Namesakes #194: Heatwave

Is it me or is it getting hot in here?

THE HEATWAVES #1

We start today with the soulful sounds of the New York City Heatwaves from 1963, and a punishment worthy of Bart Simpson...

The Heatwaves - (Write It On The Blackboard) 99 Times

THE HEATWAVE #2

Next up, a Dutch psychedelic band from the late 60s. They don't sound particularly psychedelic to me.

The Heatwave - Said Before It Couldn't Happen To Me 

HEATWAVE #3

From 1970, this London based Heatwave sound like they're caught halfway between chirpy 60s pop and early glam stomp. Drummer Martin H. Samuel used to do a bit of fire-eating to liven up the set. They soon changed their name to Peter's World and then The Sensations.

Heatwave - Sister Simon (Funny Man)

HEATWAVE #4

The Welsh Heatwave of 1975, surfing in from the small seaside village of Pwll in Carmarthenshire. They were all teenagers when they recorded this emergency call...

Heatwave - 9-9-9

HEATWAVE #5

That's my favourite picture of the Anglo-American disco band Heatwave, because they all have matching knitwear. Nothing say rock 'n' roll more, etc. etc. However, I thought some of you might also get a little thrill from this picture...

Steady on, ladies, etc. etc. Spot the guy who really isn't comfortable being photographed with his shirt off. That would be me. But it's actually drummer Ernest "Bilbo" Berger, from Czechoslovakia. I doubt they got much sun over there.

Heatwave enjoyed a run of Top 20 hits at the height of the disco boom, most of them written by keyboard player Rod Temperton (second from the right) who went on to become even more successful as a songwriter for other people. He's the guy who wrote Off The Wall, Rock With You and Thriller (what do you mean, you thought Jacko wrote those songs? Yeah, me too.) as well as George Benson's Give Me The Night and Love X Love, and the huge Patti Austin / James Ingram hit Baby, Come to Me. After leaving Heatwave, he withdrew from the celebrity lifestyle and became known as "The Invisible Man" in music business circles. Presumably content to sit at home on a huge throne made out of £50 notes.

Heatwave - Boogie Nights

HEATWAVE #6

A Japanese Heatwave, active from 1985 through the turn of the century. This may well have been their debut single...

Heatwave - Hello, I'm Here

HEATWAVE #7

Italian "prog-folk" duo from 1999...

Heatwave - Cry

HEATWAVE #8

Canadian hip hop collective from 2011...

Heatwave - Just A Memory

HEATWAVE #9

Martin Reeves, discogs tells me, owned the Instant Vibes record shop in Worthing and the Happy Vibes record shop in Brighton. You might ask why he needed a discogs page if he just flogged records. Turns out he also made them too as "Heatwave"... 

DJ Quantum & Heatwave - Get Ill 

Stick with the day job, mate.

THE HEATWAVE #10

"Dancehall soundsystem and production outfit" who made regular appearances at the Notting Hill Carnival and the UK festival scene in the decade known, rather boringly, as the Tens. Here they are with special guest vocalist Tippa Irie - remember him?

The Heatwave - Tun Ova (feat. Tippa Irie)

HEATWAVE #11

German electronic dude, aka Markus Spillner, clearly influenced by Vangelis & Jan Hammer's 80s work on Blade Runner and Miami Vice. What goes around comes around. This is from 2016, not 2087.

Heatwave - 2087

HEATWAVES #12

Spanish pop-rock group from 2017 onwards. The Heatwaves get particularly hot in Spain, I imagine.

Heatwaves - My Baby Has Gone

HEATWAVES #13

On the other hand, I'm betting Norwegian Heatwaves are muchcooler. Looks like these guys even had to light a fire to keep warm.

Heatwaves - Kawako

HEATWAVE #14

"Regular, everyday normal guy" from Russia, and he's obviously rather enthralled with the 80s. This is from 2021.

Heatwave - Simple Story

HEATWAVE #15

Finally, a "groovy and melodic" hardcore band from Germany. Your definition of "groovy and melodic" may differ.

Heatwave - Tough Times

Other Heatwaves were available, but I spared you.

Which one gets you hot hot hot... and which just makes you hot under the collar?