10 minute read
Heaven 17
Heaven 17 Announce North American Tour An Interview with Glenn Gregory
Interview by Ken Morton - Band Photo by Chris Youd - Music Tastes Good Photo by Jack Lue
Advertisement
1980s new wave/synth-pop masters Heaven 17 will be coming to North America for their first-ever headlining transatlantic tour celebrating their storied 40-year career. The acclaimed British duo of Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory will perform their much-loved greatest hits, including Temptation, Let Me Go and Hands Up To Heaven and more!. The 15-date We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thang outing launches September 16th at Daryl’s House in Pawling, NY and will include a stop at The Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles on September 29th. Right at press time, Highwire Daze interviewed vocalist Glenn Gregory to discuss the upcoming tour and highlights from an absolutely epic career in music...
What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming Heaven 17 North American Tour – your first tour here in the States – believe it or not.
Yeah, it’s weird to be in the fourth decade of being in a band and never have toured America. It’s going to be really exciting for us to be honest. We’ve got a lot of American fans, and we’re always being contacted saying, “Oh, why don’t you come over?” In fact, quite a lot of them have come over here to see us. But we’re finally making it. The very first time we played live in America was at Studio 54 in New York – it was amazing – and then that was it for about 40 years. We’ve got some catching up to do.
We absolutely do! Now one of the last times you played out here in Southern California was at the Music Tastes Good Festival in 2017. I was at that performance. How did that particular show go and what were some of the highlights about playing out here?
Firstly, just the beauty of that place. It was an amazing gig! It was fantastic! We had a great time. I toured America a couple of time with Holy Holy doing the David Bowie
songs with Tony Visconti and Woody Woodmansey. So, I had done that tour, but Martyn hadn’t played in America before that gig for probably 38-39 years. So, it was very exciting for us to do. Unfortunately, Martyn – the funniest thing if you’ll allow me to explain – Martyn had gone out the night before with Rachel – one of our singers – and wound up finding this cocktail bar and ended up drinking these cocktails which knocked him off his feet and he was really drunk. So, we got up the next day to do the gig, and I saw him, and I asked, “How are you feeling?” And he said, “Yeah, I’m feeling really bad, but I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it.” So, we got to the gig – and the backstage area is really beautiful there – the Winnebago’s were really comfortable and nice. But Martyn really wasn’t feeling right. And Rachel said “I’ve got some Alka Seltzer” which is like kind of aspirin for hangovers. And Martyn was so hungover, he said, “Oh yeah, that would be great! I’ll definitely have some.” So, he took them forgetting he’s allergic to aspirin. So, 1 ½ hours later and approximately an hour before we went onstage, his eyes were the size of tennis balls! So, he waited 38 years to play in America, and he had to go onstage wearing sunglasses. And they were actually pushed off his face, because his eyes were so swollen! So, for me, that gig was mainly laughing at Martyn onstage with these big googly eyes! (Laughs) That’s cruel. But the gig itself was really good – slightly chaotic, but those kind of outdoor gigs are – but very exciting. I’m really looking forward to playing The Belasco actually – that looks like an amazing place.
Yes, it is. A historic venue right in the heart of Downtown LA. That should be awesome! Now when you look back on your very first single, (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, did you have any idea that you released this iconic song that would still stand the test of time today?
I think we knew it was important – and it was important to us at the time that we did it as well – because the UK was going through some – and unfortunately, we’re probably in the same place now. Margaret Thatcher was kind of destroying the Northern part of Great Britain and setting aflame to miners and knocking down the steelworks – so that was all going on politically. The whole thing about nuclear war was really prevalent and scary. And in England at the time, fascism was really kind of happening – and we wanted to stand up and say something about it and to be vocal and seen to be trying to do something about it. Unfortunately, as you just said, it has stood the test of time – and indeed, it probably is just as relevant today. If we released it this week, it would have been the same – the names would have changed – but the feeling and what it’s talking about is the same. So yes, we did kind of understand what we wrote was important, but we hoped that it would have gone away by now.
Do you have any hope for the new British Prime Minister?
No hope whatsoever. I think it’s an absolute disaster. She was voted in by only members of the Conservative membership – so maybe 5000 people or something. But no, I have no great hope for her really. I think England needs a much bigger, bigger change than that.
Let Me Go was another massive hit from Heaven 17. I remember hearing that song played on KROQ out here back in the early 80’s. What is the story behind that song lyrically and musically?
Actually, that’s my favorite – and I know it’s Martin’s favorite as well. I remember back in the day when we were writing the demos for The Luxury Gap – we were doing it at my flat in Ladbroke Grove in London – a very kind of trendy area. It was quite run down and the flat was a basement flat – it was really quite disgusting – like one toilet for six flats – it was horrible! But anyway, that was London in those days in the early 80’s. But I remember when we started writing that and the melody of it – I remember being in love with that melody. And you know sometimes when you’re writing songs at that early stage, that don’t often bare that much
resemblance to what comes out at the end by the time you’ve produced it. But for some reason – that track – it kind of maintained its credibility and originality throughout all the process of production and record producing. The melody stayed and it’s just a really, really beautiful song. I also really love to sing it – the key is just bang on for me, and it’s just a really, really lovely song to sing. Sometimes, oddly enough, I can get so into it when I’m singing, I sometimes forget the words. I start listening to it and then I’m thinking, “Shit, where am I? What bit am I on?” But yes, it’s a really lovely song to sing.
Well, the audience will be singing along, and they’ll bring you back for sure…
Yeah, and that often happens with me. of course 57 Men slimmed down and became Wang Chung and became an amazing hit. I still do see Nick occasionally – I haven’t seen Jack in quite a few years. I bumped into Darren Costin at a gig – same thing with Leigh Gorman.
I was supposed to go back – Wang Chung were doing a gig in London, and they thought it would be funny if I went on and we did a couple of 57 Men songs. And I agreed. But my diary keeping is so atrocious that I double booked – there was actually a Heaven 17 gig that night. I was devastated and I think Nick was angry with me as well. I said, “I’m sorry, I can’t cancel it.” It was in Manchester and the Wang Chung gig was in London. And there was no way I could get to do the two. It would have been a gas to go and do something like that.
Of course, Martin came from The Human League. You actually did a band with the members of Wang Chung way back in the day called 57 Men. Tell me about 57 Men, and do you still keep in touch with the members of Wang Chung?
Wang Chung were 57 Men when I joined them. I don’t remember how we met, but I just knew that these guys were forming a band and looking for a singer – and I went and auditioned. Someone had suggested me – I had sung in bands before and so l kind of went along – and we got on really well. They were fantastic songs – Jack and Nick were really good songwriters – actually so were Leigh Gorman and Darren Costin - the drummer and bass guitarist. We played a lot live around the South of England and in London – and then we started to go North and play live. But it didn’t quite take off as you feel it would and there wasn’t a record deal offer. And at that point, I was also working as a photographer taking pictures of bands for magazines. And I went up to Sheffield to take pictures of Joe Jackson for The NME, which is a music paper here. And by sheer coincidence, it was the same day that Martyn and The Human League had split. They had their meeting and decided that they were going to go their separate ways – not in the nicest of ways. I just phoned Martyn and said, “I’m in Sheffield, do you want to meet for a drink?” And he said, “Yeah, definitely. I’ve got something to tell you.” So, we met at the pub, and he was telling me about what happened in the meeting, and he was really pissed off. And he was really angry, and said, “I’m not entirely sure, but I think Ian is going to come with me as well.” He said, “How would you feel about packing up from London for a bit and moving back to Sheffield and forming another band with myself and Ian?” And it just felt right, and the synchronicity on me happening to be in Sheffield on that day – and I had been in London doing that doing photography and 57 Men for a couple of years. So, I just suddenly said, “Okay,” and that was it. So that was kind of the end of 57 Men and the start of Heaven 17. And then
Well maybe 57 Men will want to try and do a reunion again soon – if they’re not still too mad at you…
(laughs) Yeah, well it’s been a couple of years now. Maybe they won’t be mad at me. Unfortunately, I’m not much better at diary keeping. I’m always fucking up with things like that. (Much laughter)
Is there any new Heaven 17 music on the horizon?
There are a couple of tracks that Martin and I have been passing backwards and forwards to each other. It goes up and down whether we think we are going to release something or not. We get to the point where we go “What’s the point? Why are we doing this? Why would that be of interest to anyone? Where would we play it? Would we go out and play it live? Would our audience want to see new stuff?” And I think the answer to all of those things to be honest is, “Yes, they would be interested.” And it’s more us slightly reluctant to do it. At the moment, because we’re going to be playing in America and since we’ve been playing in the UK for a while – and it keeps getting bigger and bigger – Martyn and I were taking about it on the train the other day. I think we are going to be releasing something soon – and certainly get back together and do some writing and see where we go. But I think the answer is probably more yes than it is no.
Do you have any messages for Heaven 17 fans here in the States and in the Los Angeles area?
Yes, please come along. It’s been 40 years and God only knows when it will be when we come again – so don’t miss it! You’ve only got yourself to blame… (Much laughter.)
