Helen Love

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{{Infobox musical artist

|name = Helen Love

|image = Helen Love, Newport 2016-10-08.jpg

|caption =

|image_size = 250

|background = group_or_band

|genre = Pop punk, bubblegum pop, dance-rock, happy hardcore

|years_active = 1992–present

|label = Damaged Goods (1993–1997; 2001–2002)
Ché Trading (1997–2000)
Elefant Records (2005–2015)

Alcopop! Records (2015–present)

|current_members = Helen Love
Sheena
Ricardo Autobahn|past_members = Roxy
Mark
Corrine
Beth

}}

Helen Love are an indie band from Wales whose music is a combination of punk rock, bubblegum pop and disco dance music. The band was formed in 1992 by Helen Love (vocals, guitar) with Sheena (guitar, keyboards), Roxy (bass, drum machine), and Mark (keyboards).Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}, p. 785 Current members are Helen, Sheena and Ricardo Autobahn.{{cite web|title=Helen Love: We Are All The Lo-Fi Kids|url=http://elefant.com/bands/helen-love/press/detail/3721/|website=Elefant Records|accessdate=9 February 2018|date=22 October 2013|archive-date=9 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209063944/http://elefant.com/bands/helen-love/press/detail/3721/|url-status=live}}

Helen Love released only singles and EPs until 2000, when their debut studio album Love and Glitter, Hot Days and Music was released. They have since released three more studio albums, It's My Club and I'll Play What I Want To (2007, Elefant) and Day-Glo Dreams (2013, Elefant), and Smash Hits (2016, Alcopop! Records).{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a787020/bubblegum-pop-legends-helen-love-announce-smash-hits-lp-get-their-new-song-free-now/|title=Helen Love announce new Smash Hits LP and free download|date=16 March 2016|website=digitalspy.com|access-date=16 March 2016|archive-date=18 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318213309/http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a787020/bubblegum-pop-legends-helen-love-announce-smash-hits-lp-get-their-new-song-free-now/|url-status=live}} Damaged Goods released three compilations of tracks from the band's early singles and EPs, entitled Radio Hits (1994), Radio Hits 2 (1997) and Radio Hits 3 (2002).

The band have released recordings on many labels, including Damaged Goods, Che Trading, Sympathy for the Record Industry, Wurlizter Jukebox, Invicta Hi-Fi and Elefant Records. They are currently signed to Alcopop! records.{{cite web|last1=Malt|first1=Andy|title=Helen Love signs to Alcopop! Records {{!}} Complete Music Update|url=http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/helen-love-signs-to-alcopop-records/|website=www.completemusicupdate.com|date=14 December 2015|access-date=16 March 2016|archive-date=22 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322235553/http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/helen-love-signs-to-alcopop-records/|url-status=live}}

History

The band was formed in 1992 by Helen Love (vocals, guitar) with Sheena (guitar, keyboards), Roxy (bass, drum machine), and Mark (keyboards). Current members are Helen, Sheena and Ricardo Autobahn.

The main thematic elements in their oeuvre are Joey Ramone, summer days and bubblegum music.{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} Love claims only to listen to the music of the Ramones.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

Helen Love released the album, It's My Club and I'll Play What I Want To, in the first week of November 2007 on Elefant Records in Spain and February 2008 in the UK.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Their lead singer also provided vocal tracks from "We Love You" for covers of their song, "Better Set Your Phasers to Stun", by American synthpop band Hyperbubble on their 2009 eponymous EP. The latter song later appeared on that band's Live in London album.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

In 2013 they released the album Day-Glo Dreams. They supported this with their first gig since 2001 at the Indietracks festival, and then in November played at 100 Club for Damaged Goods 25th anniversary.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Influence and notable fans

While none of their singles have reached the UK Top 40, Helen Love 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".

They recorded a session for John Peel in October 1997, and had three songs in his Festive Fifty."[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/h/helenlove/ Helen Love] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012100821/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/h/helenlove/ |date=12 October 2016 }}", Keeping It Peel, BBC, retrieved 2011-01-21

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.

= Joey Ramoney =

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.{{cite web |url= http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/ramones-love-cult-swansea-band-7099360 |title= The Ramones' love for a cult Swansea band |last= Bevan |first= Nathan |date= 11 May 2014 |publisher= Wales Online |access-date= 6 February 2016 |archive-date= 4 June 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160604185016/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/ramones-love-cult-swansea-band-7099360 |url-status= live }} Joey subsequently invited the band to New York to play a gig.{{cite web|url=http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Helen-Love-s-talks-tribute-Dylan-Thomas-Dylan/story-23857954-detail/story.html|title=Helen Love talks about her tribute to Dylan Thomas, Where Dylan Thomas Talks To Me |last= Rees |first= Mark |date= 3 November 2014|newspaper= South Wales Evening Post}}

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".

Discography

= Albums =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Tracks

!Label

!Cat. no.

!Format/Notes

valign="top"|2000

|valign="top"|Love & Glitter, Hot Days and Music

|Shifty Disco Girl
Jump Up and Down
Atomic Beat Boy
Who Stole The Starz
2000MPHgirl
Love and Glitter, Hot Days and Musik
Does Your Heart Go BOOOOOOOMM
HappyHardCore
BigBigKiss
MC5
Punk Boy (with Joey Ramone)
Better Set Your Phasers To Stun

|valign="top" align="center"|Ché Trading

|valign="top"|CHE87

|valign="top"|CD only

valign="top"|2001

|valign="top"|Love & Glitter, Hot Days and Musik
(Damaged Goods reissue)

|As above, plus the following bonus tracks:
Automatic Disco Club
MC5
BigBigKiss
Jump Up and Down

|align="center" valign="top"|Damaged Goods

|valign="top"|DAMGOOD202

|valign="top"|CD + LP
Bonus tracks taken from a 1999 New York radio session

valign="top"|2007

|valign="top"|It's My Club And I'll Play What I Want To

|It's My Club
Debbie loves Joey
Dance on (Solid Gold)
You Better Learn Karate
The 1910 Fruitgum Company
Transistor Radio (Radio)
Jet
First Boyfriend
Rodney's English Disco
Honolulu Superstar
Garageband
Queen Of The Discobeat
Staying IN
A New Squad Attacking Formation
Junkshop Discothèque
Saturday... NITE!!!

|align="center" valign="top" rowspan="2"|Elefant Records

|valign="top"|ER-1129

|valign="top"|CD + LP

valign="top"|2013

|valign="top"|Day-Glo Dreams

|We Are All The Lo-Fi Kids
Day-Glo Dreams
Shy Girl
My Imagination
Spin Those Records
Our Mum And Dad
Atomic
Don't Forget About This Town
J.Pop
You And Stacy
Teenage Soap Opera

|valign="top"|ER-1180

|valign="top"|CD + LP

valign="top"|2016

|valign="top"|Smash Hits

|First Girl from Wales in New York
We've Got a Formula One Team
Thank You Polystyrene
You Can't Beat a Boy Who Loves the Ramones
Mario Kart Grand Prix
Spaceboy!
Yes We're in a Band That We Love
Long Live the Modern Lovers
Sheila B. Devotion
No Hit Radio
Belle of St. Mark
Stardust and Glitter

| rowspan="3" valign="top" |Alcopop!

|valign="top"|CD + LP

valign="top"|2020

|valign="top"|Power On{{Cite web|url=https://alcopop.bandcamp.com/album/power-on|title=Power on, by Helen Love|access-date=6 January 2021|archive-date=10 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110023646/https://alcopop.bandcamp.com/album/power-on|url-status=live}}

|Hold Your Hand
Debbie Take Control Of The Stereo
Jackie From The Estate
Dead In My Head
Top Of The Pop Chart
Sandra Dee
Power ON The MUSIC
No 1 Star
Leader Of The Band
Wear Your Hair Long
On My Own
Summer POP

|valign="top"|

2022

|This is my World

|My Seaside Town

Billy Liar

Go-Kart

A Quite Good Time

Let The Sunshine In

Our House

First Day of June

The Social Club

Clearing Out Mum's House

This Is My World

= Singles =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Single

!B-side

!Label

!Cat. no.

!Format/Notes

rowspan=3|1993

|Formula One Racing Girls

|Riding Hi

|rowspan=8 valign="top" align="center"|Damaged Goods

|DAMGOOD18

|7" only - 500 pink, black, then 250 red (reissue)

Joey Ramoney

|Greatest Fan

|DAMGOOD27

|7" only 500 green vinyl

Happiest Time of the Year

|Where's Me F*cking Presents (by Wat Tyler)

|DAMPUD33 1/3

|split single; 7" greeny vinyl only

1994

|Punk Boy

|Punk Boy 2

|DAMGOOD38

|7" only 500 pale blue, then black vinyl

rowspan="4"|1995

|Bubblegum

|Let's Go

|DAMGOOD61

|7" 500 pink, then black vinyl

Ahead of the Race

|Diet Coke Girl

|DAMGOOD80

|CD + 7" 500 white, then black vinyl

Beat Him Up

|Super Boy Super Girl
+ Matthew Kaplan Superstar (cd only)

|DAMGOOD89

|CD + 7" 500 pale blue, then black vinyl

We Love You

|Girl about town + We Love You (2) + Punk Boy

|DAMGOOD95

|CD + 7" white + orange vinyl

1997

|Does Your Heart Go Boom

|So in Love with You + Yeah Yeah We're Helen Love
+ Put Yr Foot on the Fuzzbox Baby

|rowspan="4" align="center" valign="top"|Ché Trading

|CHE72

|CD + 7" bubblegum pink vinyl, UK No. 71"[https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ Helen Love] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508182655/https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |date=8 May 2019 }}", Chart Stats, retrieved 2011-01-21

1998

|Long Live the UK Music Scene

|Sunburst Super Kay + Great in Formula One

|CHE82

|CD + 7", UK No. 65

rowspan="2"|2000

|Shifty Disco Girl

|King of Kung Fu + Leader of the Pack

|CHE89

|CD + 7"

Jump Up and Down
Atomic Beat Boy

|Big Pink Candyfloss Haircut

|CHE90

|CD + 7" - double A-side

2001

|colspan="2"|Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight)

|align="center"|Damaged Goods

|DAMGOOD206

|One-sided 7" only. A cover of a Ramones song.

2004

|colspan="4"|Debbie Loves Joey

|Free download from helenlove.com

2005

|Long Hot Summer

|Long Hot Summer 2
Helen Love on 45 (a medley of Helen Love hits)

|align="center"|Invicta Hi-Fi

|LIQ029

|CD + translucent orange 7"

2006

|Junk Shop Discothèque

|Debbie Loves Joey (Kid Karate remix)
Shut Your Mouth

|rowspan=3 valign="top" align="center"|Elefant Records

|ER-249 (vinyl)
ER-363 (cd)

|CD + baby pink 7" + Download

2007

|It's My Club

|Boots On + Jennifer Hanley

|ER-370

|CD + Download

2009

|Calm Down Dad

|John Peel Roadshow + Candeelips

|ER-267

|Orange 7" + Download

2012

|And The Salvation Army Band Plays

|And The Salvation Army Band Plays (Disco Mix)

|rowspan=2 valign="top" align="center"|Damaged Goods

|DAMGOOD410

|7" + Download. With Ricardo Autobahn

rowspan=3|2013

|New Boy In Town

|Television Generation

|DAMGOOD423

|7" Picture Disc

Atomic

|A Giant Kiss + Judy Don't Dance

|rowspan=5 valign="top" align="center"|Elefant Records

|ER-D028

|Download

colspan="2"|Hark The Herald Angels Sing

|ER-D034

|Free download from elefant.com

rowspan=3|2014

|Pogo Pogo

|Make Up, Break Up + Red Light + Julie's Got A New 7 Inch Single

|ER-328

|Red 7" + Download

colspan="2"|Pogo Pogo (Ricardo Autobahn Italo Disco Remix)

|ER-D047

|Free download from elefant.com

colspan="2"|Where Dylan Thomas Talks To Me

|ER-D051

|Free download from elefant.com

rowspan=2|2015

|You Can't Beat a Boy Who Loves the Ramones

|You Can't Beat a Boy Who Loves the Ramones (Ricardo Autobahn 80s Remix)

|valign="top" align="center"|POST/POP Records

|PXP035 (Cassette)

|Cassette + Download

colspan="2"|The Townhall Band

|rowspan=3 valign="top" align="center"|Alcopop! Records

|Download

2016

|colspan="2"|A Boy From Wales Called Gareth Bale

|Download

2018

|colspan="2"|Double Denim

|Square clear 7"

= EPs =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Tracks

!Label

!Cat. no.

!Format/Notes

valign="top"|1994

|valign="top"|Summer Pop Punk Pop EP

|Love; Kiss; Run; Sing; Shout; Jump!
Rollercoasting
Rockaway Beach for Me, Heartbreak Hotel For You
Summer Pop Radio
So Hot
Golden Summer

|align="center" valign="top"|Damaged Goods

|valign="top"|DAMGOOD42

|valign="top"|10" only 500 pink vinyl

valign="top"|2000

|valign="top"|[Helen Love vs The Cuban Boys]
Does Your Heart Go Boom remixes

|"Emma Peel"
"Tea Leoni"
"John Peel"
"Juliette Binoche"

|valign="top" align="center"|Ché Trading

|valign="top"|CHE88

|valign="top"|one-sided 12" only.

valign="top"|2005

|valign="top"|The Bubblegum Killers EP

|Debbie Loves Joey
Saturday Night Kicks
A Boy Like You
Better Pop Your Bubblegum [cd only]
(The Continuing Adventures of) The Girl About Town
wigwambam [cd only]

|valign="top" align="center"|Sympathy for the
Record Industry

|valign="top"|SFTRI751

|valign="top"|CD + bubblegum pink 7"

= Compilations =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Tracks

!Label

!Cat. no.

!Format/Notes

valign="top"|1994

|valign="top"|Radio Hits

|Formula One Racing Girls
Riding Hi
Joey Ramoney
Greatest Fan
Punk Boy 1
Punk Boy 2
Love; Kiss; Run; Sing; Shout; Jump!
Rollercoasting
Rockaway Beach for Me, Heartbreak Hotel For You
Summer Pop Radio
So Hot
Golden Summer

|align="center" valign="top" rowspan="3"|Damaged Goods

|valign="top"|DAMGOOD51

|valign="top"|CD and 1000 yellow glitter vinyl
Compilation of the first three singles and the Summer Pop Punk Pop EP

valign="top"|1997

|valign="top"|Radio Hits 2

|Bubblegum
Let's Go
Ahead of the Race
Diet Coke Girl
Beat Him Up
Super Boy Super Girl
Matthew Kaplan Superstar
Il Fait Beau (unlisted on LP sleeve/label)
We Love You
Girl About Town
We Love You (2)

|valign="top"|DAMGOOD117

|valign="top"|CD and 1000 green glitter vinyl
Compilation of the four 1995 singles, plus one previously unreleased track

valign="top"|2002

|valign="top"|Radio Hits 3

|Does Your Heart Go Boom
So In Love With You
Yeah Yeah We're Helen Love
Put Your Foot on the Fuzzbox, Baby
Long Live The UK Music Scene
Sunburst Super Kay
Great in Formula One
Shifty Disco Girl
King of Kung Fu
Leader of the Pack
Jump Up and Down
Atomic Beat Boy
Big Pink Candyfloss Haircut
Does Your Heart Go Boom (Cuban Boys "Emma Peel" Remix)
Number One Fantastic Day

|valign="top"|DAMGOOD203

|valign="top"|CD + LP
Compilation of the Ché singles