by Ron Wynn
Club Nouveau formed in Sacramento in 1986, including Jay King, Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy, Samuelle Pratter, and Valerie Watson. King was the creative force behind the hit Rumours by the Timex Social Club in 1986, and formed King Jay Records for Club Nouveau. They made some good disco-flavored and funk tunes, and had four consecutive hits in 1986 and 1987: Jealousy, Situation #9, a cover of Bill Withers Lean on Me, and Why You Treat Me So Bad. The last two both reached the number-two spot on the R&B charts. But, in 1988, at the height of their popularity, McElroy, Pratter, and Foster left the group, and were replaced by David Agent and Kevin Irving. Their final recordings for Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. didnt sustain the momentum, and they subsequently disbanded.