The House of Love

Formed in London in 1986, The House of Love made a name for themselves in the British alternative rock scene with songs like “Shine On,” “Christine,” and “Destroy the Heart.” The original lineup consisted of Guy Chadwick (vocals and guitar), Terry Bickers (guitar), Chris Groothuizen (bass), Andrea Heukamp (vocals and guitar), and Pete Evans (drums). Chadwick’s melodies and Bickers’ guitar work became hallmarks of the band’s sound.

A performance by The Jesus and Mary Chain at the Electric Ballroom in London inspired Chadwick to form the band. In 1987, the group released their first singles, “Shine On” and “Real Animal,” on Creation Records. Heukamp left the band at the end of that year, and the remaining members continued as a quartet. Their debut album, The House of Love, was released in 1988, with “Christine” as a standout track. Also that year, the band released the single “Destroy the Heart,” solidifying its standing in the British indie scene.

In 1989, the group signed with Fontana and saw Bickers leave the band; he was replaced by Simon Walker. Their second album, also titled The House of Love and known as The Butterfly Album, was released in 1990. The album featured “I Don’t Know Why I Love You,” “The Beatles and the Stones,” and a new version of “Shine On.” The same label also released Babe Rainbow (1992) and Audience with the Mind (1993), before the band broke up in 1993.

Chadwick and Bickers reunited in 2003, and their return to recording began with Days Run Away, released in 2005. The reunion also featured original drummer Pete Evans. In 2013, the group released She Paints Words in Red, on Cherry Red Records.

With Chadwick as the sole remaining member of the original lineup, The House of Love released A State of Grace in September 2022. Recorded with Keith Osborne (guitar), Harry Osborne (bass), and Hugo Degenhardt (drums), the album expanded the group’s instrumentation to include elements such as banjo, violin, and pedal steel.