House of Love: unjustly neglected?

I'm still making my way through Burn Down The World - the live tracks aren't doing much for me, but the new master of the Butterfly album and Babe Rainbow justify pulling the trigger. Current generation a/d converters are so much better now and whoever at Cherry Red managed this made sure to do it right.

When it works on their end they do top class work. The rarities alone on this one.

My 16 year old son plays bass and recently took part in a local thing for young bands where they all got to perform three songs each in front of a crowd at a proper venue. They all did a rehearsal the week before and when I asked him how it went, he said some older guy asked him if his bass needed tuning, and he did that typical teenager 'i dunno' shrug so the guy just grabbed it off him and tuned it up anyway.

When we went to the gig, my son pointed to a guy sat at the side of the stage who was being kind of a guitar tech/accompanist, and said that's the guy who tuned my bass. and I looked at this man who was probably 5 or 6 years older than me, just sat there looking really calm and gentle and just enjoying helping out all these young bands, and he looked naggingly familiar like I'd seen his face a hundred times before, but I just couldn't place him at all. Well, not until the organiser walked up to the stage to get his attention and shouted 'hey terry!'

Wow! Amazing story.

I'll check out the remasters, but the Butterly CD I have (and the streaming versions) sound pretty amazing already - the album has always shimmered.

Babe Rainbow is the one for me… they’re not issuing these individually tho, right?

Pete Evans punched Bickers six times in the face, then announced he was leaving the House of Love.

They should have changed their name to House of Blows.

Anyone catch them in New York? I'm psyched for the show here Sunday.

Also, sad news, just learned that Andrea Heukamp, original HoL rhythm guitarist/singer, recently died. I guess after she left the band she moved back to Germany and lived somewhat as a recluse, reportedly spending the last several years cleaning houses. She was found dead at 57. RIP.

jesus, that's sad news

aw that sucks
rip

Wow that is rotten.

Is there any particular article or source for that? I'd like to be able to share the news further.

This would be very sad. Andrea Heukamp had been contributing backing vocals to a band in Münster called Loving the Sun.

There was an obituary published in Münster earlier this month for a 57-year-old employee of the city called Andrea Heukamp, so that could well be her.

She sang vocals on what is probably my favourite House of Love track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lut2wm-qtdk

I think I saw it on a Steve Hoffman forum thread, and it came by way of a post from someone claiming to be her cousin in a German Rolling Stone forum:

https://forum.rollingstone.de/foren/reply/11898217/

Google translate says:

Rest in peace Andrea Heukamp. (guitarist and background singer of The House Of Love and girlfriend of Chris Groothuisen)

Andrea is my cousin, lived in Munster after she left the band. She started with music in a shared apartment here in Münsterland, that's where she met Chris and they later went to London, founded House Of Love and recorded songs and played concerts. The music business and drugs bothered her, she became seriously ill and withdrew. In Münster she lived a secluded life and in recent years has made a living doing housekeeping jobs. My younger brother was in contact with my her right up to the end, he now arranges everything necessary with a friend/partner of Andrea's.
Andrea didn't get in touch last week as agreed, she was found lying dead in her room. A heart attack was probably the cause of death. Andrea was only 57 years old.

Take care up there, Andrea. It wasn't so nice for you down here. Bye.

So I guess there's a chance it's not accurate, but at the same time, no reason to believe it isn't, sadly.

perhaps they are unjustly neglected in 2023. I splurged for the Fontana box and yes it sounds wonderful. I like the butterfly album a lot more now, except for “never”.

I don’t really know what to say about this music. I think their records sound fabulous and guy had a real unique sensitive middle aged guy voice. The guitar playing is exquisite and vividly colorful, lush like fresh fruit, the drums hit just right in that British anthemic way…

“shine on” really is sheer perfection, whichever version

unjustly neglected perfection!