again and many believed that Myers and Leighton had a disagreement over the Gay Times photo shoot and that they engaged in an argument over the musical direction of the third album.
After The BRIT Awards 2005 ceremony, Myers and Leighton were involved in a drunken brawl which resulted in Leighton breaking his nose. While no images exist of the fight and it was dubbed as just a rumour for a few days, Leighton confirmed that they pair did engage in a fight, branding Myers as a "bully" and that the future of the band was uncertain. Reuben also confirmed the fight but unlike Maxwell, he insisted that The Chase would still continue; "Well I don't know about Maxwell but Austin and I are still looking forward to what 2005 has to offer us. We've got a new album on the way, we're heading to the US this time around so big things are happening. If he wants to drag names through the dirt and act childish then that's up to him. I know what I'm focusing on and couldn't care less if he supports me or not.". This statement suggested that Myers and Coe were planning to continue the group with or without Leighton and so another line-up change may have been on the way. In April 2005, after weeks of silence from both parties and speculation among fans and in the press, Maxwell had announced that he had quit the group. He went on to call Myers "a horrible, vile creature" and that he was "the first bully I've ever encountered" before finally dubbing him as "delusional and vicious". A member leaving Coe and Myers before the release of a US album and citing Myers' behaviour as the reasoning behind the departure bared a striking resemblance to the end of the original line-up back in 2002.
The group put their third album on hold while they figured out their next move. Hearing the reasoning behind both Buchanan and Leighton's departures, not many people were willing to join the band due to Reuben's reputation. After the shocking Gay Times photo shoot and interview, the brawl between Leighton and Myers, the departure of Leighton and the increasingly negative image being painted of Myers, Island Records dropped the band before releasing any material from the third album. The album remains unreleased to this day although nine out of the fourteen confirmed songs have since leaked online.
Myers and Coe discussed the idea of bringing in a new member and launching their own label with the money they had earned throughout their career. However, Coe stated that bringing in another member would really make himself and Myers look bad as it would mean that there would have been a different line-up with each album they have released. He didn't want to give off the idea that members of the band are seen as "disposable" and "easily replaced" and he always did not want to confused fans by constantly changing the group just as soon as everyone has finally adjusted to the previous change. Myers agreed with his band mate and the pair eventually parted ways, marking the end of The Chase.
In July 2005, a compilation album titled "Best Of" was released through Island Records. The album includes all of their singles, a selection of album tracks, b-sides, remixes, acoustic versions of tracks and unreleased songs from both the "Wondrous" and "On The Run" eras. The album reached number three in the UK. After the final release from The Chase, it was confirmed that former member Kevin Buchanan had signed to Island UK shortly after the band were dropped and that he was gearing up to release his debut solo album.
2005 - 2007: Hiatus and solo work[]
After parting ways, each member of The Chase had been offered solo deals and immediately began to work on their solo efforts. Maxwell had signed to Parlophone, the label that The Chase were signed to before he officially joined the band in 2002. Austin inked a deal with Sony BMG while Reuben declined the exact same offer. After rejecting the contract with Sony, Myers was surprised when he was approach by Island Records - the same label that dropped his band just a few months previous. After much deliberation, Myers signed to the label again meaning that he was on the roster with former band mate, Kevin Buchanan.
For the remainder of 2005, the former members of the group stayed out of the public eye in order to focus on the recording of their albums. During this time, the public were gearing up for a chart battle between the ex band mates and many music magazine began to run polls and write many articles on who they think will have the most successful solo career. It was confirmed in late 2005 that both Kevin Buchanan and Austin Coe would release their debut albums in February 2006, resulting in a chart battle.
Buchanan's debut album "Horizons" was released on 7 February 2006. The lead single "It's Gonna Change" reached number three in the UK in January 2006 and received a positive critical response. Buchanan's album entered and peaked at number five in the UK. The album stayed in the top ten for three weeks and eventually went on to be certified as Gold. Three further singles were released from the album; "Space" which peaked at number eight, "Don't Have To Worry" which charted at number twenty-seven and "Stay Here" which only managed to reach number sixty-one before falling off the charts the following week.
Coe released his debut single; "Love Affair" in January 2006, one week after Buchanan released his. The single didn't fair as well as his former band mate's, reaching number ten and only staying in the top forty for three weeks. In a similar fashion to this single release, Coe's debut album was released one week after Buchanan's and again, it did not match the sales. Coe's album; "New Eyes" entered the UK Album Chart at number twenty-five before falling out of the charts only two weeks later. The album spawned two more singles. "Put Your Hands Up" was released in April and reached number thirteen. The third and final single; "Rain" peaked at number thirty-eight.
In the summer, another intense chart battle was about to ensue. Reuben Myers and Maxwell Leighton were not only set to release around the same time but on the exact same day. Many critics dubbed the release as "risky", "entertaining", "ballsy" and as "Reuben Myers showing off his true competitive side". The chart battle was spurred on even more due to the intense rivalry between Myers and Leighton.
Reuben released his debut single; "Million Miles Away" on 7 May 2006. The single entered the UK Singles Chart at number two before reaching the top spot the following week. This made Myers the first and only member of The Chase to achieve a number one single outside of the band. His debut album; "Under Control" was released on 10 July 2006 to positive reviews. The album debuted at number one in the UK and was eventually certified Platinum. "It Ain't Easy" was released as the second single and it went on to reach number four. The third single; "Hearts Never Lie" peaked at number seven while the fourth single; "We Are One" gave Reuben his second number one single. To date, Myers is the only member of The Chase to achieve a number one album, two number one singles and the only member to have all of his singles reach the top ten.
Maxwell Leighton released his debut single; "I Will Find You" on 4 June 2006. The single entered at peaked at number six on the UK single chart, meaning that all members of The Chase achieved a top ten single outside of the group. His debut album "Man On A Mission" was released on 10 July 2006, purposely released on the same date as former band mate Reuben Myers' debut album. Leighton's album did not fair as well as Myers', entering the charts at a rather low number twenty-eight becoming the lowest charting album from any member of the band at the time. Despite disappointing sales of the album, the second single "Offend" managed to peak at number three in the UK. The third single "Can't Deny" reached number fifteen while the fourth and final single "Breathe" charted at number eighteen, giving Leighton a string of top twenty hits.
In late 2006 after being disappointed with sales, Island Records dropped Buchanan and two weeks later, Sony BMG terminated Coe's solo contract. Rumours also began circulating stating that Parlophone planned on dropping Leighton too. However, those rumours were false and Leighton remained at Parlophone.
When Myers stated that he wished to go down the alternative-pop route for his second studio album, Island Records were not keen on the idea and pushed for him to record another pop/R&B crossover record in a similar fashion to his successful debut album. After being unable to reach an agreement, in a shock turn of events, Reuben left Island and filed a lawsuit against them stating that he was being treated unfairly, worked "like a dog" and that Island made an unfair profit from his Platinum selling album. The lawsuit was later dropped.
2007: Brief reunion, return of Buchanan, Get Your Act Together and UK tour[]
The band reformed briefly in 2007, taking part in the music reality TV show "Get Your Act Together". For the show, the original line-up of Myers, Coe and Buchanan reformed. It has been rumoured that Leighton was going to be approached rather than Buchanan but Myers, the lead singer, stated that he would not take part in the project if Leighton were to be involved. The ninety minute show centered around a different artist or group each week, documenting life after topping the charts, the struggles they have endured after stepping out of the limelight and most importantly, their attempts at a comeback. The band were mentored by music mogul Harvey Goldsmith, who would arrange meetings with labels, organise live shows and sink a lot of money into promoting the band throughout the show. The Chase were hailed as the most "entertaining", "talented" and "promising" act on the show but despite receiving a lot of support and offers, they were one of only two acts not to "get their act together" at the end of the show as they failed to sign a record deal and did not know their next move.
During their time on "Get Your Act Together", Harvey Goldsmith and his team managed to pull in an overwhelming amount of offers for the group. The band arranged meetings with several different labels such as Polydor, Asylum, EMI and even American label Arista. Goldsmith along with viewers believed that The Chase would sign one of these deals, pick up from where they left off and possibly achieve that hindered US success they have been dreaming of. However, Goldsmith, fans and everyone involved in the project were shocked when the group turned down all of the offers and showed no interest in recording new material after the show was finished.
After the show aired, Harvey Goldsmith stated that he "would never work with the band again, especially that [Reuben] Myers lad." Throughout the ninety minute programme, Reuben constantly expressed his dislike towards all of the labels that had approached them and stated that he was not happy with any of the offers that had came in. Also, when the band are shown rehearsing in a dance studio, Buchanan struggles with the dance routine for "Summertime" and Myers responds by shouting at him, calling him a "fucking twat" and a "useless piece of shit". Throughout the whole ordeal, Coe appeared to be laughing and very much spurring Myers on while Buchanan did not know how to react. This was the first time the general public had witnessed the infamous temper of Reuben's and the "bullying" that had been going on in the band since 2001.
Despite the war of words, the band continued on after the show aired. Myers, Buchanan and Coe toured around small venues in the UK performing their hits for the rest of the year before parting ways for a second time. Myers later called the second split more "natural" than the first and said that he wasn't going to fight for the group as he knew nobody's heart was in it at that point in time.
2008 - 2012: Second hiatus, reality television, further solo work and Myers' sex scandal[]
In March 2008, Maxwell Leighton confirmed to Digital Spy that he was working on his second studio album and that it would be released in the autumn of the year. In the same interview, Leighton was asked if he would ever return to The Chase to which he replied; "I'd rather scoop out my own kidney then eat it." Leighton then went on to refer to The Chase's appearance on "Get Your Act Together" as a reason for his reservations about ever returning to the band; "All of that....those arguments, ganging up....it's not scripted, I assure you. I had put up with that for years and I had enough. It's sad to see that after all this time, people still have not grown up and changed their ways. They are guys in their mid-twenties, they are not little pain in the arse teens anymore, they should know better. That little clip of them rehearsing in the dance studio speaks volumes. Anyway, I'm too focused on my own stuff to even think about stepping back there for a second!". Leighton released his new single "Back In Love" in August 2008. The single reached a dismal number one hundred and fifty-five in the UK. His second studio album "Distorted View" only managed to peak at number ninety-five, surpassing his debut album as the lowest selling and charting solo record from any member of The Chase. The album's second and final single; "Just Go" failed to chart upon its release in November 2008. After the disappointing sales of the two singles and the album, Leighton was dropped from Parlophone.
In December 2008, Reuben and his longtime girlfriend Kylie Marsh split up. That same month, Kevin Buchanan married model and back-up dancer, Amie Hathaway. The pair became parents in early 2009 when Hathaway gave birth to Esther Kamba Buchanan.
Stepping away from the music scene completely, Austin Coe decided to sign-up for the 2009 series of popular reality TV show; "I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!". He entered the jungle on day one and took part in a total of four Bushtucker Trials. Coe became a viewers favourite, providing comic relief within the camp and was tipped to win the show at one point. He managed to make it through to the finale and ultimately came in second place. Coe looks back on the experience with "fond memories" and is "grateful" for the opportunity as it "opened up many doors" for him. After taking part in the show, Austin was interviewed on many chat shows, hosted 'The Hub' section on "This Morning" for a brief period of time, almost doubled the amount of followers on his Twitter account and was even offered another record deal although he declined it as he wanted to focus on starting a family with his girlfriend; Kerry Gillan.
Myers did not step away from music completely after The Chase split for a second time. Rather than releasing a second solo album, he began to write for many other recording artists and found an entirely new career for himself. Myers stated that he prefers to write the songs rather than perform them as performing is "exhausting" and he "doesn't have the time to travel and act like a pop star" as looking after his daughter is his main priority. Although the group had split in 2007, Myers and Coe were still often pictured together and a picture of the pair in a recording studio that surfaced online had many speculating that they were working together as part of one of their new solo projects or were planning on reforming The Chase. However, nothing materialised and it was later confirmed by Coe that he just "dropped by the studio" which Myers was in while writing some songs with another act.
In April 2010, Buchanan announced that he would be releasing a second studio album independently. The album's lead single "Get It Right" was released in September 2010 and managed to enter the charts and peak at number fifty-two despite very little promotion and no backing of a record company. Buchanan's former band mate, Austin Coe, took to his Twitter page to share links to the single and, at a later date, Buchanan's new album. Kevin said that he was "pleasantly surprised" to see that he had the backing of Coe, who he thought held a grudge against him after the second split. Buchanan's sophomore album "Out Of The Blue" was released in November 2010 and charted at number forty-seven.
In early 2011, Kevin became a father for a second time when his wife Amie gave birth to Jackson Buchanan.
Austin Coe married Kerry Gillan on 4 April 2011. She later gave birth to twins, Striker and Blaise Coe. Austin confessed to OK! Magazine that he was "over the moon" when he discovered that they were having twin boys as he "cannot handle girls".
On 3 July 2011, after leaving London's Funky Buddha nightclub, Reuben Myers was pictured leaving his close friend, Marcus Orr - a British male model. The pair appeared to be completely sober, leaving the event a lot earlier than the rest of the attendants. Orr and Myers drove off in Orr's black Jaguar XJ (X351) at roughly 2:43 am. The car was later spotted pulled up in an alleyway with the engine and lights off. From the paparazzo's car, he could see that Myers was performing an oral sex act on Orr which came as a surprise as Myers had never been associated with another male before. The pictures were published and censored versions covered magazines and newspapers the following day. Uncensored versions appeared over the internet two days later. Following this, Reuben was forced to admit that he was bisexual and that he and Orr had been in a relationship since October 2010. It also came to light that former band mate Austin Coe knew about Myers' sexuality for years and that it was the reason Myers and ex-girlfriend Kylie Marsh split as she was uncomfortable with it. Reuben apologised to anyone who was offending by the graphic images and was "disgusted" by himself for taking part in such an act in a public setting.
In late 2011, Maxwell Leighton participating in "Dancing On Ice" but his time on the show was short lived. During rehearsals for week two, he broke his wrist and had to withdraw from the competition. However, Leighton insisted that he was fit enough to return. He made his second appearance on the show in week four and received a mixed reception for his performance from the judges. In week five, he found himself in the "skate-off" and was ultimately voted off the show.
In January 2012, Reuben Myers became the third member of the band to take part in a reality TV show. He signed up for the new series of Celebrity Big Brother and was a favourite from the get-go. From week one, he was tipped to win the show and following his recent sex scandal and coming out as bisexual, Myers comically played on that and found himself winning over a lot of people who had preconceived ideas of what he was like. Myers' mother came out to support her son and said; "What you're seeing is the real Reuben. He's funny, he can laugh at himself and he does have a really sweet side. He's also shown his temper in the house but at least he is not being fake. You're seeing all sides to him, this is who he is. He is not a total villain like the media like to represent him as." Reuben went on to win the show with a staggering 62%, earning more votes than all of the other four finalists combined.
2012 - Present: Reformation as a quartet, "The Big Reunion" and "Fractures"[]
Despite Austin stating that there would be a "zero" percent chance of the band ever reforming after their failed attempt at a comeback in 2007, it was confirmed in October 2012 that The Chase, along with Honeyz, Atomic Kitten, Liberty X, B*Witched, Five and 911, would be reuniting for the ITV2 reality-documentary series "The Big Reunion" at some time in 2013. Due to some confusion between the bosses at ITV, both Kevin Buchanan and his once replacement, Maxwell Leighton were asked to take part and both agreed before the error could be corrected. Although not "one hundred percent happy" with the idea of Leighton returning and becoming a quartet, Reuben Myers decided to return to the group alongside original member Austin Coe. The show began airing on 31 January 2013 and followed the six bands meeting for the first time since they split, and rehearsing ahead of a comeback performance at Hammersmith Apollo. In March 2013, the band began touring for the first time in six years. During the shows from May 2013 and onward, the group performed a brand new song titled "I Dream", confirming that they had been working on new material and were continuing on as a quartet.
The Chase's episode aired on 14 February 2013, in which Reuben, Austin, Kevin and Maxwell discussed their time in the group and the reasons for the line-up changes. The episode ended with an emotional reunion between Reuben and Maxwell, who had not spoken together since Maxwell left the group in 2005. While the group eventually made peace and came to a revolution, the meeting did not get off to a great start. The atmosphere between Myers and Leighton was "tense" and rather than saying their peace, they boys spent the most part of the meeting arguing over events that happened eight years previous. Buchanan stated that he also felt "awkward" sitting in a room with Leighton, his one time replacement. "Maxwell is a guy that I have so much in common with yet I had never met him in the flesh. He replaced me when I first left in 2002. I then replaced him in 2007 for the whole "Get Your Act Together" thing. We had both experienced similar things in the band and left for basically the same reason. I had heard so many stories about him and yet this was me just meeting him for the first time." Initially, the band thought that there would not be a breakthrough, specifically between Leighton and Myers. However, a few hours into the meeting, they both reached an understanding and vowed to give The Chase another shot. On working with Maxwell once again, Reuben said; "At first I wasn't pleased. I mean, I hated this guy and yet people wanted to put me in a band with him? I didn't like the idea for a long time but I realised that The Chase was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I'm being presented with another opportunity, a chance to give this band another shot. I might never get this chance again so I took it. We're all grown men, we've been through a lot and we all want what's best for the band so why not give it a go?"
The bands were originally only supposed to perform a one-off concert at London's Hammersmith Apollo on 26 February 2013, but when the entire show sold out in under five minutes shortly after the premiere of the first episode on 31 January 2013, rumours circulated that producers of the show were planning to tour the concert around the UK. On 11 February, it was confirmed that, due to high demands for tickets and the popularity of the show, a full 12-date tour around the country would be taking place from 3–12 May 2013. Two further dates in Ireland and Northern Ireland were later added as well. On 27 March 2013 it was announced that the bands would perform a mini Christmas tour in December 2013. As well as touring as part of The Big Reunion, The Chase embarked on their own UK tour from March 2013 to June 2013.
During their shows from 23 May 2013 and onward, the group performed a brand new song titled "I Dream", confirming that they had been working on new material and were continuing on as a quartet. After signing a new deal with Blackstreet Records, The Chase released their third studio album "Fractures" on 4 October 2013 with "Today" as the lead single. "Today" was released in July 2013 and peaked at number twelve on the UK Single Chart, becoming their first single not to reach the top ten. However, being signed to a small label, having little funding and having not released a single in nine years, the track was hailed as a success for the band. "Fractures", the group's third studio album and first in nearly ten years, was released on 4 October 2013. The album entered and peaked at number five on the UK Album Chart. It also went on to reach the top twenty in Ireland and peak at number two on the German Album Chart. The album's second single, "Swing Away" was released on 18 October and reached number seventeen in the UK. The third single, "Cannons" was released on 3 February 2014 and peaked at number fifteen. The album has so far achieved a Silver certification.
Discography[]
Albums[]
| Album | UK | IRE | GER | AUS | NZ | FRA | POL | SWE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wondrous | 3 | 4 | 2 | 33 | 66 | DNC | 14 | 14 |
| Wondrous (New Version) | 8 | 18 | 5 | 58 | 62 | 30 | 12 | 8 |
| On The Run | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 10 |
| Best Of... | 3 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 30 | 39 | 17 | 41 |
| Fractures | 5 | 18 | 2 | 40 | 26 | DNC | 10 | 6 |
Singles[]
| Single | UK | IRE | GER | AUS | NZ | FRA | NOR | SWE | US | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Making My Way |
3 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 15 | DNC | DNC | 65 | DNC | Wondrous |
| Promises | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 11 | DNC | 52 | DNC | DNC | Wondrous |
| Summertime | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 30 | 4 | 8 | DNC | Wondrous |
| Walk Of Life | 5 | 9 | 4 | 25 | 19 | 66 | 3 | 3 | DNC | Wondrous |
| No Love Lost | 4 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 15 | DNC | 49 | DNC | DNC | Wondrous (New Version) |
| Whatever Makes You Happy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | DNC | On The Run |
| Never Meant To Be | 7 | 22 | 3 | 63 | 17 | DNC | DNC | 60 | DNC | On The Run |
| Day or Night | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 43 | DNC | 36 | DNC | On The Run |
| Waiting On You | 6 | 8 | 1 | 16 | 12 | 50 | DNC | 38 | DNC | On The Run |
| Today | 12 | 30 | 5 | 73 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | Fractures |
| Swing Away | 17 | 58 | 10 | DNC | 90 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | Fractures |
| Cannons | 15 | 11 | 3 | 28 | DNC | 42 | DNC | DNC | DNC | Fractures |
Tours[]
Main Artist[]
- Chasing The Chase Tour (2002 - 2003)
- Run For Your Life Tour (2004)
- The Comeback Tour (2007)
- Reunited Tour (2013)
- Fractures Tour (2014)
Co-headlining[]
- The Big Reunion (2013)