#8: Just An Illusion by Imagination

City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKGM
Peak Month: June 1982
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #1
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Italian Singles Chart ~ #1
YouTube: “Just An Illusion”
Lyrics: “Just An Illusion”

Imagination were a British trio. It was comprised of Leee John (born in 1957 in London), whose parents moved to England from St. Lucia in 1955. After his parents divorce, he moved to New York City and at the age of ten was signed to a record company. He provided backing vocals for a number of groups including The Delfonics and The Chairmen of the Board. He moved back to England in his teens. In college he recorded an album with EMI, but it was not commercially successful. While working as a backing singer, Leee met guitar and bass player Ashley Ingram. They formed a band called Fizz and began writing songs. The pair met Errol Kennedy in the early 80s and formed the group Imagination.

Errol Kennedy was born in 1953 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He learned to play drums from a young age. He moved to Britain was a member of the soul-funk bands, Midnight Express and TFB/Central Line (Typical Funk Band). The trio named their group Imagination after the late John Lennon who had died months before in December 1980. One of Lennon’s most iconic songs was “Imagine”, which sparked the group to name themselves Imagination.

In 1982, Imagination had their debut single release with “Body Talk”.

Imagination’s photo with their single “Body Talk”

The disc climbed to #4 in the UK, #9 in Ireland, #10 in France and #11 in the Netherlands. The album, Body Talk, spawned two more singles: “In and Out of Love” and “Flashback”, both which reached #16 on the UK pop charts. This was followed by “Just An Illusion”.

“Just An Illusion” was written by Steven Jolley and Tony Swain. Jolley was born in 1950 in Llandrindod Wells Powys, Wales. Tony Swain was born in 1952, in London, England. They were a successful songwriting and record production duo in the UK in the early to mid-1980s. Their songs written for Imagination include “Body Talk” (#4 UK – 1981), “Music and Lights” (an international Top Ten hit in over eight countries in 1982). They wrote hits for Bananarama that include: “Shy Boy” (1982-83), “Cruel Summer” (1983), and “Robert DeNiro’s Waiting” (1984). The duo also produced “True”, “Gold”, “Only When You Leave”, and “I’ll Fly For You” for Spandau Ballet.

The lyrics depict someone on a journey to their “destiny.” They hope when they find who they want in a partner, it won’t be “just an illusion.” They ponder if emotions are like “magic in the air.” Lost in a world of emotion, it’s time to “open your eyes and look around.” There’s someone they’ve been trying to return their attention. However, they come to realize, “only in my dreams I’ll turn you on. Here for just a moment, then you’re gone.”

“Just An Illusion” peaked at #1 in Montreal, and Sherbrooke (PQ), #2 in Ottawa, #4 in Boston, and #5 in Bangor (ME).

Internationally, “Just An Illusion” topped the pop charts in Spain, climbing to #2 in Switzerland and the UK, #3 in France, South Africa and Sweden, #5 in Norway, #6 in Austria, #7 in West Germany, #8 in Ireland and the Netherlands, and #9 in Belgium.

“Just An Illusion” was the lead single from the group’s second album, In the Heat of the Night. A single from the Body Talk album, “Burnin’ Up”, was the next single release. It had only a U.S. release which peaked at #6 in the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1982.

Imagination appeared numerous times on Top of the Pops. They were exotic, showing up on stage as Roman senators, harem orderlies, and slaves.

Imagination had another international Top Ten hit with a second track from In the Heat of the Night. This was titled “Music and Lights”. It soared to number-one in both France and Italy. It also charted to #2 in Spain, #5 in Ireland and the UK, #9 in Norway and Switzerland, #10 in Belgium, and #12 in the Netherlands and Sweden. The title track “In the Heat of the Night” stalled at #22 on the UK pop chart.

The next album, Scandalous, climbed to #12 in France and #16 in the Netherlands. The fourth and fifth studio albums, Closer and Trilogy, were less successful. “Thank You My Love”, from Trilogy, was the groups final disc to reach the Top 60 on the UK singles chart, peaking at #22. However, the single “Instinctual” was a number-one dance hit in the USA in 1987. And a “Megamix” of Imagination’s hits was a #6 hit in France in 1989.

Errol Kennedy left Imagination in 1987 and was replaced by Peter Royer. Ashley Ingram left the group in 1990, and Royer in 1992.

Into the mid-90s, Leee John went back to acting, but re-surfaced as a singer in the reality television show Reborn in the USA. Ingram also enjoyed success as a songwriter for Des’ree.

Ashley Ingram wrote or arranged songs for minor UK recording acts People In Progress, Miki Howard, Glen Goldsmith, Jocelyn Brown, Yasuaki Ide, Des’ree, and others.

Imagination’s sixth studio album, The Fascination of the Physical, failed to fascinate record buyers. And in 2016, Retropia was passed over.

After he left Imagination in 1987, Kennedy continued both as a musician and producer. He worked with Hugh Masekela at Bray Film Studios to produce the soundtrack for the film Soweto. In the 1990s Errol Kennedy and during the 1990s either toured or produced with bands such as Odyssey, Shalamar, Rose Royce, Grace Kennedy, Jamiroquai, Frankie Knuckles, Larry Levan, Arthur Baker, Colonel Abrams and Simon Ellis.

Since 2009, Kennedy has been performing live on stage with his band ImagiNation feat. Errol Kennedy. They toured the UK in 2010–2011, followed by a performance at London’s IndigO2, alongside the Three Degrees and Linda Lewis, as well as various events and festivals across Germany in 2012.

Kennedy released Imagination’s official 30th anniversary single “Just an Illusion” (featuring T’Mar) on M&R Records in May 2013, which is a re-production of Imagination’s biggest hit. The single was taken from the forthcoming anniversary album, New Dimension, released later that year.

July 16, 2025
Ray McGinnis

References:
David Robson, “Not Just An Illusion: An Interview with Leee John,” Polari Magazine, October 15, 2013.
“Imagination man Errol’s local date,” Eastern Daily Press 24, February 4, 2010.
“Errol Kennedy Bio,” Imagination Band.
“Pop Producer Jailed Over Sex Assault,” BBC, October 12, 2001.
“Interview with Tony Swain,” Journal on the Art of Record Production, April, 2015.

CKGM 980-AM Montreal Top Ten | July 1, 1982