The Fall of Saigon and other musical diversions.

This Heat existed from roughly 1975 to 1981, during which time they released two albums, two cassettes and an ep. Although they seemed hardly noticed at the time, in subsequent years they have become the second most name-checked band in the realm of experimental rock after Faust.

I don't remember why I bought their first album, THIS HEAT (1979). I was in high school and I suppose I must have read about it somewhere, though in those pre-internet days I can't imagine where it would have been except possibly Trouser Press, which was more of a punk/new wave band magazine, of which This Heat is neither. In any case, I think I bought it at the venerated Jim's Records in Bloomfield (now the venerated Paul's CDs in the same location). I think my initial captivation was based on the range of dynamics on the album - from full-on angular rock to very ambient soundscape, often within seconds of the same song. It opens with "Test Tone" a barely audible bit of telemetry, which, just as it becomes audible and you reach for the volume to turn it up, bursts into "Horizontal Hold", a savage assault of syncopated guitar and drums that lurches and twists for seven minutes like neural bursts sent out during a seizure. This leaves off into "A New Kind of Water", an quiet dirge of harmonium drones and plaintive singing punctuated by occasional metal that to this day seems like a soundtrack for watching an animal die and decay. "Twenty-four Track Loop" is five minutes of manipulated tape loops that is an amazingly funky and infectious rhythmic masterpiece. And on. Each song a microcosm of fascinating bursts of sound looped and propelled by equally unusual snippets of rhythm and melody. A really unique, vital and powerful sonic experience that holds up thirty years later.

Who were these guys? I recognized Charles Hayward as the drummer for Quiet Sun, a "jazz rock" band that featured Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music. The record was produced by David Cunningham of Flying Lizards fame and Tim Hodgekinson of Henry Cow. The first album was recorded in a meat locker turned studio called Cold Storage between 1976-1978 (this is the same studio Peter Blegvad recorded Downtime in). Although Hayward was essentially the drummer, Bullens the guitarist and Williams the keyboard player, they all switched off between instruments and all contributed a heavy component of tape manipulated effects and loops. As mentioned above, in the pre-internet days, there was just no information to be found about anything below the mainstream surface.

Their next release was an EP called Health and Efficiency (1981). The A-side was the title track, an almost pop song and probably their high point musically. Stunning drumming by Hayward, and I mean stunning like "brick to the head" stunning. The b-side was a less critical tape loop piece called "Repeat". Later the same year came their swan song, an album called Deceit. Much more song oriented than the previous album, it was also much more overtly political. Even through it's dense songs and heavy subject matter, the punny title hints that the band had a sense of humor.

After this release they broke up and Hayward formed Chamberwell Now, a very "This Heat"-like band who also released two albums before breaking up. In 1986 a live cassette came out. I've never been clear if this was a bootleg or an official release, but as it seems to be part of the 2006 remastered box set, I guess it was official. Not the best quality but interesting to hear the material put in front of an audience. In the early 1990s Repeat was released, containing three tape loop experiments, one of which is an amazing long version of "24 Track Loop" from the first album and another the b-side of the Health ep. Probably the least critical of the small catalog. A couple of years later came a BBC recording session called Made Available It was actually recorded prior to the first official release and features earlier versions of much of the same material. No less vital though.

Their legacy can be heard in bands like Mission of Burma, Sonic Youth, The Swans, Public Image Ltd., and other so-called post-punk/post-rock bands. The albums still sound vital and interesting and are as sonically confrontational as they were when they came out.

Last update: 5 JULY 2006