Living in a Box

Living in a Box Biography by Michael Sutton The British pop-funk group Living in a Box boomed onto MTV in 1987 with a song named after themselves. Featuring Richard Darbyshire (vocals/guitar), Marcus Vere (synthesizers), and Anthony Critchlow (drums), the band had only one Top 40 single in the U.S., "Living in a Box"; in the U.K., however, the group was far more successful. Living in a Box formed in Sheffield, England in 1985. Darbyshire originally sang for the band the Zu Zu Sharks in the early '80s. Given the choice between a solo career or fronting Living in a Box for Chrysalis Records, Darbyshire selected the latter. Living in a Box received a five-year contract from the label; in 1987, the group released their self-titled debut LP. In 1989, the band recorded a second album, Gatecrashing; the songs "Blow the House Down" and "Room in Your Heart" were Top Ten hits in Britain. But changes at Chrysalis caused artistic differences during the production of their third LP. Living in a Box broke up in 1990 before their third album was completed. In 1994, Darbyshire released his solo debut, How Many Angels, an LP that included several tracks, such as "Better to Have Lost," that were intended for Living in a Box's third album.