Opus III (band)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Defunct | 1994 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Electronic music, House music |
Opus III was a British electronic music ensemble recognized for chart achievements both on the UK Singles Chart and the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play rankings. The group consisted of vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw alongside producers Kevin Dodds, Ian Munro, and Nigel Walton. Their work often embraced themes related to environmentalism and feminism through their lyrics and imagery. Their most notable single, "It's a Fine Day", climbed to number five on the UK charts in February 1992; this song was a reinterpretation of a 1983 track by Jane, featuring lyrics penned by poet Edward Barton.
Career
Prior to establishing Opus III, Dodds, Munro, and Walton performed under the name A.S.K., releasing singles including “Kiss and Tell” (1988) via Capitol Records UK and "Dream" (1990) through MCA Records UK, which reached number 85 on the UK singles chart. Their third release was “Freedom We Cry” (1991).
In the fall of 1990, during a Spiral Tribe rave event, they enlisted dancer Kirsty Hawkshaw initially as a visual artist and subsequently as their lead vocalist. The group adopted the name Opus III in 1992. Due to contractual restrictions with MCA, Hawkshaw was the sole member appearing in videos and television appearances; the other members operated behind the scenes except during live concerts.
Their first album, Mind Fruit, featured "It's a Fine Day", which secured the top position on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1992 and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart. This house music staple inspired Orbital’s 1992 track "Halcyon", which incorporated a sample from the "la la la" chorus segment. Hawkshaw also appeared in the video for "Halcyon" portraying a housewife.
Another track from Mind Fruit, "I Talk to the Wind"—a rendition of King Crimson's 1969 song—attained number 52 on the UK charts.
Opus III’s sophomore album Guru Mother (1994) yielded another number one hit on the U.S. dance charts with "When You Made the Mountain", alongside "Hand in Hand (Looking for Sweet Inspiration)", which peaked at number 14.
Following their second album, the group dissolved due to Hawkshaw's apprehensions regarding growing commercial pressures; she has since declined any prospects of reuniting. Hawkshaw pursued a solo career collaborating with prominent electronic and dance music artists such as Delerium, Silent Poets, BT, Tiësto, and Orbital.
Studio albums
| Title | Album information | Highest chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Mind Fruit |
|
173 |
| Guru Mother |
|
— |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | AUT | FRA | GER | IRE | ITA | SWE | SWI | US Dance | |||
| 1992 | "It's a Fine Day" | 5 | 54 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 22 | 24 | 1 | Mind Fruit |
| "I Talk to the Wind" | 52 | 162 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994 | "When You Made the Mountain" | 75 | 172 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | Guru Mother |
| "Hand in Hand (Looking for Sweet Inspiration)" | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | ||
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart