The House Of Love
Biography
The post-Smiths guitar pop of the House of Love was popular for a short time in the late '80s and early '90s, as many college and alternative rock fans became converts to their mixture of shiny ringing guitars, pseudo-psychedelic melodies, and bursts of noise. The British group formed in 1986; it featured Guy Chadwick (vocals, guitar), Terry Bickers (guitar), Andrea Heukamp (vocals, guitar), Pete Evans (drums), and Chris Groothuizen (bass). Their demo tape attracted the attention of Alan McGee, the head of Creation Records. McGee signed the band for a single, "Shine On," which was released in May of 1987 to some critical acclaim; it and its follow-up, "Real Animal," both sold poorly. Following a tour supporting the singles, Heukamp left the group. Instead of replacing her, the House of Love continued as a quartet, releasing their untitled debut album in the spring of 1988. Many U.K. critics called it one of the finest records of the year, and the band built up a cult audience.
The following year the band moved over to Fontana (PolyGram in the U.S.) and released two singles, "Never" and "I Don't Know Why I Love You," that failed to crack the British Top 40.
Selected Discography
One of the most musical groups that didn't make it. Their CDs rarely leave the heavy rotation on my IPod. The right band at perhaps the wrong time. I do hope they are putting something new together; I know Chadwick has been active on his own.
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Such a good band. the three albums listed are only 3 of 8 official albums they did. They are, indeed, one of the most overlooked bands of all time. they filled the void between the Smiths and Oasis, and they did it amazingly. The band has been back together for about 3 years, released a new one a couple of years ago and rumor has it they are working on a new one. They will never achieve the acknowledgme n t they deserve, but to the true fans, just hearing them make good music again is enough.
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Reading the bio, I'm amazed that these guys don't have a more extensive catalog. They've got more great songs than most bands manage in 10 albums. "I Don't Know Why I Love You" makes my top 10 favorite songs list. It's a shame they didn't achieve the success they deserved.
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