Book Review: Electronically Yours vol. 1

The Human League and Heaven 17 were among some of the most pioneering bands of the 1980s, with Martyn Ware having played an integral role in each of their numerous successes. A young lad from the heart of post-war Sheffield, Ware formed The Human League a few years out of school in his early twenties. Described by David Bowie as 'the future of music', it wasn't long before the band become known for their innovative and infectiously catchy singles such as 'Being Boiled', touring with the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Iggy Pop before Ware's departure. Heaven 17 followed suit, with their soon-to-be classic albums, Penthouse & Pavement and The Luxury Gap, featuring several colossal hits. Ground-breaking icons in new wave and synth pop, both groups remain some of the biggest-selling bands across the UK and worldwide.

Book Review: Sweet Dreams - The Story of the New Romantics

Sweet Dreams: The Story of the New Romantics provides an in-depth look at a decade-long period of the music and cultural scenes of Britain. Author Dylan Jones zooms in on the period from 1975 to 1985 and the second invasion of British music. This study goes from the heyday of punk to the peak of new-wave, through the birth of MTV and the culmination of Live-Aid.

Written in a style reminiscent of a documentary script, Jones presents the reader with an eye-witness account of this period by those who were key to it. Through interviews, the reader hears from the likes of David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Adam Ant, Martin Fry, Malcolm McLaren, Sade, the members of bands like Culture Club, Duran Duran, the Eurythmics, Heaven 17, Spandau Ballet, and so many more.

For someone like me who is a music-nerd that came of age during this particular decade, this book is a fascinating read. Even if you think you know a lot about these artists and their albums, I can guarantee you will find a number of interesting nuggets of trivia within these pages. It might even inspire you to revisit some of your favorite music from this period.

Heaven 17 - Penthouse and Pavement

This month marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Penthouse and Pavement, the debut album from the UK synthpop band Heaven 17. This 1981 record charted at number 99 in Australia, number 45 in New Zealand, number 24 in Sweden and number 14 in the UK. It stayed on the UK charts for seventy-seven weeks and had achieved Gold sales status by October of the following year.

Heaven 17 - How Men Are

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of How Men Are, the third studio album from Heaven 17. This one charted at number 31 in Germany, number 28 in the Netherlands and Sweden, and number 12 in the UK.

Heaven 17 - The Luxury Gap

Today (April 8th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of The Luxury Gap, the second studio album from UK synth pop group Heaven 17. This Platinum seller reached number 72 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 20 in the Netherlands, number 18 in France, number 17 in Sweden, number 11 in New Zealand, number 7 in Germany and number 4 in the UK.

Heaven 17 - Heaven 17

In September of 1981, the British synth pop band Heaven 17 (the trio of Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware) released their debut album Penthouse and Pavement. The record went all the way to number 14 on the UK charts and became a Gold seller.

In early 1983, a remixed version of that album called Heaven 17 was released in the US, where it climbed all the way to number 68 on the Billboard Hot 200. This happens to be one of my favorite albums from the 80’s, so today I thought I would give an in-depth look at it to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary.

Night Shift (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

Thirty years ago this month, the Ron Howard directed comedy about a former stock-broker (played by Henry Winkler) who is forced to take a job in a New York City morgue. There he is partnered on the night shift with a wildly exuberant co-worker (played by Michael Keaton). Together, along with a struggling prostitute (played by Shelley Long), they turn that morgue upside down.

Heaven 17 - Heaven 17 / the Luxury Gap

It was my senior year of high school (1982-1983). I would spend my Saturday afternoons listening to the local SUNY Fredonia college radio station - in particular a show called "Vito's Saturday Afternoon Tea Party". The DJ would play a lot of different things, including some new wave acts that weren't making much of an appearance on the mainstream stations. One such band was Heaven 17.

This synthypop trio immediately caught my interest. Their songs were full of catchy dance hooks and political lyrics. I immediately was a fan. It didn't take long for me to go to the local Record Giant to seek out any albums by this band. While their debut Penthouse and Pavement (1981) was not readily available in the US, they did have a self-titled platter that was most of the tracks of that debut album (slightly shuffled) along with two tracks from their second UK album.