Surface

Surface was formed in New Jersey in 1983 with musicians David Conley, David Townsend and Everett Collins at its nucleus and Conley’s girlfriend on vocals. Her name was Karen Copeland. David Townsend was the son of late singer/songwriter, Ed Townsend. He was also a member of the band, Port Authority in the 1970s along with David Conley, who was the bassist of funk band, Mandrill from 1978 to 1981. Townsend and Conley met when Townsend was in a ’70s band in Los Angeles.

In 1983, Surface released their debut single, “Falling in Love”. A year later, they released their second single, “When Your Ex Wants You Back”. Karen Copeland and David Conley then broke up. Copeland left the group, and then Conley and Townsend met Bernard Jackson in 1984. The three met when Jackson moved from Stamford to New York to pursue a music career. While Jackson was in New York, his godfather said that he should contact his nephew, David Townsend. Conley, Townsend, and Jackson then started writing music together. They wrote songs which would integrate the next female lead vocal. After auditioning several women, Surface, according to Conley, “never found another girl”.

The trio then moved to LA searching for more mainstream success. The song “Let’s Try Again” came to the attention of Larkin Arnold of Columbia, who signed the band.

Jackson and Townsend left in 1994, and the group disbanded. In 1998, the group reformed and released Love Zone. Townsend, son of producer/songwriter Ed Townsend died of unknown causes on October 26, 2005.

Continue To Rest In Peace David Townsend & Karen Copeland.