Heaven 17 had many years to hone their musical and production skills, most notabley their time in the early Human League. They started in 1972 under the name of Musical Vomit ("Denim Mind" and "Whip King of Mars"), then through various guises to The Future. Other names used along the way were The Underpants, Dick Velcro and the Space Kidettes, VDK and the Studs, Dead Daughters, The Hari Willey Krishna Band and Arthur Cravens Tent Band. In these many phases they teamed up with members of Cabaret Voltaire and Clock DVA (Adi Newton left The Future to form Clock DVA). From the Human League split of 1980, Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware formed a creative organisation called the British Electric Foundation and the commercial arm of this became Heaven 17 (the name taken from the film "A Clockwork Orange" - listed on a juke box) with Glenn Gregory on vocals. "Heaven 17 is 100% serious attempt to be incredibly popular, whereas BEF is no more serious but it tends to be involved with more experimental projects."

Martyn: "Lyrics always come out last. Songs are conceived as instrumentals. But it's never random. I think we actually put an inordinate amount of effort into the lyrics. To the extent that you wouldn't be embarrassed to sit down and listen to them."

Martyn: "BEF is a production company that we formed after we split from the original line-up of the Human League. Our main intention was to get away from the idea of the four-man group which has plagued us since the Beatles in the '60's. There are a lot more two- and three-man operations in Britain at the moment. Nowadays it's more of an economic necessity not to have a lot of people on the payroll. As a company we wanted to rid ourselves of the hypocricy that surrounds most groups who claim to have some kind of street awareness, when, in fact, all they're doing is pumping money into their bank accounts. It's a misconception when they say they're not into the money, and that they're artists first and foremost. Rubbish! It's obvious this is as much a career as it is being an accountant. Anyone who denies this is only fooling themselves."

I asked Martyn some questions which might help to bring you up-to-date with what's been happening with Heaven 17 lately.

October 1996

Are you all still Sheffield based?

NO WE MOVED TO LONDON ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO, BUT WE VISIT EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS TO WATCH SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY F.C.

Do you still have the original line-up?

YES

What instruments are you using on the new album?

SYSTEM 100, JUPITER 4, ROLAND PROMARS, JUNO 106, E64 AND S750 SAMPLERS

Later in your career you were using hi-tech equipment like fairlights. With this new analogue sound are you going back to basics?

ABSOLUTELY. THE INTENTION WAS TO MAKE A 'WHAT IF...' ALBUM AS THOUGH WE'D NEVER MOVE AWAY FROM ANALOG SYNTHESIS

How long did it take you to write, record and produce the new album?

ABOUT 10 MONTHS

After a long break do you have alot of songs to choose from?

NO, WE BELIVE IN QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

Are you contracted for more material in the future? Do you want to make more music?

WE HAVE A 3 ALBUM DEAL WITH EYE OF THE STORM, AT THEIR OPTION, AND OF COURSE WE'D LOVE TO CONTINUE - I FIND IT MUCH MORE FUN THAN PRODUCTION

With the last original album now about 8 years old, what have each of you been up to in that time?

I'VE BEEN PRODUCING MANY ACTS, INCLUDING ERASURE, SCRITTI POLITTI, LENA FIAGBE, JOE ROBERTS, SHABBA RANKS AND ANOTHER BEF MQD ALBUM FEATURING MAVIS STAPLES, CHAKA KHAN, TINA TURNER ETC..

GLENN HAS BEEN COWRITING WITH MARTIN FRY FOR ABC, AND WAS IN A BAND CALLED UGLY.

IAN HAS BEEN PROGRAMMING FOR VARIOUS PEOPLE AND HAD HIS OWN LABEL CALLED TECHNOCENTRIC.

Are the lyrics still as important as you once said in NME?

THEY ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT

What is the current mission statement for the BEF?

NEXT MQD ALBUM IN 2002 (NOSTALGIC FUTURISM)

Has Heaven 17 ever played live? Any plans to play live in the future?

WE ARE CONDUCTING A SERIOUS FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR TOURING IN SPRING 1997

From a distance I hear there is a revival of the early '80's synthpop scene. Is this the case and is that the reason you are making more music?

NO

Do do know the Swedish synthpop scene? What do you think of it if you do?

GOOD POP MUSIC TRANCENDS ALL NICHE MARKETING BARRIERS

For each of you. What is your favourite

MARTYN

Song? - YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING

Song this year? - RETURN OF THE MACK

Heaven 17 song? - LET ME GO

Band? - OLD BOWIE

New band? - DJ SHADOW

Film? - CLOCKWORK ORANGE

Food? - JAPANESE

Car? - DON'T DRIVE

GLENN AND IAN ARE ON HOLIDAY