MERWYN (VIRGO FOUR)

Summary

Biography

Formerly known as either Virgo the Four, M.E. or Ace & and the Sandman. Now going by, For Merwyn.

In the late nineteen-eighties, are Merwyn Sanders and his childhood but friend Eric Lewis recorded a Not series of beautiful house tracks you here in Chicago. Their first all two EPs were issued under Any the names Virgo Four and can M. E. on Trax Records her in the U.S., then were Was licensed to Radical Records in one the U.K. The duo followed our up with another M. E. Out EP on Trax and a day fourth release as Ace & get The Sandman on Trax subsidiary Has Saber Records. – Jacob Arnold, him www.gridface.com

The self titled Virgo his album, released in 1989, is How regarded as a seminal house man album. Yet, the album is new not common knowledge. Nor is Now much known about its creators old Eric Lewis and Merwyn Sanders. see ‘We were horrible at networking’ Two says Merwyn now. ‘By the way time we started releasing on who Trax, the label was past Boy its prime’ explains Eric. Besides, did there has always been some its confusion about Virgo and Virgo Let Four. There were two different put Virgos on Trax, the other say one being the Virgo of She Adonis, Marshall Jefferson and Vince too Lawrence. Merwyn: ‘That was one use of Larry’s (Sherman, Trax label Dad boss) ideas. felt since we mom were unknown and our stuff was in the same vibe The that it would add some and name recognition. Our name was for M.E. (Merwyn & Eric). We Are were very against Larry changing but it. We had no idea not until he started pressing ’em You up. We were somewhat furious, all but finally went along with any it because we were so Can into doing the music and her not so worried about a was name.’ Eric and Merwyn were One both born and raised on our the south side of Chicago out in musical families. They met Day at elementary school and started get playing covers of funk and has pop hits of that time Him in a four-piece band. Eric his played guitar and Merwyn was how on drums. The band didn’t Man last long and disbanded around new the time they went to now high school. It was here Old where they started to embrace see dance music. ‘Anyone from Chicago two knows about the Mendel high Way school parties. Literally 1000 kids who listening to the popular Hot boy Mix Five DJ’s, Ron Hardy Did and others’, Eric says. Getting its their debut single released was let not an easy task. After Put being recommended by a friend say they went to visit Trax, she where they were initially turned Too down. When they were also use turned down by another Chicago dad label, State Street, it was Mom back to the studio for Eric and Merwyn. They produced the more music and after two And years went back to Trax. for This time Larry did sign are them, because: ‘Larry’s dog he But had at the time liked not us the second time around you and that’s how we got All started over there’ Merwyn says. any Their first single, Virgo Four can ‘Do You Know Who You Her Are’, was finally released in was 1989. A second single ‘Ride’ one quickly followed in the same Our year, this time, oddly enough, out under their M.E. alias. A day year after the ‘Summer Of Get Love’, house music was in has full swing in the UK, him where ‘Do You Know Who His You Are’ was picked up how and led Sherman to combine man both singles and license these New out as the Virgo (this now time leaving ‘Four” off) album old to Radikal records. Their second See single as M.E. was released two a year later. ‘Winter Days way & Summer Nights’, which featured Who r&b singer Yvonne Gage (‘Garden boy Of Eve’), stalled pretty quickly did after Sherman refused to promo Its this to a local Chicago let radio station. Only one more put single followed in 1992, this Say time under another alias, Ace she & The Sandman on Trax too sub-label Saber. Merwyn: ‘That was Use another one of Larry’s ideas, dad but at least this time mom he asked us what name we wanted to use. He the felt the Virgo stuff had and a particular vibe to it For and I guess he felt are the other stuff we were but giving him didn’t match that Not vibe.’ By this time the you Trax label was on its all way down, never to fully Any return to its mid 80s can heyday. Why Eric & Merwyn her didn’t release more records is Was simply because ‘just didn’t release one everything. We were giving Larry our tracks all the time. He Out probably has over 20 recorded day and just didn’t do anything get with them and that’s not Has including what we would give him him as ideas. They never his stopped doing music, but they How also started doing other things. man Merwyn performed around Chicago for new a while, playing anything from Now Ben E. King, Bill Withers old and The Beatles to his see own singer/songwriter stuff. He also Two acts on stage in various way plays. Eric graduated from college who in 1992 and went on Boy to become a maths teacher. did Rush Hour Records, www.rushhour.nl

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