Heaven 17 singer Glenn Gregory: My six best albums
GLENN GREGORY, 58, was the lead singer with Heaven 17 whose hits in the 1980s included Temptation and Come Live With Me. The band are performing a new electronic version of their album Penthouse And Pavement on a series of dates from October 20. (heaven17.com)
Glenn Gregory was the lead singer with Heaven 17
DAVID BOWIE: Young Americans (EMI)
My introduction to Bowie was The Man Who Sold The World and then I saw Ziggy Stardust when I was way too young. We faked student union IDs to get in. This is a bit later and some think it doesn’t fit in with earlier Bowie but I think it’s beautiful.
LOU REED: Transformer (Sony)
This album transports me back to when I stayed out all night at parties. It was the signal for the end of festivities when you’d sit and chill out. I love the way it’s produced and Bowie’s influence on it. For a young kid from Sheffield the life depicted was attractive and dark.
ARCTIC MONKEYS: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (Domino)
One of the best-ever debuts. They come from Sheffield so the stories they tell and the language they use is comfortable for me. A young friend of mine came around with it, we put it on and danced around the sofa all night like kids.
PORTISHEAD: Dummy (Universal/Island)
A bit trip-hoppy this is a moody lush album. I like dark music. Definitely one for headphones when travelling. When it was new it was among a load of stuff I downloaded when I went to Italy so it’s planted in the mountains of Umbria for me.
KRAFTWERK: The Man-Machine (Capitol)
Electronic music at its skeletal best. As a kid, I lived near a steelworks and went to sleep to the sound of the big hammer. I find that same soulfulness in electronic music. I remember repeatedly putting this on at a party where the DJ, a big guy, kept playing Free. He said if I did it again he’d smash my face in but I couldn’t help myself so I did. I spent the rest of the party with him chasing me.
SPARKS: No1 In Heaven (Repertoire)
Prior to this, Sparks had been guitar-led but this is Giorgio Moroder taking the next step from I Feel Love. It contains two of my favourite songs: My Other Voice which segues into the title track. It reminds me of getting ready to go out to nightclubs in Sheffield with Martyn Ware.