rossen@uiuccsb.UUCP (01/26/84)
#N:uiuccsb:10200021:000:2330
uiuccsb!rossen Jan 25 12:02:00 1984
The circumstances under which Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware left
the Human League are of interest, as they are in a way responsible for
the League's current lineup (and therefore sound). When they split,
they left only Phil Oakey, who didn't play anything, and Adrian Wright,
who only provided visual complement to the music in performance, with
a contractual obligation to play a European tour. To avoid getting "sued
out of existence," [Wright] they threw together their current lineup,
Jo Callis excepted. This included Oakey finding Joanne Catherall and Susanne
Sulley at the tender age of 17 dancing at the Crazy Daisy in Sheffield.
Oakey picked them because they looked the part and in spite of the fact
they insisted they couldn't sing.
Heaven 17, meanwhile, has had a few other "hits," depending of course
on one's definition of "hit" and what locales may be considered.
"Penthouse and Pavement," (the song) was a hit in England, though less so
in the U.S. "Let Me Go" had some success in the U.S., and got quite a bit
of airplay on some radio stations. These are cuts from "Heaven 17," their
first AMERICAN album, which is pretty close in content to "Penthouse and
Pavement" (the album), which is only available as an import.
"The Luxury Gap" had a moderate hit in "Temptation," which is marked
be Karol Kenyon's searing backing vocals. Other great cuts, "Crushed by
the Wheels of Industry" and "Let's all Make a Bomb," follow the subversive
synth-rock path begun by "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang."
As for the League, we all know how successful the lineup has been --
Jo Callis, an experienced musician, comes to the League via the Rezillos
and Boots for Dancing. Wright now plays a synth, and Susanne and Joanne,
now 21 or 22, have had voice lessons. An album is due out soon to follow
the tremendously successful "Dare" and the recent mini-album "Fascination!"
1) Does anybody else like Heaven 17 as much as I do?
2) Has anyone heard anything by Rezillos or Boots for Dancing, Jo Callis'
old bands?
3) Is Susanne Sulley REALLY one of the most beautiful women in the world?
---------------
"All I know is what I read in Trouser Press."
Ken in Champaign
...{pur-ee ihnp4}!uiucdcs!uiuccsb!rossen
University of Illinois