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Helen Love

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Helen Love
Background information
GenresPop punk, bubblegum pop, dance-rock, happy hardcore
Years active1992–present
LabelsDamaged Goods (1993–1997; 2001–2002)
Ché Trading (1997–2000)
Elefant Records (2005–2015) Alcopop! Records (2015–present)
MembersHelen Love
Sheena
Ricardo Autobahn
Past membersRoxy
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 band was formed in 1992 by Helen Love (vocals, guitar) with Sheena (guitar, keyboards), Roxy (bass, drum machine), and Mark (keyboards).[1] Current members are Helen, Sheena and Ricardo Autobahn.[2]

Helen Love released only singles and EPs until 2000, when their debut studio album Love and Glitter, Hot Days and Music was released. They have since released three more studio albums, It's My Club and I'll Play What I Want To (2007, Elefant) and Day-Glo Dreams (2013, Elefant), and Smash Hits (2016, Alcopop! Records).[3] Damaged Goods released three compilations of tracks from the band's early singles and EPs, entitled Radio Hits (1994), Radio Hits 2 (1997) and Radio Hits 3 (2002).

The band have released recordings on many labels, including Damaged Goods, Che Trading, Sympathy for the Record Industry, Wurlizter Jukebox, Invicta Hi-Fi and Elefant Records. They are currently signed to Alcopop! records.[4]

History

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The band was formed in 1992 by Helen Love (vocals, guitar) with Sheena (guitar, keyboards), Roxy (bass, drum machine), and Mark (keyboards).[1] Current members are Helen, Sheena and Ricardo Autobahn.[2]

The main thematic elements in their oeuvre are Joey Ramone, summer days and bubblegum music.[citation needed] Love claims only to listen to the music of the Ramones.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

Their lead singer also provided vocal tracks from "We Love You" for covers of their song, "Better Set Your Phasers to Stun", by American synthpop band Hyperbubble on their 2009 eponymous EP. The latter song later appeared on that band's Live in London album.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

Influence and notable fans

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While none of their singles have reached the UK Top 40, Helen Love 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".

They recorded a session for John Peel in October 1997, and had three songs in his Festive Fifty.[5]

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.

Joey Ramoney

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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.[6] Joey subsequently invited the band to New York to play a gig.[6][7]

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

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Albums

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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 DAMGOOD51 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 (unlisted on LP sleeve/label)
We Love You
Girl About Town
We Love You (2)
DAMGOOD117 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 Trading CHE87 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 DAMGOOD202 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
DAMGOOD203 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 Records ER-1129 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
ER-1180 CD + LP
2016 Smash Hits First Girl from Wales in New York
We've Got a Formula One Team
Thank You Polystyrene
You Can't Beat a Boy Who Loves the Ramones
Mario Kart Grand Prix
Spaceboy!
Yes We're in a Band That We Love
Long Live the Modern Lovers
Sheila B. Devotion
No Hit Radio
Belle of St. Mark
Stardust and Glitter
Alcopop! CD + LP
2020 Power On[8] Hold Your Hand
Debbie Take Control Of The Stereo
Jackie From The Estate
Dead In My Head
Top Of The Pop Chart
Sandra Dee
Power ON The MUSIC
No 1 Star
Leader Of The Band
Wear Your Hair Long
On My Own
Summer POP
2022 This is my World My Seaside Town

Billy Liar
Go-Kart
A Quite Good Time
Let The Sunshine In
Our House
First Day of June
The Social Club
Clearing Out Mum's House
This Is My World

Singles

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Year Single B-side Label Cat. no. Format/Notes
1993 Formula One Racing Girls Riding Hi Damaged Goods DAMGOOD18 7" only - 500 pink, black, then 250 red (reissue)
Joey Ramoney Greatest Fan DAMGOOD27 7" only 500 green vinyl
Happiest Time of the Year Where's Me F*cking Presents (by Wat Tyler) DAMPUD33 1/3 split single; 7" greeny vinyl only
1994 Punk Boy Punk Boy 2 DAMGOOD38 7" only 500 pale blue, then black vinyl
1995 Bubblegum Let's Go DAMGOOD61 7" 500 pink, then black vinyl
Ahead of the Race Diet Coke Girl DAMGOOD80 CD + 7" 500 white, then black vinyl
Beat Him Up Super Boy Super Girl
+ Matthew Kaplan Superstar (cd only)
DAMGOOD89 CD + 7" 500 pale blue, then black vinyl
We Love You Girl about town + We Love You (2) + Punk Boy DAMGOOD95 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 Trading CHE72 CD + 7" bubblegum pink vinyl, UK No. 71[9]
1998 Long Live the UK Music Scene Sunburst Super Kay + Great in Formula One CHE82 CD + 7", UK No. 65[9]
2000 Shifty Disco Girl King of Kung Fu + Leader of the Pack CHE89 CD + 7"
Jump Up and Down
Atomic Beat Boy
Big Pink Candyfloss Haircut CHE90 CD + 7" - double A-side
2001 Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight) Damaged Goods DAMGOOD206 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 LIQ029 CD + translucent orange 7"
2006 Junk Shop Discothèque Debbie Loves Joey (Kid Karate remix)
Shut Your Mouth
Elefant Records ER-249 (vinyl)
ER-363 (cd)
CD + baby pink 7" + Download
2007 It's My Club Boots On + Jennifer Hanley ER-370 CD + Download
2009 Calm Down Dad John Peel Roadshow + Candeelips ER-267 Orange 7" + Download
2012 And The Salvation Army Band Plays And The Salvation Army Band Plays (Disco Mix) Damaged Goods DAMGOOD410 7" + Download. With Ricardo Autobahn
2013 New Boy In Town Television Generation DAMGOOD423 7" Picture Disc
Atomic A Giant Kiss + Judy Don't Dance Elefant Records ER-D028 Download
Hark The Herald Angels Sing ER-D034 Free download from elefant.com
2014 Pogo Pogo Make Up, Break Up + Red Light + Julie's Got A New 7 Inch Single ER-328 Red 7" + Download
Pogo Pogo (Ricardo Autobahn Italo Disco Remix) ER-D047 Free download from elefant.com
Where Dylan Thomas Talks To Me ER-D051 Free download from elefant.com
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
The Townhall Band Alcopop! Records Download
2016 A Boy From Wales Called Gareth Bale Download
2018 Double Denim Square clear 7"

EPs

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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 DAMGOOD42 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 Trading CHE88 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
SFTRI751 CD + bubblegum pink 7"

References

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  1. ^ a b c Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 785
  2. ^ a b "Helen Love: We Are All The Lo-Fi Kids". Elefant Records. 22 October 2013. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Helen Love announce new Smash Hits LP and free download". digitalspy.com. 16 March 2016. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  4. ^ Malt, Andy (14 December 2015). "Helen Love signs to Alcopop! Records | Complete Music Update". www.completemusicupdate.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Helen Love Archived 12 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine", Keeping It Peel, BBC, retrieved 2011-01-21
  6. ^ a b Bevan, Nathan (11 May 2014). "The Ramones' love for a cult Swansea band". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  7. ^ Rees, Mark (3 November 2014). "Helen Love talks about her tribute to Dylan Thomas, Where Dylan Thomas Talks To Me". South Wales Evening Post.
  8. ^ "Power on, by Helen Love". Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Helen Love Archived 8 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine", Chart Stats, retrieved 2011-01-21
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