Helen Love

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Helen Love
File:HelenLovecompositecolourG.jpg
Background information
Genres Punk rock, bubblegum pop
Years active 1992–present
Labels Damaged Goods (1993-1997; 2001-2002)
Ché Trading (1997-2000)
Elefant Records (2005-present)
Website www.helenlove.com
Members Helen Love
Sheena
Ricardo Autobahn
Past members Roxy
Mark
Corrine
Beth

Helen Love are an indie band from Wales whose music is a combination of punk rock, bubblegum pop and disco dance music. The main thematic elements in their oeuvre are Joey Ramone, summer days and bubblegum music.[citation needed]

History

The band was formed in 1992 by Helen Love (vocals, guitar) with Sheena (guitar, keyboards), Roxy (bass, drum machine), and Mark (keyboards).[1] Love claims only to listen to the music of The Ramones.[citation needed] Current members are Helen, Sheena and Ricardo Autobahn.[2]

While none of their singles have reached the UK Top 40, they have developed a devoted cult following in indie circles, particularly at indie discos, with songs including "Long Live The UK Music Scene", "Shifty Disco Girl", "Does Your Heart Go Boom?", "We Love You", "Girl About Town", "Punk Boy" and "Debbie Loves Joey".

Helen Love have released recordings on many labels, including Damaged Goods, Che Trading, Sympathy for the Record Industry, Wurlizter Jukebox, and Invicta Hi-Fi. They are currently signed to Elefant Records.

They recorded a session for John Peel in October 1997, and had three songs in his Festive Fifty.[3]

Their songs have also been covered by Ash,[1] The Queers, Katz and Tullycraft.

The band contributed a specially written song for the DVD release of Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure. Gorman, a fan of the band, had previously played Helen Love songs to his audiences before he went on stage. Another big fan is Phill Jupitus, for whom the band composed the theme song for his Breakfast Show on BBC 6 Music.

Helen Love released the album, It's My Club and I'll Play What I Want To, in the first week of November 2007 on Elefant Records in Spain and February 2008 in the UK. Their lead singer also provided vocal tracks from "We Love You" for a 2009 cover of their song, "Better Set Your Phasers to Stun", by American synthpop band Hyperbubble.

In 2013 they released the album Day-Glo Dreams. They supported this with their first gig since 2001 at the Indietracks festival, and then in November played at 100 Club for Damaged Goods 25th anniversary.

Joey Ramone

Helen Love's second single was titled "(Sheena's In Love With) Joey Ramoney", a tribute to the band's favourite singer. A play on The Ramones' song "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker", the single was brought to Joey's attention by the UK branch of the Ramones fan club. Joey subsequently invited the band to New York to play a gig at the Continental Hotel.

Joey introduced the band's Evening Session on Radio 1, and duetted with Helen on the album version of "Punk Boy".

Helen provided backing vocals on the Joey Ramone album Don't Worry About Me, singing on the track "Mr. Punchy".

Discography

Singles

Year Single B-side Label Cat. no. Format/Notes
1993 Formula One Racing Girls Riding Hi Damaged Goods damgood 18 7" only - 500 pink, black, then 250 red (reissue)
Joey Ramoney Greatest Fan damgood 27 7" only 500 green vinyl
Happiest Time of the Year Where's Me F*cking Presents (by Wat Tyler) dampud 33 1/3 split single; 7" greeny vinyl only
1994 Punk Boy Punk Boy 2 damgood 38 7" only 500 pale blue, then black vinyl
1995 Bubblegum Let's Go damgood 61 7" 500 pink, then black vinyl
Ahead of the Race Diet Coke Girl damgood 80 CD + 7" 500 white, then black vinyl
Beat Him Up Super Boy Super Girl
+ Matthew Kaplan Superstar (cd only)
damgood 89 CD + 7" 500 pale blue, then black vinyl
We Love You Girl about town + We Love You (2) + Punk Boy damgood 95 CD + 7" white + orange vinyl
1997 Does Your Heart Go Boom So in Love with You + Yeah Yeah We're Helen Love
+ Put Yr Foot on the Fuzzbox Baby
ché che 72 CD + 7" bubblegum pink vinyl, UK No. 71[4]
1998 Long Live the UK Music Scene Sunburst Super Kay + Great in Formula One che 82 CD + 7", UK No. 65[4]
2000 Shifty Disco Girl King of Kung Fu + Leader of the Pack che 89 CD + 7"
Jump Up and Down
Atomic Beat Boy
Big Pink Candyfloss Haircut che 90 CD + 7" - double A-side
2001 Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight) Damaged Goods damgood 206 One-sided 7" only. A cover of a Ramones song.
2004 Debbie Loves Joey Free download from helenlove.com
2005 Long Hot Summer Long Hot Summer 2
Helen Love on 45 (a medley of Helen Love hits)
Invicta Hi-fi LIQ 029 CD + translucent orange 7"
2006 Junk Shop Discothèque Debbie Loves Joey (Kid Karate remix)
Shut Your Mouth
elefant ER249 (vinyl)
ER363 (cd)
CD + baby pink 7"
2007 It's My Club Boots On + Jennifer Hanley ER370 CD only (?)
2009 Calm Down Dad John Peel Roadshow + Candeelips ER267 Orange 7"
2012 And The Salvation Army Band Plays And The Salvation Army Band Plays (Disco Mix) Damaged Goods 7" and Download. With Ricardo Autobahn
2013 Atomic A Giant Kiss + Judy Don't Dance Elefant Records ER Download
2015 You Can't Beat a Boy Who Loves the Ramones You Can't Beat a Boy Who Loves the Ramones (Ricardo Autobahn 80s Remix) POST/POP Records PXP035 (Cassette) Cassette + Download

EPs

Year Title Tracks Label Cat. no. Format/Notes
1994 Summer Pop Punk Pop EP Love; Kiss; Run; Sing; Shout; Jump!
Rollercoasting
Rockaway Beach for Me, Heartbreak Hotel For You
Summer Pop Radio
So Hot
Golden Summer
Damaged Goods damgood 42 10" only 500 pink vinyl
2000 [Helen Love vs The Cuban Boys]
Does Your Heart Go Boom remixes
"Emma Peel"
"Tea Leoni"
"John Peel"
"Juliette Binoche"
ché che 88 one-sided 12" only.
2005 The Bubblegum Killers EP Debbie Loves Joey
Saturday Night Kicks
A Boy Like You
Better Pop Your Bubblegum [cd only]
(The Continuing Adventures of) The Girl About Town
wigwambam [cd only]
Sympathy for the
Record Industry
SFTRI 751 CD + bubblegum pink 7"

Albums

Year Title Tracks Label Cat. no. Format/Notes
1994 Radio Hits Formula One Racing Girls
Riding Hi
Joey Ramoney
Greatest Fan
Punk Boy 1
Punk Boy 2
Love; Kiss; Run; Sing; Shout; Jump!
Rollercoasting
Rockaway Beach for Me, Heartbreak Hotel For You
Summer Pop Radio
So Hot
Golden Summer
Damaged Goods damgood 51 CD and 1000 yellow glitter vinyl
Compilation of the first three singles and the Summer Pop Punk Pop EP
1997 Radio Hits 2 Bubblegum
Let's Go
Ahead of the Race
Diet Coke Girl
Beat Him Up
Super Boy Super Girl
Matthew Kaplan Superstar
Il Fait Beau (CD only)
We Love You
Girl About Town
We Love You (2)
damgood 117 CD and 1000 green glitter vinyl
Compilation of the four 1995 singles, plus one previously unreleased track
2000 Love & Glitter, Hot Days and Music Shifty Disco Girl
Jump Up and Down
Atomic Beat Boy
Who Stole The Starz
2000MPHgirl
Love and Glitter, Hot Days and Musik
Does Your Heart Go BOOOOOOOMM
HappyHardCore
BigBigKiss
MC5
Punk Boy (with Joey Ramone)
Better Set Your Phasers To Stun
ché che 87 CD only
2001 Love & Glitter, Hot Days and Musik
(Damaged Goods reissue)
As above, plus the following bonus tracks:
Automatic Disco Club
MC5
BigBigKiss
Jump Up and Down
Damaged Goods damgood 202 CD + LP
Bonus tracks taken from a 1999 New York radio session
2002 Radio Hits 3 Does Your Heart Go Boom
So In Love With You
Yeah Yeah We're Helen Love
Put Your Foot on the Fuzzbox, Baby
Long Live The UK Music Scene
Sunburst Super Kay
Great in Formula One
Shifty Disco Girl
King of Kung Fu
Leader of the Pack
Jump Up and Down
Atomic Beat Boy
Big Pink Candyfloss Haircut
Does Your Heart Go Boom (Cuban Boys "Emma Peel" Remix)
Number One Fantastic Day
damgood 203 CD + LP
Compilation of the ché singles
2007 It's My Club And I'll Play What I Want To It's My Club
Debbie loves Joey
Dance on (Solid Gold)
You Better Learn Karate
The 1910 Fruitgum Company
Transistor Radio (Radio)
Jet
First Boyfriend
Rodney's English Disco
Honolulu Superstar
Garageband
Queen Of The Discobeat
Staying IN
A New Squad Attacking Formation
Junkshop Discothèque
Saturday... NITE!!!
elefant ER1129 CD + LP
2013 Day-Glo Dreams We Are All The Lo-Fi Kids
Day-Glo Dreams
Shy Girl
My Imagination
Spin Those Records
Our Mum And Dad
Atomic
Don't Forget About This Town
J.Pop
You And Stacy
Teenage Soap Opera
Elefant Records ER-1180 CD + LP

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 785
  2. "http://elefant.com/bands/helen-love/press/detail/3721/"
  3. "Helen Love", Keeping It Peel, BBC, retrieved 2011-01-21
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Helen Love", Chart Stats, retrieved 2011-01-21

External links