Heaven 17

Heaven 17, an electronic synth-pop and New Wave band, was formed in Sheffield, England, UK, in 1980. The band was initially composed of Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware, who had previously been members of The Human League. Following creative differences within The Human League, Marsh and Ware decided to form their own band, recruiting Glenn Gregory as their lead vocalist. They quickly released their first single, “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang,” in 1981. This marked the beginning of Heaven 17’s career, with their music being characterized by synthesisers and drum machines, notably the Linn LM-1.

Throughout the mid-1980s, Heaven 17 achieved commercial success with several hit singles and albums. Their most recognized song, “Temptation,” reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1983 and number 4 in 1992. Their album “The Luxury Gap” peaked at number 4 in 1983 and featured other top twenty hits such as “Crushed by the Wheels of Industry” and “Come Live With Me.” Other notable albums include “Penthouse and Pavement” (1981) and “How Men Are” (1984), both of which reached the UK Top 15 album charts. In 1984, Heaven 17 also participated in the Band Aid single “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” which secured the number one spot.

The band’s career also involved collaborations with various artists and projects. They worked with Duran Duran, George Michael, and Spandau Ballet. In 1984, they reunited with Phil Oakey for the soundtrack of the film “Electric Dreams.” Under their British Electric Foundation (B.E.F.) guise, Ware and Marsh produced Tina Turner’s hit “Let’s Stay Together.” They have continued to release new material periodically, including the 2005 album “Before After” and “Naked as Advertised” in 2008, and performed live from 1997 onwards.