LEEE JOHN
Songwriter • Singer
Born in Hackney, Leee John is a singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of British soul-funk group Imagination. The group achieved international success in the early 1980s with hits including Body Talk, Just an Illusion and Music and Lights. Leee has continued to build a longstanding career across music and performance.
Why Hackney Matters
Deeply rooted in family and community, Leee John’s ties to Hackney profoundly influenced his formative years. Looking back on his youth, he remembers:
“First off, I was born in Hackney Hospital in the late 1950s, and my family later moved to Adolphus Road, Finsbury Park, near the Arsenal football ground. My mother and sister would often drag me along to Ridley Road Market to buy Caribbean food and produce… where we would purchase clothes for upcoming St Lucian dances.
These dances would happen at Hackney Town Hall, where the St Lucian Association of London, of which my mother Jessie Stephens was secretary, would hold events featuring bands and sound systems. These dances were part of our upbringing and brought a lot of the Caribbean communities together.”
Did You Know?
Leee remembers Hackney’s vibrant club scene as an important part of his upbringing. He recalls going to Phobes on Amhurst Road, where he saw bands including Black Slate and Aswad perform. He also remembers All Nations, an all-night rave club where hardcore reggae was played alongside occasional soul DJs. A self-described “soul head”, Leee describes the period as “a colourful, creative and political time” filled with great memories.