The Stars of Heaven
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Dublin , Ireland |
| Products | Albums, singles, EPs |
The Stars of Heaven was a Dublin-based Irish guitar pop group established in 1983. They produced two albums under the Rough Trade label before disbanding in 1990.
History
The group consisted of Stephen Ryan (vocals, guitar), Stan Erraught (guitar, previously with The Peridots), Peter O'Sullivan (bass), and Bernard Walsh (drums). Drawing inspiration from The Byrds and Gram Parsons, they were often described as "Ireland's counterpart to The Byrds, Gram Parsons, and the Velvet Underground." Their initial release, the single "Clothes of Pride" on Hotwire, received airplay from John Peel, which led to their signing with Rough Trade. Their 1986 album Sacred Heart Hotel climbed to number 11 on the UK Independent Chart. The band recorded four sessions for John Peel’s BBC Radio 1 program, with the first session's tracks included on the album. They also made appearances on RTÉ television.
After releasing a single and an EP ("Never Saw You"/The Holyhead EP), both of which reached the top five on the independent charts, their sophomore album Speak Slowly came out in 1988 and peaked at number 6. This record included "The Lights of Tetouan," a song penned by Ryan inspired by his childhood on Spain’s southern coast. The track was later covered by Everything But the Girl as a B-side on their 1994 EP Rollercoaster.
The band split soon after the release of Speak Slowly. Following this, Ryan established The Revenants alongside former members of The Would-Be's and Something Happens, releasing two albums in 1993 and 1995. Meanwhile, Erraught founded The Sewing Room, which produced two albums and an EP during the mid to late 1990s.
In 2009, Independent Records offered both albums as free digital downloads.
Albums
- Sacred Heart Hotel (1986), Rough Trade - UK Indie #11
- Speak Slowly (1988), Rough Trade - UK Indie #6
- Compilations
- Rain on the Sea (1987), Rough Trade - combines Sacred Heart Hotel and The Holyhead EP
- Unfinished Dreaming (1999), Independent
Singles, EPs
- "Clothes of Pride" (1985), Hotwire
- "Never Saw You" (1987), Rough Trade
- The Holyhead EP (1987), Rough Trade - UK Indie #5