The House Of Love 'Never'

I reckon we've all got bands or records we love, that we know secretly, arn't, maybe, really, that good but we love them regardless. This is one for me. I bought this on 12" towards the end of the summer 1989, along with some more 1989-ish records. I played this one endlessly. As a song it found The House Of Love caught in a difficult place. They were set up by the music press as the next big thing after the demise of The Smiths, but The Roses and Mondays blew this kind of guitar pop away. The House Of Love looked outdated compared to the baggy trousers and flared jeans of that year. Poor Guy Chadwick. He always seemed to have a look on his face that said 'this isn't going to work'. He was caught between his first lp (on Creation) that critics and skinny white boys loved, all shimmer and 'sonic cathedrals', and this single, which was *gulp* rock-y. The press slated it, and everyone else was going dancey. He was caught with a talented guitarist Terry Bickers, driving the band round the bend, soon to be dumped out of the van mid-tour at a service station. And it got me, caught between living at home for the summer and going back to a student life in Liverpool. And although I suspect it isn't really that good I still love this song , with it's 80s drums intro, clunky lyrics and out-of step-with-the-times-ness.

08 Never.wma