House of Love

House of Love formed in London in 1986, Guy Chadwick's melancholy, romantic songwriting giving the band a quality that was immediately distinctive. They signed to Creation Records and released 'Shine On' (1987) — a single of extraordinary beauty that announced a band with a fully formed aesthetic. Terry Bickers's guitar work was fluid and inventive, and Chadwick's vocals had a vulnerability that felt genuinely affecting.

Their self-titled debut on Creation (1988) was followed by a move to Fontana and a second self-titled album (1990) that reached number eight. 'Destroy the Heart', 'Christine', and 'Never' were all strong singles. The band were on the verge of a major breakthrough when internal tensions — particularly between Chadwick and Bickers — led to Bickers's departure in 1989.

The band continued with a new lineup but never quite recaptured the chemistry of the original. Various reformations have followed, with the classic lineup reuniting periodically. The early Creation recordings in particular have been reassessed very positively — 'Shine On' and 'Destroy the Heart' are among the finest singles of their era.