Then, Ray was a chef at the Netherland's Schiphol Airport, and he dreamed of becoming a musical
star. He also was a breakdancer. But, he said, "I didn't realize I could make a career of it."
A friend of his, also a rapper, Marvin D, was a member of a successful rap group. But during one
show, the crowd wasn't hyped, so Ray took the mic, "and started rapping. The kids went crazy and
I guess that's what started it all." Before long, he was put in touch with producers Jean-Paul
DeCoster and Phil Wilde, who were well known in Europe. Wilde also produced for AB Logic, known
for their hit, "The Hitman".
Ray and Anita didn't really know each other before the group was formed, although they had seen
each other at clubs. They aren't dating, and think of themselves as brother and sister.
Their first album, GET READY, came out in 1992. In Europe, "Twilight Zone", "Workaholic", and
"The Magic Friend" were released as the other singles, and all did well, although "The Magic
Friend" only made it to #13 on Dutch singles charts. In the United States, only "Twilight Zone"
and "The Magic Friend" (backed with "Eternally Yours" as a B-side) were released, besides "Get
Ready For This", which was the second single in the U.S. In early 1995, GET READY was certified
gold (over 500,000 copies sold) in the U.S., but it did way better in Europe, staying on album
charts even two years later. It hit #62 on the Top 100 albums of 1993. It has sold well over 2.5
million copies all over the world.
In 1993,NO LIMITS, their second album, was released, with the debut single, after much discussion,
being "No Limit". It did so well, that in February, it knocked Whitney Houston's "I Will Always
Love You" from #1 on the Our Price, Ltd. charts in London, and stayed there for five weeks. It
remained in the charts for 13 weeks-- just over 3 months. It hit #1 in 15 (count them, fifteen)
other countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Italy,
Norway, Protugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the then Czecholovakia. Other singles, "Faces",
"Maximum Overdrive", and "Let The Beat Control Your Body" did immensly well. The album did very
well, also. A year after its release, it would place #17 on the Top 100 Albums chart in Holland.
On 1993's chart, seven months after its release, it was #9.
In June 1994, REAL THINGS, their third album hit the music stores. This album would go on to
become #1 in the U.K. In fact, it went gold the day it was released. Ray and Anita were
presented with the award the day after its release, June 7, at a release party at England's
Ministry of Sound club. Its debut single, "The Real Thing", was an instant hit. The second
single, "No One" didn't do as well as other singles, but it did great, hitting #17 on October
1, and it was one of the most played 2 Unlimited tracks on European radio. "Here I Go" made it
to #4 in Holland, (#1 on the dance charts on April 22, 1995) and it hit #22 in its second week
on the United Kingdom charts. "Nothing Like The Rain" was released in June 6, 1995 in Holland,
and entered the Mega Top 50 Singles chart at #31 on the 24th. The song was #11 on the Rabo Top
40, and #13 on Mega's chart as this edition was written. The album was #22 on the Top 100 Albums
for 1994. And after over a year on the charts, the album was #57 on the Top 100 albums chart for
July 8, 1995, steadily increasing with each new single.
On October 30, 1995, HITS UNLIMITED, their fourth album, was released. As the title suggests,
it's a greatest hits album, with three new tracks, "Do What's Good For Me", released as the
first single, and "Jump For Joy", which is scheduled for release in January 1996. Finally,
there's "Spread Your Love", plus a megamix. This megamix only appears on the Byte version.
All of 2 Unlimited's singles appear on HITS UNLIMITED, and as this edition was written, it
was #5 in the Netherlands. The album includes a booklet, which tells the group's history.
As for top singles of the year, "No Limit" was the #3 single out of 100 for 1993. On that same
chart, "Tribal Dance" hit #29, "Faces", #35, and "Maximum Overdrive" came in at #85. On 1994's
chart, "No One" was #21, although another source, Mega, who also has a Top 100 Albums chart,
said it was #32. "The Real Thing" came in at #24, Mega said #22. "Let The Beat Control Your
Body" was at #34 according to Rabo, and #30 to Mega.
Speaking of the United Kingdom, they scored 11 #1 hits in a row there. And they have had #1
records in every country except the United States, which should soon change.
Their albums, and singles have done so well that they have sold well over 18 million records,
and at the 1994 MIDEM Conference and World Music Awards, they won 120 Gold and Platinum Records,
all in one presentation!
And what about awards? They can't seem to get enough! Besides the ones already mentioned, in
1993 alone, 2 Unlimited was awarded gold and platinum records in 26 countries: Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, India,
Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Czechia/Slovakia, and the U.K. In Budapest on December 3, 1993, they
were presented with a Goldene Europa Award for Trend of The Year. The next day, they picked
up the Smash Hits Poll Winners Award for Best Dance Act in London. This was the second year
in a row they won the award. Then, on January 7, 1995, in The Netherlands, they got the B.V.
Popprijs 1994 award, with 10.000 guilders, which was donated to the United Nation's fund for
UNICEF. And their awards aren't only confined to Europe. They were also presented with the Best
Techno 12" of 1993 for "Tribal Dance", at the Winter Music Conference in Florida, USA.
Their music videos do well, also. MTV Europe has always played their videos, but MTV America
was another story. In 1992, they played "Twilight Zone" on "Club MTV", their dance show. In
1995, the dance show was now "The Grind", and "Get Ready For This" was a popular dance anthem,
and the video was played as well. To date, a 2 Unlimited video has yet to make the "Top 20
Countdown", but MTV Europe is another story altogether. Every video has made the countdown
except "Nothing Like The Rain", and "Do What's Good For Me". The video with the best entry was
"Tribal Dance", which entered at #6 on May 15, 1993. It stayed on the chart for 15 weeks-- one
week shy of four months. "No Limit" debuted at #13 on February 13 of the same year, and hit #1
for two weeks on the 27th and the 6th of March. Their second video, "Twilight Zone" stayed on
the chart for 8 weeks, hitting #6 on April 4, 1992. The next video, "Workaholic", entered at
#16 on June 6, hitting #11 on the 13th. "Let The Beat Control Your Body" came in at #18 on
February 2, 1994, hitting #3 on March 5, 19 and 26. It stayed on the charts for 11 weeks, one
more week than "No Limit" did. "Here I Go" entered at #15 on April 1, 1995, and it was #9 on
April 15. All of their videos that have made it on the show have stayed on the countdown for
at least 4 weeks.
2 Unlimited's songs are fast. How fast? "Do What I Like", from REAL THINGS, clocks in at 147
B.P.M. (Beats Per Minute), and "The Real Thing" at 144. The rap mix of "No Limit" from NO
LIMITS, hits 142, and from GET READY, the orchestral mix of "Get Ready For This" comes in at
126, and "Twilight Zone" at 129. "The Magic Friend" is 127 B.P.M.
Of course, they've done many other shows. Anita estimates they do 200 a year. They site their
biggest concert as the Parkpop open festival in Holland, where they played to an audience of
450,000. Other big shows they've done include other open-air festivals at Tokyo Dome, Bercy
(Paris), and Wembley (London).
As if all this success weren't enough, 2 Unlimited is the first techno band to go gold in
Australia, and they have been named the best techno act in Greece, Israel, Indonesia, and
Turkey. They have also appeared on the popular British sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous".
2 Unlimited are finally making it in the United States, as the success of "Get Ready For This",
and the gold staus of GET READY proves. What do they think about the country? Anita likes the
diversity of each state, and the fact that "..Americans are so nice in every state..". Ray's
favorite place in the States is New York City, where he knows his way a bit, and has friends.
Ray likes the "people..language..clubs..and of course the women." They have had great success
in every country, and the U.S. is now their goal. Said Ray, "When we play America it's like
coming full circle. Our sound is a mix of every country. Music's the language we all speak".
They toured the U.S. in early 1995, visiting clubs, and performing at sporting events. As this
was written, they were scheduled to resume their U.S. tour in early 1996.
As another indicator of their American success, media here is noticing them. The "Chicago
Tribune" said 2 Unlimited "..has a lot to brag about". The "Tampa Tribune", in Florida, said
"Get Ready For This" is "the smash hit that has taken command of the world's airwaves". The
"Entertainment News & Views", also in Florida, called them "..the #1 best selling pop super
duo in the world today". And, the "Brownsville Herald" in Texas called their concert at J.J.
Whispers, a local club, "electrifying".
So what kind of music do Ray and Anita like? Ray prefers rap. He especially likes Dr. Dre, Ice
Cube, and Snoop Doggy Dogg, who is his favorite. He also likes old school like The Sugar Hill
Gang. Anita prefers "..soul, hip hop, jazz, and funk."
You've heard about the performers, but there's a whole team involved with 2 Unlimited. While
Ray and Anita write the lyrics, Phil Wilde, and J.P. DeCoster, as well as others, come up with
the music. They work behind the scenes and prefer it that way. DeCoster told MixMag, a London
techno magazine, that "..there is also a very big job to be taken care of on the business side",
besides the performing aspect. There is also songwriter Michael Leahy, who said, "from the very
beginning ("Desire"), I have tried to tailor the words to fit them". Leahy has worked on such 2
Unlimited tracks as "Desire", "Where Are You Now?", "Nothing Like The Rain", "Face To Face", and
others.
2 Unlimited has many labels all over the globe. In the States, it's Radikal and Critique that
bring the country CD and cassettes. Hot Productions handles 12" releases. In Canada, it's
Quality Records. In Holland, of course, it's Byte. Germany gets 2 Unlimited stuff from ZYX
Records. And the U.K. buys from PWL Continental. Greece is handled by FM Records.
In addition to all their success, 2 Unlimited have their own solar system in cyberspace. They
have a CD-i (interactive CD) called "Beyond Limits-- One Night With 2 Unlimited", chock full
of videos, interviews, and audio tracks, among many other cool features.
And if you like home videos, you're in luck. There's NO LIMITS: The Videos, which features
videos up to "Tribal Dance", featuring two versions of some, MEGA HITS, from Japan, which
features 7 videos, up to "Faces", and just out, HITS UNLIMITED, which features all of their
music videos, two live performances, and a video megamix done by MTV Europe.
Recently, Ray was asked where he'd like to be in five years. He mentioned he hoped to be a
record producer. He achieved that goal a lot sooner than five years. Ray now owns his own label,
X-Ray Records, and a production company, Raymar Productions, which he runs with his partner,
none other than Marvin D. The first act on his label, T.O.F. reached the Top 10 in Holland with
his debut single, "Funk It Up", and the video was voted as one of the best of the year by MTV
Europe halfway through the year. T.O.F. also released the singles "Feel This Groove", and "Jump
Around", plus an album by the same name. Other releases include happy hardcore group A.K. with
"Just A Dream", and X-Ray even has jungle groups. There is no doubt Ray and Marvin D will go far
with their venture.
And Ray isn't the only one doing projects outside of 2 Unlimited. Anita recently recorded a
few songs with Jamaican raggae artist Mad Cobra. It will be interesting to see what comes out of
this.
So there you have it...the 2 Unlimited story. For now, anyway.
It all started back in 1991 when "Get Ready For This", 2 Unlimited's debut single, became an
instant smash, and a future techno classic. That song would be just one of their countless hits.
The performers are Ray Lothar Slijngaard and Anita Daniele Dels. Ray was born June 28, 1971,
and Anita, on December 28 of the same year. They were born in the same Amsterdam hospital,
Wilhelmina Gasthuis, which is located in the southern part of town. Both have had involvement
in show business before forming the world-famous group in 1991.
Anita has been involved with music since she was very young. "When I was small I was always
singing at family gatherings." She also recalls singing in a contest in front of 1,200 kids.
She didn't win, "but it was a kick!". It wasn't long after that when she was tapped to join
Trouble Sisters, an all-female rap group. Who should come along but Marvin D, who asked Anita
to join his group as a dancer and back-up singer. "It was my first taste of show business",
said Anita of the job. She was soon tired of "standing around just looking sexy". She wanted
to perform. Marvin asked her if she'd like to make a record. He said a friend of his (Ray) was
doing a project, and needed a female singer. "Of course I said 'yes'", and what happened then
was nothing short of history. 2 Unlimited was born. Before the group, she had a job at a Dutch
police station, in the parking ticket division.
As of April 1996 Anita left 2 Unlimited, this as far as I see it ruins the dynamic duo and has disturbed me greatly.
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