What is This Heat?
1.
They were a post-punk/avant-progrock group comprised of Charles Hayward, Gareth Williams (whom I have nearly exactly the same name as, almost down to middle names but not quite) and (let me check these CD credits... ah) Charles Bullen. Charles Hayward, I think, played in a band called Quiet Sun previously, who released an album around 1975. This Heat were formed during the punk era and fit peculiarly into the definition of post-punk. Gareth Williams in particular was interested in bands like Magma and world music, and Charles Hayward was probably the one raised on jazz and such. Both of the Charles' could play instruments, but Gareth was what the band themselves termed a non-musician with no experience or prior interest in playing music. He used tape manipulation and other less idiomatic techniques. Unfortunately, he died a few years ago of cancer.
Their most well-known song was probably Health And Efficiency, which was released as their only single. They were not really remembered for their songs in the way most rock bands normally tend to be, however. A boxset was recently released, "Out Of Cold Storage" which comprises virtually their entire output, including the aforementioned Health & Efficiency single which had been kind of hard to find for a while.
Charles Hayward and Gareth Williams have released solo albums. Charles Bullen may have too, but not to my recollection.
Gareth John Williams was a member of This Heat. However, Gareth Alexander John Williams was not a member of This Heat.
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