Sunday, August 10, 2008

Weekend 90s revisionism, part 5: Helen Love

Helen Love had one song (essentially 'Sheena is a Punk Rocker' played on a knackered CasioTone) but it was a good one, and they occasionally gave it some new words, some of which were pretty funny. This is 'Long Live the UK Music Scene', which identifies Shed Seven as a cause for celebration. A different world...

11 comments:

Shane Richmond said...

I had to review this and I don't think I was very kind. I said something about it being amusing but musically much the same as the crap it was slagging off.

I think I heard other stuff by them but I can't remember it. I always got them confused with Rachel Stamp, another band with a woman's name that did fairly silly songs.

I thought it was unfair that they put the Longpigs in there, by the way. I had/have a bit of a soft spot for them. The first Longpogs album is half decent. (Though I don't think I heard the second one and I'm not sure there even was a third one.)

Geoff said...

Did Chris Evans get the irony?

No, he resurrected bloody Texas!

Chris said...

I adored Helen Love! No, wait, I still do. I remember being struck dumb in a Birmingham record shop at the mere sight of 'Radio Hits 1' (black vinyl, sadly - the pink glitter edition had sold out).

They made a brilliant record much more recently than you'd think, too - 2005's 'Bubblegum Killers' EP.

Unknown said...

we share completely different taste, don't we?

sometimes, i'm surprised that i actually know what you're talking about.

Anonymous said...

I like Helen Love too.

garfer said...

Name checking the limp wristed Bluetones is a mortal sin in my book.

Del said...

I have yellow glittery vinyl radio hits 1. Go Helen Love!

Uh. Are you just going through my record collection?

Betty said...

What has happened to Johnny Cigarettes? Last thing I saw of him, he was doing a regular stint on some Channel Five gossip show in the late 1990's. He saved the UK music scene, then walked away from it all, an enigma to the last ...

zenbullets said...

In my head Helen Love sit in the same box as Kenickie, much underrated 60s influenced grrl-pop of the mid-90s.

amyonymous said...

Thanks a lot, Tim! I listened to about 30 seconds of this video and turned it off. went to wash dishes and guess what i was singing? yeah. "Long live ...."

what a catchy melody. can you remove it from my brain now? Please?

Tim F said...

Didn't think this one would kick off so much response. I suspect HL began as a conceptual joke, then just let the momentum take them forward. Sort of Gorillaz avant la lettre. Well, I liked (not loved) them. And I saw them live, and they were fun.

Betty: Johnny Cigs and I have a mutual chum. Will attempt to find out.

Amy: I had the same thing the other day, while waiting for a delayed flight at Heathrow. But mine was Una Paloma Blanca.