Last updated: 17 November 2008
If there was a prize for being 'proper' indie, Swansea's Helen Love wouldn't let anyone else get a look-in.
A slew of multi-coloured vinyl singles (their instantly-recognisable sleeves are the perfect visual portrayal of their cut'n'paste disco indie punk) led to the Radio Hits LP collection.
Members
- Helen: vocals
- Sheena: guitar
- Beth: bass, keyboards
Always a hit on the UK evening airwaves, their audience constantly outstripped the availability of the limited runs of their singles. Their chart positions therefore never met the potential, but that's never been a problem for a band whose indie credentials have been always respected. This respect extended to such figures as long-term hero Joey Ramone, who invited them to play some shows with him early in their career.
In 1998 the band switched to the Che label for a worldwide deal. A series of singles and an LP followed, all retaining the distinctive aesthetic of the artistically-hands-on band, before they returned to the Damaged Goods fold. The label continues to be the band's home in the UK, and have released more singles and the Radio Hits 3 album, having secured the rights to Helen Love's Che material.
With the release of the Bubblegum Killers EP on Sympathy For The Record Industry label in America, there's no sign of Helen Love stopping anytime soon. And for the large number of 'proper' indie fans around the world, that has to be good news.
Photo: Alison Wonderland
