Helen Love

All Music Guide:

Probably the biggest Ramones fans in Wales, if not the entire United Kingdom, Helen Love mixed da bruddahs with a little B-52's and a whole lot of Pooh Sticks-style indie irony to create a sunny and unapologetically disposable sound.

Formed in Cardiff, Wales, in 1992, Helen Love (like Blondie, they're a group) consists of the pseudonymous Helen Love on bratty shout-along vocals, Sheena -- who is, of course, a punk rocker -- on buzzsaw guitars, and Roxy and Mark on dueling Casio keyboards, which also double as drum machines. Their low-tech, high-energy sound landed them on the estimable U.K. indie Damaged Goods, where they released the statement of purpose "Formula One Racing Girls" in 1993. (This single, it should be noted, coined the term "girl power" a good three years prior to the Spice Girls' media blitz.) The unabashedly adulatory "Joey Ramoney" followed in 1994, itself followed by "Punk Boy," a giant step melodically and lyrically that Northern Ireland's Ash later covered on their Crazed and Confused EP.

Helen Love's next step was the 10" EP Summer Pop/Punk Pop, a five-song celebration of "Summer Pop Radio" and related activities that's like a '90s U.K. indie answer to the Beach Boys' Summer Days (And Summer Nights). 1995's "Bubblegum" single introduced a new trick into the group's repertoire by unashamedly nicking the chorus from the Specials' "Much Too Young" for the flip, "Let's Go." The three-song Ahead of the Race CD EP introduced the group to the digital era with a slightly mellower sound, but 1996's Beat Him Up was punkier than anything since the group's debut. The group's final release for Damaged Goods, the four-song We Love You EP, was probably their strongest work, but a dispute with the label led to the group signing with the slightly larger Che imprint in 1997. The resulting EP's Does Your Heart Go Boom and Long Live the UK Music Scene were made without Sheena, but she was back on board for the group's first full-length album, 2000's Love and Glitter, Hot Days and Muzik. The album was reissued a year later by Damaged Goods with extra tracks added. Apart from a holiday single (a cover of Joey Ramone and Debbie Harry's "Merry Christmas I Don't Want to Fight"), the group was quiet until the release of the Bubblegum Killers EP in 2005.

Wikipedia:

Helen Love are an indie band from Wales whose music is a combination of punk rock, bubblegum pop and disco dance music. The main thematic elements in their oeuvre are Joey Ramone, summer days and bubblegum music.

History

The band was formed in 1992 by Helen Love (vocals, guitar) with Sheena (guitar, keyboards), Roxy (bass, drum machine), and Mark (keyboards). Love claims only to listen to the music of The Ramones. Current members are Helen, Sheena and Beth.

While none of their singles have reached the UK Top 40, they have developed a devoted cult following in indie circles, particularly at indie discos, with songs including "Long Live The UK Music Scene", "Shifty Disco Girl", "Does Your Heart Go Boom?", "We Love You", "Girl About Town", "Punk Boy" and "Debbie Loves Joey".

Helen Love have released recordings on many labels, including Damaged Goods, Che Trading, Sympathy for the Record Industry, Wurlizter Jukebox, and Invicta Hi-Fi. They are currently signed to Elefant Records.

They recorded a session for John Peel in October 1997, and had three songs in his Festive Fifty.

Their songs have also been covered by Ash, The Queers, Katz and Tullycraft.

The band contributed a specially written song for the DVD release of Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure. Gorman, a fan of the band, had previously played Helen Love songs to his audiences before he went on stage. Another big fan is Phill Jupitus, for whom the band composed the theme song for his Breakfast Show on BBC 6 Music.

Helen Love completed a new album, It's My Club and I'll Play What I Want To, released in the first week of November 2007 on Elefant Records in Spain and February 2008 in the UK. Their lead singer also provided vocal tracks for a 2009 cover of their song, "Better Set Your Phasers to Stun", by American synthpop band Hyperbubble.

Joey Ramone

Helen Love's second single was titled "(Sheena's In Love With) Joey Ramoney", a tribute to the band's favourite singer. A play on The Ramones' song "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker", the single was brought to Joey's attention by the UK branch of the Ramones fan club. Joey subsequently invited the band to New York to play a gig at the Continental Hotel.

Joey introduced the band's Evening Session on Radio 1, and duetted with Helen on the album version of "Punk Boy".

Helen provided backing vocals on the Joey Ramone album Don't Worry About Me, singing on the track "Mr. Punchy".