Heaven 17 (GB)

About

Heaven 17 took their name from a fictional pop group in Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange, which tells you something about the kind of band they are: sharp, knowing, and with a flair for the dramatic. Formed in Sheffield in 1980 by Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh after they split from the Human League, and completed by vocalist Glenn Gregory, they built their sound around synthesisers and drum machines, becoming one of the defining acts of the synth pop era. Their debut single was banned by the BBC for allegedly libelling Ronald Reagan, which was quite the introduction. Their commercial peak came with The Luxury Gap in 1983, which reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and went platinum. The centrepiece was "Temptation", featuring vocalist Carol Kenyon, which climbed to number 2 in the UK and remains their signature track. They also quietly helped relaunch Tina Turner's career, producing her cover of "Let's Stay Together" under the British Electric Foundation name. Ian Craig Marsh left in 2006, and Gregory and Ware have carried on as a duo ever since.