When searching for a service like SEO Company in Gold Coast, you may have noticed the rise in interest. This popularity stems from the convenient location and wonderful beach life that make this the best place to retire.

You might also be considering your retirement to be spent on beautiful beaches, beaches with a great deal of sunshine and a lot of enjoyable things to do on the beach. You would want to enjoy your time at home and not feeling like you are doing something that is only meant for you. You would want to feel your best while still being able to go out and enjoy yourself as much as possible.

You will need an SEO company Gold Coast that can help you achieve this. Your company can offer you the right kind of services to ensure that your site is found and ranked high in Google searches and in other search engines which can help you be found easily by others when your site is being accessed.

When you begin using SEO services, there are some companies that will charge a lot of money for their services. It is imperative that you do your research and finds a company that offers SEO services as cheaply as possible. You can often find an SEO company offering lower prices, but they might have quality services that can be just as good if not better than the rest.

Some companies offer services to help you with your SEO. These services can include things like testing and designing websites, server monitoring, article writing, link building, directory submissions, blogs, blogs management, article marketing, backlinks and more.

A lot of the best SEO companies in Gold Coast offer all of these and many more. When choosing an SEO company Gold Coast, it is important to find one that is well established and a company that has been in the business for some time.

The more time that a company has been in the business, the more experienced they will be when it comes to SEO. A company that has had years of experience is a company that will be better able to handle your needs and ensure that your website gets ranked high in Google searches and in other search engines.

The best SEO companies in Gold Coast will always guarantee their work and they will work hard to get you ranked high on the search engines. Some SEO companies in Gold Coast may even have an award for being the best SEO company in Gold Coast.

When you choose a company to work with, make sure that they can provide you with guidance in areas such as writing articles and generating content for your site. These are vital to the success of your SEO strategy.

Good service also means that they will provide you with additional services that will make your business more profitable. Having an optimized website will mean that your online business will gain more customers.

When choosing an SEO company in Gold Coast, it is important to find one that provides these types of services. Having a great looking website will help to bring in more traffic and customers for your business.

So, choose an SEO company in Gold Coast and make sure that you choose a company that works hard to ensure that your site gets ranked high in Google and other search engines. You will get the most out of your business if you use the services of an SEO company in Gold Coast.

 

When you are looking to buy an Auckland home, one of the first things you want to do is find a professional company that can help you with your home staging needs. Staging an Auckland property is a great way to ensure it has a good selling price and that it has been well taken care of during its long journey through the real estate market. There are companies that specialize in this type of work. Some of them offer free estimates, while others charge a small fee for the initial estimate.

The company you choose should be experienced and knowledgeable in the field of Auckland home staging. Your choice of company should be able to make you feel comfortable with their process and offer detailed instructions about how to go about the process. An experienced company will give you advice on what types of changes will benefit the selling of the property. They should also know which aspects of the property you are most concerned with and what areas you can leave alone.

A professional company will understand what makes a property to sell, what parts of a property must be left alone and which aspects are most important. You don’t want to hire a company that will try to make a deal on you without giving you a chance to have a full appraisal done before they make a recommendation. They will also have an idea of the costs associated with their services, so you know if they will be worth the money you have to spend.

You should be given a comprehensive list of tasks you want your Auckland property to undergo and a breakdown of the things that will make them successful. You should also be made aware of all the costs involved in doing the job including labor costs, paint jobs, electrical costs, and any extras that will be needed at a later date. You should understand the various ways that a professional property staging company can help you make the most of your home’s potential.

If you are considering having your home staged by a company in Auckland, you should be very clear about your expectations and be sure to discuss those with the company you choose. While you should be clear about your goals and know what you want out of the company, you also need to know that the company can work well with your budget.

A professional property staging company can make your home look brand new even though it has been maintained to some degree over time. Even though your home may have had a number of changes throughout the years, a professional company can create a look that is fresh and new. It should have a look that is appealing to your eyes. A company that is good at creating that appearance should have a variety of tools at their disposal. These tools should include airbrushing, spray painting, window tints, mirrors, curtains, and a few well-chosen pieces of furniture.

A good idea for some home states is to have a painting booth set up so they can show prospective buyers the entire property without them being able to see a single wall. This is an excellent way to increase the chances that people will look beyond the walls. A professional company should also have the ability to provide some assistance with preparing a property for a show. They may also have the skills to get a property up and running when you show it to potential buyers.

You can ask any company you are considering hiring for information about the company’s background in Auckland. Having a background in the field is helpful because it shows you that the company is committed to the area.

 

Many people in New Zealand are still unaware of the benefits of having the double glazing installed in their home. While they are more expensive than other types of glass, it is a cost that can be easily passed on to consumers.

Double glazing, also known as double-pane or double-glazed windows, is a product of modern engineering and technology. This new type of material is made from two sheets of glass separated by an air-space in order to increase energy efficiency and to keep heat out. These windows are also available in a variety of styles, shapes and colors. Some are even made from the same materials used in making car windows but are coated with special coatings.

The term “double” is used because these windows are actually made up of two panes of glass. The inner pane of the window is then filled with a gas like argon or krypton. When they are properly sealed, these two panes of glass will be able to absorb the energy that comes from sunlight.

While this type of glazing provides many benefits, it is also beneficial in terms of energy efficiency. It allows for a higher level of insulation, which means less heating and cooling costs. Some experts estimate that the installation of this type of window in homes and businesses can save up to 50% in energy costs.

Double glazing is also designed to be tamper-resistant, which means that you are not required to remove any panels in order to access them. This allows you to store your extra panes of glass without having to take them out each time you need them.

Double glazing windows in New Zealand has become more popular in recent years due to its many advantages. One of the main reasons is the fact that many of the suppliers are located in this country, meaning that you can be assured of a good service. Some even offer installation to allow you to install them yourself, while others offer installation by an experienced professional. You can also find a wide range of companies, both local and online, that are willing to do this work for you.

Another reason to choose this option over other types is that it is a great way to reduce the cost of your heating and cooling bills. If you were to use standard windows, you would pay a lot more than you should. This added cost can be eliminated if you choose to have double glazing installed.

When you have double glazing installed in your home, you are taking a small step towards helping the environment. By using the latest technology, you are helping the country to be more efficient. while making your home more comfortable, stylish and energy efficient. Not only are you paying less for the heat and air conditioning costs, but you are saving money on your heating and cooling bills as well.

With double glazing, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you are doing all you can to keep your home safe. This includes installing security devices to help keep unwanted people out. These include security alarms, deadbolts, window and door locks and more. As a result, burglars are less likely to break into your home if they cannot gain access to your home through an unlocked window.

Double glazing is also useful for those who want to use the space inside their home for other purposes. This could include creating a studio or office. with the space that is typically used for storage. For instance, if you are an artist who works from home, you may need some extra room, so that you can move around freely without feeling cramped and confined.

If you want to live somewhere with a high degree of natural light, such as in a garden or a backyard, you can look for double glazing NZ. This type of double glazing can help to make your home feel like a private sanctuary that you can enjoy each day. Even if you are in your home, it still allows you to have natural sunlight streaming through your windows.

There are many reasons why you should consider double glazing. If you want to have a secure home that is less expensive to run and maintain, then you should make sure that you choose this option.

 

Having done a lot of in other parts of the world, I’m always surprised by the difficulties I’ve encountered with SEO Auckland. The first time I tried to set up an SEO Auckland site, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing.

I live in Albany, New Zealand. Albany is one of the most populated cities in New Zealand. It’s one of the main points for shipping around the country, and houses many people involved in the construction industry. In the city, you can find industries like the shipping and courier industries, retailers, restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, and nightclubs.

I’d never been to Albany before I tried to build my website there. I didn’t know much about the country, or about how it was laid out. So, I spent a lot of time researching Albany before I went and built my own website.

With Google Maps, I was able to track the location of every person’s physical location, with the Google Places service. I was able to map the addresses of the people in my database who lived in Albany.

Albany has a large area surrounded by the sea, known as the Midland Range. The Midland Range is the real centre of Albany and includes several parts that are uninhabited. Unfortunately, it also means that I could not find many of the people in my database. But, by using two different techniques, I was able to map the addresses of the people who lived in these parts of the city.

If you’ve ever traveled to Albany, you’ll know that it’s one of the densest cities in New Zealand. It’s all business from the main building blocks, and there are a lot of skyscrapers. As such, if I were to put my own website up in Albany, I would have a tough time attracting traffic. That’s why I decided to build the website using social bookmarking. This is a method where you make websites out of sites that you link to from your own site.

Using this technique, I was able to quickly create an account on Google Places. Then, I made a set of bookmarks for all the possible people in Albany that I wanted to have on my website. The bookmark I used was for the Albany Chamber of Commerce, because it had links to various businesses in the city.

Having made these bookmarks, I knew that I could visit the Albany Chamber of Commerce when I needed to or simply browse around the web and find out what businesses were in the Albany. I wrote up a short description about each business, including their address, telephone number, and email address. I then posted the description at my own website, which took up about a page. That way, anyone who wanted to see the list of bookmarks I had been able to look through my webpage and see if they had any businesses in Albany that I might be interested in promoting.

I took my site up a notch and spent a lot of time looking through blogs and forums in the Albany, trying to find some good keywords for my own website. I found quite a few of them, but a few of them worked best.

I used two tools, one I had used before with SEO and one I hadn’t, to promote my website in the Albany area. The first tool was Squidoo, which is an online forum. When people come to Squidoo, they post on a variety of topics, so I looked through them to see what topics were popular.

The second tool was a blog about advertising in Albany. You can find many useful tips and techniques for promoting your business there. It’s not perfect, but it certainly helps people in the Albany area to find a website.

Finally, I wanted to place ads in Google Maps in order to get topographic features like hills and mountains so that was easy to find, and to advertise on. So, I created a couple of maps that were near to my home in Albany. using Google Maps.

When it comes to car phones, everyone needs a car phone holder to keep their phone safe and secure. This may be an especially important piece of equipment for people who use hand-held mobile phones such as iPods and mobile devices that contain both hands.

These types of phones can become quite difficult to access when driving, especially when in a smaller spaces. A mobile phone holder with a flexible arm can provide a much safer way to hold your device, rather than damaging it by the hard glass of your dashboard.

It is important to find the perfect mobile phone holder so that it fits in well with your existing interior. It must match the style of your vehicle, so choose one that you find easy to handle and look great. You can even make it a really stylish touch if you are into interior designing.

The best type of holder for mobile devices are those that have an internal storage area to keep your spare battery, charger and the like. This will make the process of transporting them a whole lot easier. The common options are those that hold your gadgets upright so that they don’t fall off the rear view mirror or the floor.

One thing to remember is that you should be able to recharge your mobile phone and earbud while you are on the move. Some mobile phone holders now allow you to also keep the iPod or mobile device attached to the car for a complete music or hands-free experience.

There are several things to consider when choosing a mobile phone holder. As mentioned earlier, the better ones usually have a double check feature that prevents unwanted accidental breaks in the wireless connection. Having a double check feature is the most important aspect because that way you can be sure that all is working properly.

Another benefit is that you do not have to worry about the device being loose or falling off the phone. While there are some holders which are detachable, the majority are simple push-together models. All you have to do is to detach them and then put them back once you’ve found a convenient place for them.

It is also important to note that it is possible to have a device at a safe distance from the holder, without it actually touching the metal frame of the device. For example, there are models that are actually designed so that you can slip your device into one of the soft interior pockets. This is useful especially when it comes to hanging your phone on the dash.

Another great advantage of using a mobile phone holder is that you won’t have to run outside the car in order to pick up your device and use it. Instead, all you have to do is to pull it out of the holder with the help of the auto-release mechanism, push it inside the device and plug it into the wall outlet.

Some mobile phone holders even have built-in adapters for use with USB or ANT+ adapters so that you can plug your mobile phone directly into your car’s electrical system. You can still keep your hands free without having to lift a finger.

There are many different styles and designs of these holders, so it would be wise to do a little research. There are many different styles available in many different materials and colors. In fact, many manufacturers offer a basic and more advanced holder in the same model.

All in all, buying a holder is a very smart investment. It allows you to use your mobile device safely and securely, even while driving.

Office desks are vital office furniture items. It plays a big role in the organization of one’s day to day activities, as well as ensuring a proper look for the place. There are some important things that you should keep in mind while buying such furniture items.

You need to consider the place where the office is located. The number of people that work in the office will also be taken into consideration when you are purchasing an office desk. Ensure that it is large enough to accommodate everyone who works in the office, as well as to have adequate storage space. If the location is small and offices are far apart, you can consider getting an apartment desk, which has extra storage space.

You will also need to take into account the design of the desk when you are shopping for it. There are various styles available which you can choose from. It can be wood, glass, metal, leather, or plastic.

You will also need to consider the purpose of the office desk. There are office desks that are designed for multi-purpose purposes. You can have them designed with drawers to store documents and files, as well as computer, files, pens, notebooks, and other similar items. You can also have office desks with special designs that can be used for different purposes.

There are also the personal desks. These are designed with just enough space for an individual to sit at, without creating any sort of comfort level. Therefore, you have to make sure that the desk has enough space for sitting, writing, or for any other activity that may occur while working. You can also get laptop desks, which are designed with adjustable legs and lumbar support.

There are different shapes of desks available. You can get the traditional round desk, rectangular desk, and square desk. You can also get the small and long desks to fit your individual requirements.

There are many different varieties of desks made out of different materials. If you are looking for furniture items that are very sturdy, you can opt for steel office desks. In addition, if you are looking for stylish desks, you can have wood office desks. These are usually great furniture items for anyone to look into.

There are desks that come in various colors. There are also desks that come in different sizes. So, you can easily find an office desk that perfectly fits your office needs.

Many office stores that sell office furnishings often offer cheap office desks. Therefore, it is not very difficult to find one at a really cheap price. Even if you are going to purchase a branded desk, you can still find one at a very low price.

Always check the price range when buying an office desk. Do not go for a big price range. There are some great deals available at the cheap end of the market. However, you may want to go for a relatively more expensive item if it will get you more features and a better quality of furniture.

There are plenty of online retail stores that sell office furniture and also provide some very affordable prices. The prices will vary depending on the brand and also the size of the desk. You will also need to consider the color that you would like the desk to have. Remember, there are many different shades of brown and white available, so you will need to buy one that you like.

You will also want to consider the material that the office desk is made of. There are some desks that are made of wood and others that are made of metal. If you have limited budget, you can go for the cheaper option and get a desk made out of wood.

 

Residential builders Auckland is an organisation that specializes in building residential and commercial buildings. It is a professional company that has an established name in this field and it also has its own reputation for being dependable, professional, competent and reliable. It has its own team of professionals that are qualified to build the most expensive residential or commercial projects around.

As a residential builder, the work involved is usually bigger than what is done by residential contractors, but there are some similarities. The main difference is that the residential builder will have more experience and know how when it comes to building a project. When you decide to hire a residential builder Auckland, it will be best to check their experience, qualifications, reputation and skills before you make your final decision.

Once you hire a residential builder, you should ensure that they have the appropriate tools and supplies to complete your construction project. The tools needed by a residential builder includes carpentry, electrical and plumbing equipment, cement mixers, industrial strength stonework, concrete mixers, pressure washers and other tools that can be used during the construction process. There is a minimum requirement of this equipment by most Auckland residential builders. If the residential builder Auckland you are interested in does not have all the equipment needed to carry out your project, then you should ask them to suggest another company that may be able to meet all your construction needs.

There are also many things that you need to consider when hiring a residential builder in Auckland. For example, the amount of experience they have, and whether or not they have had any previous construction projects in your area. You can also get a good idea of their rate and the kind of project that they are best suited to.

The price that you will pay to a residential builder in Auckland depends on the size and scope of your project. Generally the larger the project is, the higher the price that you will end up paying. You should also take into account the labour cost for your project, because they will charge more for the labour that it takes to build your project.

A residential builder also has many options for the materials that they use for their projects. It depends on what you want and the space requirements for your project. For example, if you have a large project that involves multiple levels, you would usually have to hire a company that uses precast concrete or precast walls instead of traditional masonry.

If you are planning to have a new home built, you should hire residential builders Auckland so that they can do all the details like the kitchen, bathroom, staircase and other features, and give you a floor plan so that you know exactly where everything will be. before they start building. This is a great time to have a home plan made, as well.

The costs of residential builders in Auckland are usually affordable. You can usually find these companies at your local builder or builder’s association. They also have a website to give you a lot of information regarding the different rates they offer and the projects they build.

The benefits of hiring a residential builder in Auckland are the quality of the work they do. They have the expertise and knowledge necessary to complete a project successfully. They can take care of the details such as the design, construction and the finishing process. In addition, if you are hiring residential builders Auckland they will also tell you about different types of products and materials that are available that will best meet your specifications.

When looking for a residential builder in Auckland, you should ask them a lot of questions about the services that they can offer you. In addition to the price, you will want to know about the different types of materials that they can use and which ones are most suitable for your project. Also ask about the types of finishing techniques that they use.

Finally, one of the main benefits of hiring residential builders in Auckland is that they will get you quotes quickly. You can usually get quotes within a few minutes.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the competition and Congratulations to the winners.
The correct answers were:-
1. Red Light Spells Danger
2. Cherie
3. Inner Feelings
We hope to have more goodies to give away in the near future.

We have 10 flyers autographed by Billy up for grabs.

If you would like to win one simply answer the following questions.

1. From which of Billy’s songs does this lyric come from?
“I always used to kiss and run, I never wanted love to catch me”
(If you are unsure visit the homepage for a clue!)

2. What is the name of Billy’s eldest daughter who is also one of his backing vocalists?
3. Which of Billy’s albums does the track Calypso Funkin’ appear on?
Winners will be chosen at random on 10th November 2007.
Good luck!

TOUR DATES FOR 2008

BOOK ONLINE HERE

OCTOBER
Wednesday 1st
Cardiff – St Davids Hall
Box Office – 029 2087 8444

Thursday 2nd
Croydon – Fairfields Hall
Box Office – 020 8688 9291

Friday 3rd
Nottingham – Concert Hall
Box Office – 0115 989 5555

Sunday 5th
Basingstoke – Anvil
Box Office – 01256 844244

Monday 6th
Cheltenham – Town Hall
Box Office – 01242 227979

Wednesday 8th
Newcastle – City Hall
Box Office – 0191 2612606

Friday 10th
Ipswich – Regent
Box Office – 01473 433 100

Saturday 11th
Birmingham – Academy
Box Office – 0844 477 2000

Sunday 12th
London – SBE
Box Office – 0844 477 2000

Tuesday 14th
Blackpool – Opera House
Box Office – 0844 856 1111

Thursday 16th
Bristol – Colston Hall
Box Office – 0117 922 3686

Friday 17th
Chatham – Central Theatre
Box Office – 01634 338338

Saturday 18th
Liverpool – Academy
Box Office – 0844 477 2000

Tuesday 21st
Rhyl – Pavilion
Box Office – 01745 330000

Wednesday 22nd
Northampton – Royal and Derngate
Box Office – 01604 624811

Thursday 23rd
Batley – Frontier Club
Box Office – 01924 442122

Saturday 25th
Barrow-in-Furness – Forum 28
Box Office – 01229 820000

Sunday 26th
Dunfermline – Carnegie Hall
Box Office – 029 2087 8444

Tuesday 28th
Bolton – Albert Hall
Box Office – 01204 334400

2008

Billy will be headlining the 12th annual St Kitts music festival on Friday 27th June.
Click on the link to see a promotion video clip.

Chained is now available to download from i Tunes

The release of the Wilberforce album and Chained single has again been rescheduled for April 7th.

The release of the Wilberforce album and Chained single has now been rescheduled for March 24th.
Billy will be appearing on the Radio 2 programmes Friday Night is Music Night on March 21st and The Pete Mitchell Show on March 23rd.
Magic 105.2 will broadcast Billy’s ‘Indulgence’ interview on March 30th.
An interview with Billy will be aired over April/May on South African Airways and July/August on KLM Airlines for anyone travelling abroad.

Billy is a guest on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 between 1200 – 1400 on Thursday 21st February,
he will be discussing slavery and his involvement with the Wilberforce project.
Click on the logo to hear the interview.

Billy has recorded a new song for the forthcoming Wilberforce 200 album ‘A Change is Gonna Come’.
CHAINED is co-written with Wayne Brown and is the lead track from the album due for release on February 25th.
For more information on the album or to hear a sample of CHAINED click on the images below.

WILBERFORCE 200 ALBUM

CHAINED

Billy will be playing the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues festival on January 26th,
at the Cinnamon Hill venue, the Aqueduct in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The line-up also includes divas Diana Ross, Anita Baker, and Jill Scott.

UK TOUR 2007

OCEAN GIG CANCELED

Billy is hard at work recording his new album to be released in the spring of next year.
Unfortunately he has had to postpone the December UK date to ensure that he will meet the release date.
Billy apologizes for the need to postpone the date but looks forward to seeing everybody on the UK tour that is planned for May 2008

Billy will play a special christmas concert in London on Sunday 16th December
at ‘OCEAN’ in Hackney to round off the year.c For full details and booking information visit the Tour Dates page.

Billy’s new band for the UK tour comprises the following musicians:

Stanley Andrew – Guitars
Greg Assing – Keyboards
David Baptiste – Saxaphone/Backing Vocals
Jonathon Beckford – Keyboards
Miles Bould – Percussion
Cherie Charles – Backing Vocals
Wayne Hernandez – Backing Vocals
Perry Melius – Drums
Wayne Nunes – Bass Guitars
Marion Powell – Backing Vocals
The support for the tour will be Billy’s old friends and the UK’s top steel band
EBONY STEEL BAND click the link to visit their website.

A great evenings entertainment is guaranteed, EN

**HEART 106 INTERVIEW**
See News page
**U.K. DATES ANNOUNCED**
See Tour Dates page
*ST KITTS FESTIVAL VIDEO*
Download on the News page
*Megamixes & Remixes*
Now available on the Tracks page

Billy Ocean holds the prestigious title of being the biggest selling British black artist of all time. During a career spanning over 25 years, he has sold in excess of 30 million singles and albums worldwide, reaching his pinnacle throughout the 1980’s. However, his success is only the tip of the iceberg.
From humble beginnings to international stardom his road to fame has at times been tinged with despondency. His determination to succeed and talent have always shone through even the darkest of times, proving that when the going gets tough… the tough really do get going.
Leslie Sebastian Charles was born on Saturday 21st January 1950, in Fyzabad on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad.
From a very early age he was inspired by his dad’s love of Calypso music and was soon playing a small steel drum pan and a blue ukulele, bought for him by a friend of his mother. Young Leslie also attended choir practice with his two elder sisters. So impressive were his vocal performances that the school’s head teacher would often enter him into singing competitions.
In 1958 his family immigrated to England in search of work, settling in the East End of London.
At the age of eleven he attended Stepney Green School for boys in Ben Johnson Road where he was an active member of both the football and cricket teams.
During this time Leslie would spend hours listening to his dad’s transistor radio, being influenced by American soul singers Brook Benton, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, along with the British sound of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
On leaving full time education Leslie had a variety of jobs including mattress making, carpentry and working as a security guard before going to college on a bespoke tailoring course. Whilst serving his apprenticeship in the Spitalfields rag trade, he bought an old Berry piano from one of the sewing machinists with £30 lent to him by his boss Benjamin Sollinger.
As a fully qualified tailor Leslie worked for Norton and Sons in London’s famous Savile Row. To supplement his income he would perform with various local bands including Shades of Midnight at the Bluecoat Boy public house in Norton Folgate, as well as working as a session singer around the recording studios.
After recording as Joshua, Piggy bank and Sam Spade amongst a variety of other pseudonyms, his first single was released under his own name Les Charles in 1971.
“Nashville Rain” was written and produced by John Worsley and David Meyers who were responsible for Clodagh Rodgers hit “Jack In The Box”. Which was the UK’s entry in that year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
A second single “Reach Out A Hand” was released the following year but failed to bring the success he desired, so he returned to the session work.
In 1973 Leslie met Ben Findon at Tangerine studios and together they worked on a number of compositions. One of these was “On The Run”, released under the name Scorched Earth in 1974, although some of the others would not see the light of day until 1986. The single had its first airing on Radio One thanks to Annie Nightingale.
Leslie recalls “It was a magical moment,” as sewing machines stopped and the volume on the radio went up. Unfortunately not everyone felt the same and later that day the singer was promptly sacked.
Leslie took a job working nights at the giant Ford Motors plant in Dagenham Essex. This allowed him to pursue his musical ambitions during the day, but after twelve months he felt it was time to move on.
In 1975, adopting the name Billy Ocean, he signed a production deal with Dick Leahy’s GTO label and later that year his first single was released titled, “Whose Little Girl Are You?”
His next single “Love Really Hurts Without You” soon overshadowed the lack of commercial success.
This song, partly inspired by Billy’s girlfriend Judy Bayne (who later became his wife) reached number 2 in the charts selling 250,000 copies, being kept off the top spot by Eurovision song contest winner “Save All Your Kisses For Me by Brotherhood of Man”.
The following singles “L.O.D. (Love On Delivery)” and “Stop Me (If You’ve Heard It All Before)” both made the top twenty, numbers 19 and 12 respectively.
His first album, the eponymously titled “Billy Ocean” was released in 1976. It contained the four singles and a rather dapper looking Billy adorning the cover.
In March 1977 “Red Light Spells Danger” also reached number 2, this time taking second place to Abba’s “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and earning Billy his second silver disc for UK. sales. Leslie had at last got the success he had desired for so long
The song writing partnership of Findon & Charles separated and the following year a new song “Everything’s Changed” was released as a single. This was the first to credit Billy Ocean as a composer. The title appears to be somewhat premonitory as things were about to change and not all for the best.
Billy worked with writer and producer Ken Gold on his next Album “City Limit”, who had previously produced hits with British band The Real Thing.
Billy acknowledges Gold’s contribution.
“He really should get a little respect in the sense that he was one of the innovators of English producers, taking black artists and treating them with a certain amount of respect and being serious with the music and sort of making an opening for us”. City Limit was dedicated in memory of Billy’s father who had passed on during the recording.
The first single taken from the album was “American Hearts”, a song not written by Billy but by successful British songwriters Dominic Bugatti and Frank Musker. It failed to reach the top 40, as did the follow ups “Are You Ready” and “Stay The Night”. Both recorded later by LaToya Jackson.
Hopes of releasing “Who’s Gonna Rock” You were dashed by GTO who claimed it lacked commerciality, although The Nolans had a top 20 hit with a cover version the following year. By now GTO had been sold to American giant CBS Records, who were unable to fully support and promote their new artist.
Around this time Billy met Laurie Jay who had been a successful drummer during the early sixties with The Echoes and The Laurie Jay Combo. He became Billy’s manager and lifelong friend and together they raised their own finances to record a new song, “Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)”. A favourite Billy Ocean track “Nights” once again had a less than favourable response from GTO and failed to make any impact on the charts.
Happier news came for Billy when Judy gave birth to their first child in 1979, a beautiful baby girl called Cherie. Nigel Martinez, a former A&R man for GTO and an accomplished drummer produced the first album for CBS, “Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)”. Released on their subsidiary label Epic, it contained five tracks previously released on City Limit and without the full backing of the record company the album didn’t get the recognition it deserved.
In America things were very different, both the single and album sold well and Billy was voted best R&B newcomer.
Billy had spent a lot of time performing in Europe and was ready to take on the world but the lack of interest in his last contractual album for CBS, “Inner Feelings”, which he co-produced with Nigel Martinez left him feeling despondent and contemplating his future career.
1983 brought a new addition to the Charles family, this time a boy named Anthony.
Laurie Jay clinched a deal with Clive Calder’s newly formed Jive records and Billy flew to New York to work with producer Keith Diamond who was also born in Trinidad, originally the duo were supposed to do four songs as a try-out but in no time at all they had almost an entire album.
One of these tracks “European Queen” was issued as Billy’s first single for his new label, but boss Clive Calder thought it would sound more exotic and appeal to a wider audience if the title were changed to “Caribbean Queen”, an exceptional move.
The new recording was released in September 1984 and went on to be a million selling worldwide hit earning Billy a Grammy award the following year.
Another version of the song entitled “African Queen” was recorded for the African music market spending ten weeks in their charts. Billy Ocean was once again, back in business.
The album entitled “Suddenly”, included a beautiful cover of The Beatles “The Long And Winding Road” which was one of Billy’s favourite Lennon & McCartney compositions along with “Loverboy”, a track co-written with Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange best known for producing rock bands like AC/DC and Def Leppard.
Suddenly earned Billy his first gold disc for UK. sales and a single release of the title track, which was Billy’s first big ballad, a silver disc. The song became particularly poignant when Billy sang it at Keith Diamonds funeral in 1997.
1985 saw Billy promoting his album with the Ocean across America tour the first time he had performed live in the United States, culminating at the JFK stadium in Philadelphia where Billy performed two songs “Caribbean Queen and Loverboy” as part of the phenomenal Live Aid broadcast on 13th July.
Billy produced fellow Jive artist Ruby Turner’s “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)” single which also featured Jonathan Butler, the track made the top 30 and entered the charts the same day as Billy’s most successful single.
“When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going” was again co-written with ‘Mutt’ Lange and was not only the opening track on “Love Zone” Billy’s next album, but also the theme to the Michael Douglas Film The Jewel of the Nile; it spent four weeks at the top of the charts in February 1986 earning Billy another Gold disc.
Love Zone was produced by Barry J. Eastmond had also worked on Suddenly and Wayne Braithwaite. It went straight in at number 2 on its first week of release and spent a total of eight months in the charts, selling 100,000 copies and adding yet another gold disc to Billy’s collection.
To promote the album Billy toured North America and Japan to sell out crowds before returning home in November for his final shows. The performances from the Hammersmith Odeon were recorded and issued on a video, “Billy Ocean in London” the following year.
Whilst in New York Billy met up with soul legend Millie Jackson who signed to Jive records and recorded “Love Is A Dangerous Game”, a track Billy co-wrote for her along with Jonathan Butler.
Billy spent most of 1987 recording his next album with the successful production team of Lange/Braithwaite/Eastmond and enjoying fatherhood with his baby daughter Rachel.
“Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” caused controversy when issued as a single in early 1988. It made number 3 in the charts despite nearly being banned from radio because a national newspaper implied the song made reference to child molestation.
Billy explained that while growing up as a teenager none of his friends drove cars, most of them rode scooters, so a song called Get outta my dreams, get onto my scooter just wouldn’t have worked.
The album “Tear Down These Walls” again went gold and Billy toured to promote it between April and November with former Matt Bianco vocalist Basia Trzetrezelwska (pronounced as Basha Chechelevska) as support artist.
After years of hard work and well-earned success, Billy decided to take time away from the music business and devote himself to his young family.
Jive issued a “Greatest Hits” package in September 1989, which went on to be Billy’s biggest selling UK album, this time going Platinum.
Included were two new songs co-written with ‘Mutt’ Lange, “Licence To Chill” and “I Sleep Much Better In Someone Else’s Bed” which featured Hollywood actor Will Smith.
Billy started performing with Ebony Steel Orchestra, one of Europe’s top steel bands, rekindling his passion for pan. Although his affiliation with them goes back to their inception in 1969 due to his friendship with Pepe Francis, the bands musical director.
Starting off on Iron but later moving on to Tenor, Billy would go on to play at the World festival in Trinidad, the European festival in France and the Notting Hill carnival Steel bands Panorama which Ebony won for a record 13th time in 2001.
By 1993 the music scene had changed and Billy’s next studio album had changed with it. The appropriately titled “Time To Move On” was recorded in Chicago with amongst others R. Kelly, who had been a long time admirer of the way Billy was able to mix the more emotive soul style with a crossover pop and rock vibe.
A new image accompanied the album with a younger looking Billy sporting dreadlocks following his conversion to the Rastafarian religion.
One of the leading tracks was “Pressure”, a song recalling the time Billy was wrongfully arrested, and later released unconditionally.
A period of his life Billy referred to euphemistically as “when I was out of it”. “Time To Move On” wasn’t a successful release and remains Billy’s last studio album to date.
In September 1998 Jive issued “Love Is For Ever”, a twenty-four track double album covering much more of Billy’s back catalogue than the previous compilation. Again it sold well spending nearly six months on the charts and achieving Gold disc status.
Billy continued to pretty much stay out of the limelight for the next few years although he did perform at the South Africa Freedom Day concert on Sunday 29th April 2001. Held in London’s Trafalgar Square it marked the seventh anniversary of South Africa’s free elections and was attended by Dr. Nelson Mandela. Billy performed with ‘Celebrate Music’, a combination of 36 South African and UK musicians.
On 11th November 2002, Billy was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Westminster, where his eldest daughter Cherie studied for her degree in Commercial music.
This accolade was recognition for his contribution to the music industry, with the presentation at the Barbican Centre in London.
2003 saw the release of a new compilation CD, “Let’s Get Back Together The Love Songs Of Billy Ocean”. It included Billy’s most popular ballads along with a previously unreleased track from the Tear Down These Walls sessions and new recordings of Tracy Chapman’s “Baby Can I Hold You?” and Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds”.
Billy’s daughter Cherie signed a recording contract with Jive in 2004 and released her first single “No 1” on 9th August, she had studied music throughout her education and once performed with the legendary Chaka Khan.
To celebrate, Billy and family dined at a restaurant in London’s Savile Row, the very place a young Les Charles started some 30 years before.
Also released that year was “The Ultimate Collection”, which very much appeared to bring Billy’s recordings full circle, although it is reported Billy may one day record a version of Ian Dury and the Blockheads “One Love”.
Billy continues to live in England and enjoys spending time with his family, gardening at his home in Berkshire and performing around the globe with Ebony Steel Orchestra.