SIMPLY Red have parted from the record company which launched their career - but the band insist the split is amicable.

The Manchester group, led by singer Mick Hucknall, have announced the end of their 15-year relationship with East West Records, which has seen them develop into one of Britain's biggest-selling acts.

Since signing for the label, which is owned by Warner Brothers, in 1985, Simply Red have sold 40 million albums. Their chart domination began that year with the single Money's Too Tight (To Mention), quickly followed by Holding Back the Years. The band's career peaked in the early 1990s with their most popular album Stars.

News of the split follows disappointing sales of their last record, Love And the Russian Winter, which failed to match their previous success. The band is now considering the potential for distributing their music across the internet.

Tweet