The House of Love

The House of Love are an English alternative rock band, formed in London in 1986. The band rose to prominence in the UK as a leading indie rock band in 1988 and split up in 1993, eventually reforming a decade later in 2003. The House of Love is best known for its detailed psychedelic guitar sound and for the successful singles "Shine On", "Christine" and "Destroy the Heart". The best-known members of the House of Love are singer-songwriter and guitarist Guy Chadwick, and lead guitarist Terry Bickers, who were the creative core of the original band until an acrimonious split in 1989 and who reformed the band together in 2003.

History

Formation and early years

The House of Love were formed in 1986 in Camberwell, London by former Kingdoms singer and guitarist Guy Chadwick. Chadwick had been inspired to start a new band by having recently seen the Jesus and Mary Chain play at London's Electric Ballroom and having written a new song called "Christine", which had given him ideas for further progress: "the idea of the sound of the group and what kind of musicians to look for... female vocals... a good take on the Velvets' sonics... and of course the image." Having initially made a false start by briefly recruiting an unnamed guitarist who turned out to be "a speed dealer... a complete nutter", Chadwick teamed up with an old friend – drummer Pete Evans – and recruited the rest of the initial House of Love lineup via an advert in Melody Maker. This brought together an international band of London-born lead guitarist Terry Bickers (ex-Colenso Parade), German rhythm guitarist/co-singer Andrea Heukamp and bass player Chris Groothuizen (from New Zealand). Chadwick opted to name his new band The House of Love after Anaïs Nin's book A Spy in the House of Love.

The House of Love (1988 album)

The House of Love is the eponymous debut album by the British alternative rock band The House of Love. Released in June 1988 by Creation Records, the album was a critical success.

Background

The album was recorded following the departure member of founder member Andrea Heukamp, who had played on the band's early singles. Her only appearance on the album was playing guitar and singing backing vocals on the song "Christine" (the first song which group leader Guy Chadwick had written for The House of Love and had inspired the blueprint for the band's original lineup and style). Although the split was amicable, Chadwick would later comment "Losing Andrea Heukamp was a massive, massive blow for me: I loved her voice and I loved her playing, she was easily as important as Pete (Evans), Terry (Bickers) or Chris (Groothuizen)."

Despite the loss of Heukamp, the remaining four members continued with the recording of the debut album. The only single which would make it onto the album was "Christine": surprisingly, neither of the band's first two singles ("Shine On" and "Real Animal") were included. Instead the band drew on other songs which Chadwick had built up. These included "Touch Me", which was the first song that Chadwick had ever written (and which, in 2007, remained his favourite), "Man to Child" (which stemmed from his anxieties about "feeling old at the age of 26") and "Road" (written about his experiences and feelings of alienation on the squatting scene following his move to London from the Midlands). "Love in a Car" was based on "an affair which went on too long" while "Hope" and "Sulphur" drew on Chadwick's failed first marriage (he would describe the songs as "the only positive thing that came out of it.")

House of Love (East 17 song)

"House of Love" is British boy band East 17's debut single, taken from their debut studio album Walthamstow, released in August 1992. It became a number-one hit in Sweden for six weeks and was a top ten hit in many other countries. The song was later covered by British pop duo Shampoo and released on their 1994 album We Are Shampoo.

Background

Initially conceived by former Pet Shop Boys manager Tom Watkins as a tougher version of Take That, East 17 decided that their first single - like Take That's debut - should be an upbeat dance number that would sell to both teenagers and to clubs. Inspired by current dance groups like The KLF and Snap!, Tony Mortimer wrote "House of Love" as a mock 'rave' anthem, complete with a 'harmony' rap performed by Brian Harvey. Mortimer sang the main verses with the entire band singing the chorus. The Pedigree Mix of the song, complete with an explosion and then a dog barking at the beginning and the end, was released as the single, complete with a low-budget video. An alternate, higher budget, video was created in 1993 for the American release of the single. "House of Love" shot to No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart, establishing East 17 as a premier pop act. It was included on their first album, Walthamstow, and their 1996 greatest hits compilation. On 15 April 2011, T-Mobile uploaded a video parody of the JK Wedding Entrance Dance portraying the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton weeks before the actual Royal Wedding using choreography with the group's song.

House of Love (Dottie West album)

House of Love was a 1974 RCA Records album by country singer Dottie West. With West's career on an upswing following her 1973 hit Country Sunshine, this album continued her comeback as a country hitmaker with three top 40 country songs "House of Love", "Lay Back Lover", and the top ten "Last Time I Saw Him" which earned West a Grammy nomination. Nevertheless, the album itself curiously failed to chart at all despite spawning three major hits.

Tracks

Credits

House of Love (RuPaul song)

"House of Love" is a song by RuPaul, released as his third major-label single, and fifth single overall.

The song did not chart in the US as it was previously released as a Double A-Side to the 1992 single "Supermodel (You Better Work)". It did however reach the Top 40 in the UK.

Versions

The "Supermodel (You Better Work)" CD single featured three versions of "House of Love".

These tracks were the last three tracks on the CD single.

UK Maxi CD Single

The single was released in various formats, though the most common was a UK CD single. The song itself is typical of early 1990s' house music; the theme of the song expounds on RuPaul's early persona of the "drag queen with a heart of gold". It is an anthem about welcoming all different types of people into your heart.

The House (The Keys to the Kingdom)

The House is a domain that serves as the center of the universe in The Keys to the Kingdom series by Australian author Garth Nix. Anything in creation not in the House, such as earth (the solar system and indeed this universe), is part of the Secondary Realms. The House is divided into seven demesnes; each of which is ruled by a master named for a day of the week, the Trustees, or sometimes the Morrow Days. The demesnes are, in the order Arthur Penhaligon has claimed them: the Lower House, the Far Reaches, the Border Sea, the Great Maze, the Middle House, the Upper House and the Incomparable Gardens.

Description

The House's physical appearance in the Secondary Realms is described as a vast building featuring many different architectural styles, which often appear to be brought together at random. Its physical location differs; Arthur first sees it near his own residence, and his friend Leaf sees it above a hospital. Arthur, Leaf, and Leaf's ally Sylvie are the only mortals shown to see the House, each by a different means: Arthur can see it presumably because he is the Heir of the Architect; Sylvie requires special glasses given to Leaf by the House Sorcerer Dr. Scamandros; and Leaf appears able to see it without aid. It is her belief that she has inherited powers of extrasensory perception from her grandmother, whom she thinks to have been a witch, but this has not been confirmed. A possible alternative suggests that her immersion in the House (which occurred prior to her view of it from outside) enabled her to see it.

The House (1997 film)

The House (Lithuanian: Namai) is a 1997 French-Lithuanian drama film directed by Šarūnas Bartas. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.

Cast

References

External links