This Heat - Deceit

Rough Trade

Charles Bullen, Charles Hayward and Gareth Williams, the masterminds behind This Heat and their masterpiece Deceit, celebrate Deceit's 40th year of nourishing and distinctive life this month.

Few acts manage to remain somewhat mysterious and unparalleled as time tolls on. The term 'special' gets thrown around quite a bit, to the point that you'd question its meaning. In music terms special is a once off occurrence, moment in time or something that has an unrepeatable quality. Whether that be the artist themselves(voice, cadence, characteristics), their reputation(stories, folklore) or their music(albums, singles, artwork) there are many ways an act can become looked upon as special. Referring to something as special rarely means that it's good, however. Peculiarities and outliers become special in their ability to defy convention. They show a side to life that hadn't existed up until that point of entry. This point of entry is different for each individual but it's safe to say that This Heat were many an individuals door to the next plane of peculiar existence.

Deceit can be seen as This Heat's summit. It's the culmination of their musical ideas and execution of said ideas. 'Music' isn't necessarily the word to describe what Deceit is - 'listening experience' seems to summarize it more succinctly. This Heat are omnivorous in their use of objects and sounds. "Does that make a sound if struck? Of course it does! Lets incorporate it!".

Acts like This Heat are few and far between. Even further than 'far' implies. So rare in fact that finding another act that conjure up similar emotions and off-kiltered sounds can, and has, become a frustrating task.

The apex of Experimental Rock.

September 1981.