Interviews
Interview (2023)
Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey speak to John Clarkson about the reformation of their 90’s indiepop band Heavenly for three gigs and the vinyl reissue of their albums.
Albums
The Decline and Fall of Heavenly (2024)
In our Re:View section, in which we look back at albums from the past, Tommy Gunnarsson finds that iconic indiepopsters Heavenly's 1994 third album, ‘The Decline and Fall of Heavenly’, which has just been re-released on on vinyl, still stands the test of time.
P.U.N.K. Girl EP (2008)
New Pennyblackmusic writer Rachel Williams reflects on Oxford-based twee pop act Heavenly's dark 1993 'P.U.N.K. Girl EP'
Related
Interviews
Interview
Rob Pursey from Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, The Catenary Wires and Swansea Sound, talks about his and Amelia Fletcher's new label Skep Wax, and its new compilation 'Under the Bridge' which features acts who were signed to the influential indie label Sarah Records as they are now.
Interview
Talulah Gosh, Heavenly and Tender Trap's Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey speak to John Clarkson about the expansion of their current band The Catenary Wires from a duo into a five-piece and 'Birling Gap', their just-released third album.
Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey
Interview
Talulah Gosh, Heavenly and Tender Trap's Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey speak to John Clarkson about their current band The Catenary Wires' forthcoming third album and their three other new musical projects, European Sun, Swansea Sound and The Drift.
European Sun
Interview
Short Stories' frontman Steve Miles speaks to John Clarkson about his new band European Sun, which he has formed with Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey from Heavenly, Tender Trap and the Catenary Wires, and their eponymous debut album.
European Sun
Interview
The Short Stories' Steve Miles speaks to John Clarkson about his new band European Sun which he has formed with Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey of Heavenly, Tender Trap and the Catenary Wires, and their debut single 'The Future's Female'.
Amelia Fletcher
Interview
Influential indie pop artist and front woman Amelia Fletcher talks to Paul Waller about her first band Talulah Gosh, who have a new compilation album out, and her other groups Heavenly, Marine Research and Tender Trap
Tender Trap
Interview
Rachel Williams speaks to indie pop group Tender Trap about their new line-up and first album in four years,'Dansette Dansette'
Amelia Fletcher
Interview Part 3
In the third and final part of our interview with Amelia Fletcher, she talks about her work with Heavenly, Marine Research and Tender Trap, and the suicide of Heavenly's drummer, her brother Matthew, in 1996
Amelia Fletcher
Interview Part 2
In the second part of our three part interview with Amelia Fletcher, she speaks to Anthony Strutt about breaking up her first band, indiepop group Talulah Gosh and forming her second group Heavenly, and her brief, disastrous career as a dance musician
Amelia Fletcher
Interview Part 1
Amelia Fletcher has fronted various influential indie bands including Heavenly, Marine Research, Sportique and her latest group Tender Trap. In the first part of a three part interview, she talks with Anthony Strutt about her first group Talulah Gosh.
Ben Lurie
Interview
Ben Lurie was the guitarist with both the Jesus and Mary Chain and Freeheat. He chats to Olga Sladeckova about working with both Jim and William Reid, and his recent decision to return to his native Australia after 15 years away
Sportique
Interview
Sportique is an indie pop supergroup, which includes in its line-up the Razorcuts Gregory Webster and Heavenly's Amelia Fletcher. The band chats to Anthony Strutt about their 3 albums together, and their different bands and solo projects
Jesus and Mary Chain
Interview with Jim Reid Part 2
In the second part of our two part Jesus and Mary Chain interview, voclaist and singer Jim Reid talks to Olga Sladeckova about the group's history from '91 until its break-up in '98
Jesus and Mary Chain
Interview with Jim Reid Part 1
One of the most influential bands of all time, the Jesus and Mary Chain first burst onto the music in 1984. In the first part of a two part interview , Olga Sladeckova talks to frontman Jim Reid about the punk pioneers early years.
Amelia Fletcher/Tender Trap
Interview
One of the most influential figures in indie pop, Amelia Fletcher has fronted various bands including Talulah Gosh and Heavenly. She speaks to Anthony Strutt , with fellow band members Rob Pursey and DJ Downfall ,about her new group, Tender Trap
Profiles
Profile
Jesus and Mary Chain Part 3
In the second third of his occasional series, about the Jesus and Mary Chain, who have recently had all their albums reissued, Anthony Strutt examines their fourth album, 'Honey's Dead'
Profile
Jesus and Mary Chain Part 2
In the second part of his series, and wth all of their studio albums having been recently reissued in double CD editions, Anthony Strutt reflects upon the Jesus and Mary Chain's 1989 third album, 'Automatic'
Profile
Jesus and Mary Chain Part 1
With all six of their studio albums having been recently reissued, Anthony Strutt in a new series looks back on the career of Scottish alternative group the Jesus and Mary Chain and begins by looking at their first two albums, 'Psychocandy' and 'Darklands'
Heavenly Pop Hits
Interview with Tommy Gunnarsson and Marie Sorenson
Pennyblackmusic writer Tommy Gunnarsson recently formed his own indiepop label, Heavenly Pop Hits, with his girlfriend Marie Sorenson. With their first compilation "Hit Music Only' just out, they talk about the problems and benefits of forming a label
Live
Albert Hall, Manchester, 19/11/2021
At a concert at the Albert Hall in Manchester featuring classics from their brooding 1987 second album, ‘Darklands',’ Denzil Watson finds The Jesus and Mary Chain rendering a refreshingly subtle and dynamic range.
Catenary Wires (1)
Gullivers, Manchester, 19/7/2019
Dixie Ernill finds indie veterans the Catenary Wires still cutting it live at Gullivers in Manchester.
Jesus And Mary Chain
O2 Academy, Liverpool, 21/9/2017
Noise rock pioneers The Jesus and Mary Chain turn in an excellent career-spanning set at the O2 Academy, Liverpool in support of recent LP ‘Damage and Joy’. Richard Lewis reviews.
Jesus And Mary Chain
Academy, Manchester, 25/3/2017
Richard Lewis finds the Jesus and Mary Chain, who are currently touring 'Damage and Joy' their first new album in nineteen years, to be on formidable form at a near-capacity Manchester Academy
Anoushka Shankar
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 10/11/2016
Owen Peters finds Indian musician Anoushka Shankar's sitar playing elating and heavenly at a gig to promote her new album 'The Land of Gold' at the Birmingham Symphony Hall
Jesus and Mary Chain
Rock City, Nottingham, 22/2/2015
Anthony Strutt at Rock City in Nottingham watches the Jesus and Mary Chain play an enjoyable but over-rehearsed show to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of 'Psychocandy', their seminal debut album
Tender Trap
100 Club, London, 15/12/2010
Despite front woman Amelia Fletcher battling flu, Anthony Strutt sees Tender Trap play an infectious and summery set of indie pop at the 100 Club in London
Tender Trap
Brixton JAMM, London, 22/7/2010
John Clarkson finds the indiepop scene flourishing on a five band bill out on by club night and label How Does It Feel to Be Loved? and headlined by Tender Trap at the Brixton JAMM in London
Jim Reid/Story One
Cavern, Exeter, 29/10/2005
Jim Reid was one of the seminal figures of the late 80's and early 90's as the frontman with the Jesus and Mary Chain. At a disastrous show at the Exeter Cavern, Ben Howarth watches hin fall prey to an unresponsive audience
Jim Reid
12 Bar, London, 19/4/2004
Former Jesus and Mary Chain star Jim Reid rarely plays gigs these days. In what is possibly his last performance , Olga Sladeckova sees him affect a in-part JAMC reunion with former drummer John Moore at the tiny London 12 Bar
Albums
Re : View -Jesus and Mary Chain
Stoned and Dethroned
In the latest in our new 'Re :View' series, in which we look back upon albums that we feel deserve re-evaluation, Olga Sladeckova reflects upon the Jesus and Mary Chain's underacknowledged masterpiece, 'Stoned and Dethroned'
Jesus and Mary Chain
Psycho Candy
When East Kilbride’s The Jesus And Mary Chain surfaced early in 1984 it changed music forever for me. Before that I’d hated the eighties mainstream music and really only listened to 60’s stuff and als
Features
Heaven Is Whenever We Can Get Together 4 – ‘When you look a little closer, you learn a lot more.’
In the fourth and final part of his series on music and mental health, Steve Miles talks to Heavenly’s Amelia Fletcher, on the band and the tragic death of her brother in 1997.
Soundtrack of Our Lives
The Jesus and Mary Chain
In our 'Soundtrack of Our Lives' column in which our writers describe the personal impact of music in their lives, Anthony Strutt writes of discovering the Jesus and Mary Chain in the mid 1980s