Mai Tai (band)

Mai Tai is a Dutch group (named after the tropical cocktail Mai Tai) that was formed in 1983 by the Dutch record producers Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma with three former backing vocalists Jetty Weels, Mildred Douglas and Caroline de Windt.

Mai Tai
Background information
OriginAmsterdam, Netherlands
GenresSoul, Disco, Pop
Years active1983–1988, 1993–1996, 2004–present
LabelsInjection Disco Dance Label
Haring Records
MembersCarolien de Windt
Jetty Weels
Past membersMaureen Fernandes
Eve L'Kay
Lisa Noya
Marjorie Lammerts
Mildred Douglas[1]

Career

1984–1988; classic line-up

Their debut single, Keep On Dancin' (1983) was only a hit in the Dutch nightclubs. In the summer of 1984 they released a second single, What Goes On. It became their first hit in the Dutch Top 40, peaking at number 30. Following tracks like "Body And Soul" and "Am I Losing You Forever" also hit the charts, but never managed to reach the Top 20 in the Netherlands.

In 1984, they released their debut album, which won a Dutch Edison Award and a Silver Harp. Their international breakthrough came with History from the debut album. This song was successful all over Europe, and became a No. 8 hit in the UK Singles Chart[2] and reached the Top 30 in Germany. It was also a hit in New Zealand and Australia and entered the U.S. Billboard dance chart, peaking at #3 in 1985.

Body and Soul was re-released in the UK and became their second UK Top 10 hit, peaking at No. 9.[2] Subsequently, with their international breakthrough Mai Tai's popularity in the Netherlands started to decline.

In 1986 their song Female Intuition became a Top 40 hit across Europe, and made Top 10 in Denmark. The follow-up single, Turn Your Love Around from the second album, 1 Touch 2 Much, went straight into the Top 10 of the Dutch Top 40. In 1987 Mai Tai released their modestly successful third album, Cool Is The Rule with the singles Bet That's What You Say and Fight Fire With Fire; were much less successful. After releasing one last single, Dance In The Light, and a Best Of compilation in 1988, the group broke up.

Jetty Weels released a few solo singles in 1989 and 1990 under the name Oscare. Mildred Douglas released a solo album, Face One, in 1990; she went on to collaborate with other artists including her guitarist brother Franky and the supergroup J.A.M. with Angela Groothuizen and Julya Lo'ko.

1993–present; reformations

In 1993, Weels and de Windt re-teamed with new member Lisa Noya (niece of the acclaimed percussionist Nippy Noya). Over the next three years they released several moderately successful Eurohouse singles.

From 2001 onwards Mai Tai occasionally reformed for various performances. Douglas appeared at selected dates and was replaced in 2004 by Marjorie Lammerts (later known as B-Yentl). This line-up participated in the Dutch heat of the Eurovision Song Contest and made it to the semi-finals.[3] Nevertheless, as a result of this exposure they recorded and released several singles, both in English and Dutch, over the next couple of years, as well as the album Onder Voorbehoud in 2007. Despite the success of the singles they split up.

In 2010, Weels re-recorded and released a remix of "Body and Soul" and enlisted two new members, Maureen Pengel and Edna Proctor. They released a new version of The Pointer Sisters' "Automatic", and premiered this line-up in 2011 at the Disco legends Festival. The song History was featured on Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City (2009), which has an exclusive radio station called Vice City FM.

Body and Soul was remixed by the production duo 7th Heaven for a 2010 release.

Since the return of singer Carolien De Windt, the group consists of two original singers joined by Eve L'Kay together they released "Baby i want you back" and "One Night Man"

In 2016 Weels appeared on an episode of the Ali B op volle toeren-programme which saw her daughter exchanging songs with Ruth Jacott, an acknowledged contemporary of Mai Tai.

Discography

Albums
  • Mai Tai [Issued as History in some countries] (1984) [LP] – NL#12 / UK#91
  • 1 touch 2 much (1986) [LP] – NL#24
  • Cool is the rule (1987) [LP]
  • Onder Voorbehoud (2007) [CD]

Compilations
  • The Very Best Of Mai Tai (1991) [CD]
  • History 1996 (1996) [CD]
  • Mai Tai History – The Essential Collection (1998) [CD]
  • 25 jaar Mai Tai (2009) [CD]

Singles
Year Song NLD GER UK[4] US[5]
1983 "Keep On Dancing'" ― ― ― ―
1984 "Am I Losing You Forever" 27 ― 78 ―
"What Goes On" 30 ― ― ―
"History" 22 ― 8 ―
1985 "Body and Soul" 31 ― 9 ―
"What, Where, When, Who" ― ― ― ―
1986 "1 Touch 2 Much" ― ― ― ―
"Female Intuition" 9 26 54 71
"Turn Your Love Around " 7 ― ― ―
1987 "Bet That's What You Say" 36 ― ― ―
"Fight Fire With Fire" 31 ― ― ―
1988 "Dance In The Light" ― ― ― ―
1993 "Never, Never!" ― ― ― ―
"I Want U" ― ― ― ―
1994 "It's Not Over" ― ― ― ―
1995 "Are You For Real " ― ― ― ―
"History 95' (remix)" ― ― 93 ―
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References
  1. "Mai Tai at Discogs".
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 344. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. "Dutch Semi-Finals 2004".
  4. "MAI TAI | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".
  5. https://www.billboard.com/music/mai-tai
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