THEY WERE not intended to even be a group but 30 years on Heaven 17 are still going strong and bringing their music to the Manchester Academy 2 this month.
Born out of the collapse of the original Human League was the British Electric Foundation (BEF), the brainchild of Martyn Ware.
From there sprung a portfolio of musical projects of which Heaven 17 was just one alongside iconic Music For Stowaways, and Music Of Quality and Distinction 1.
Heaven 17’s first album, Penthouse And Pavement, was a modern classic and their songs have helped to shape the future of music for more than three decades.
Their first single ’(We Don’t Need That) Fascist Groove Thang’ became NME’s record of the week but mentioned the words fascist, Hitler and racist so was banned from being played by the BBC.
A defining feature of Heaven 17 was their total artistic control over their music as the band members were performers, writers and designers.
Their next album, The Luxury Gap, was their pop masterpiece, including their favourite-ever song, ‘Let Me Go’ which nearly broke them into the UK Top 40.
There would be no such disappoint with its follow up ‘Temptation’ which reached Number 2 in the UK charts in May 1983.
Heaven 17 appeared on the front cover of Smash Hits, the teen pop bible, as they became part of the pop firmament.
Then ‘Come Live With Me’ and ‘Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry’ also cemented them as one of Britain’s most important post-punk bands.
But as Ware became a successful producer for the likes of Tina Turner and Terrence Trent D’Arby, Heaven 17 was put on hold.
In the Noughties they made a comeback and got back on top form with dance smash ‘Hands Up To Heaven’.
By the late 2000s they were down to two of their original members but demand to see them perform live was on the increase.
Heaven 17 toured their classic album Penthouse and Pavement and other material, including The Luxury Gap – a critique of the unemployed within austere Britain.
Heaven 17 perform at the MANCHESTER – Academy 2 on Saturday, October 31.. Show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £20 and are available by calling the Box Office: 0161 832 1111 or visiting their website.
For more information on Heaven 17, visit their website.
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