La Bouche Signals An 's.o.s.'

NEW YORK‹Three years ago, RCA act La Bouche watched as its Euro-spiced debut, "Sweet Dreams," become an international phenomenon. Today, singer Melanie Thornton and rapper Lane McCray are hoping for similar success for their follow-up, "S.O.S.," due to arrive at retail June 30.
A collection of 14 songs produced by Frank Farian, "S.O.S." is preceded by the May 12 commercial release of the first single, "You Won't Forget Me."
According to Thornton and McCray, the two albums are similar in many ways‹with one major difference. "Our first album was more dance/pop in that it was a result of what was going on in the European club scene at the time," explains Thornton. "The new album is more pop/dance. We went into the studio consciously aware of what we wanted to make‹a collection of songs that would sound equally good on the dancefloor, in the car, or at home."
At this, McCray nods in agreement, adding that "there was a lot more thought going into the new album from all sides. Whereas the first album was more a reaction to a couple of songs, the new one is the exact opposite, with myself, Melanie, the producers, and RCA getting into the act early on."
Of course, this does not necessarily guarantee a hit. Upon its release in early March on Farian's MCI label (which is distributed through Hansa/BMG) in Germany, "S.O.S." failed to incite much sales or radio action. "Basically, the whole music scene [in Germany] has changed," says McCray. "We were kind of caught off guard. Everyone is now into hip-hop and slower beats."
To that end, how does the project's low profile in Germany change RCA's stateside marketing plan?
"It shouldn't affect us here," states Dave Novik, RCA's VP of international A&R. As the man who signed La Bouche to RCA, Novik believes that the audience, as well as radio programmers, need uptempo material. "They are a known entity here in the States, which is a very different market than Germany. Such radio stations as WKTU in New York, B-96 [WBBM] in Chicago, WIOQ in Philadelphia, and WWZZ in Washington, D.C., are already playing 'You Won't Forget Me'‹and that's without any solicitation."
Julie Bruzzone, VP of artist development/marketing at RCA, concurs: "We are getting great advance radio play. The single [with remixes by Hex Hector, Love Inc., and Denny & Pepe] was also a No. 3 breakout on [Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play] chart last week."
Bruzzone adds that La Bouche has already taped an episode of "The RuPaul Show." Additionally, the duo will be playing a series of "Grad Night" dates at Disneyworld in Orlando, Fla., as well as working with many gay and lesbian pride-related events in June.
"Hopefully, once people play the new album and hear such tracks as 'Say It With Love' and 'A Moment Of Love,' they will see that there is more to La Bouche than meets the eye," says Novik. "At that point, we will have to take a very mainstream, adult pop approach, which is an audience Melanie and Lane must groom. We must get La Bouche to the next level with this album."
La Bouche formed in 1993. Thornton, a native of South Carolina who currently resides in Atlanta, went to live with her sister in Germany. McCray, a military brat who was born in North Carolina and raised "everywhere" (he makes his home in San Antonio, Texas), found himself back in Germany in 1991 after he joined the U.S. Air Force.
Within weeks of arriving in Germany, Thornton hooked up with a local pop/R&B band, Groovin' Affairs. On one particular evening, McCray, who spent many years as a member of the Air Force's entertainment show, filled in for one of Groovin' Affairs' vacationing members. After that show, McCray was made a permanent member of the band, and a friendship formed between he and Thornton.
During this time, Thornton also did studio session work for several production companies, including Farian's Far Music Productions. He was fond of one of the songs she demoed‹"Sweet Dreams."
"At the time, Frank was searching for a male/female duo, and he asked me if I knew of a rapper/singer who would want to join the act," Thornton recalls. "I immediately mentioned Lane." Within moments, La Bouche was signed to Far Music, with "Sweet Dreams" originally released on MCI in 1994.