Fiction Factory
Fiction Factory were a Scottish new wave band from Perth. Formed in 1982, they are best known for their single "(Feels Like) Heaven", which peaked at #6 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was written by Eddie Jordan and Kevin Patterson.
History[edit]
Before they began Fiction Factory in 1982, Kevin Patterson (vocals) and Eddie Jordan (keyboards) had played in the band Street People around 1978, performing original songs and covers of Magazine and Ultravox! songs, before forming ska band the Rude Boys (later shortened to the RBs) with Grant Taylor (trumpet) and Chic Medley (guitar).[1] The eight-piece RBs played numerous live gigs, released an album and two singles, but due to musical differences Patterson, Jordan and Medley left the band to form Fiction Factory. Initially thought of as a song writing unit for other artists, they eventually enlisted Graham McGregor (bass guitar) and Mike Ogletree (drums and percussion), a former member of Simple Minds and Café Jacques, to form a proper band. Influences on Fiction Factory included Magazine, Kraftwerk and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Patterson described as "a big favourite".[1] Patterson's vocal style was influenced by the Walker Brothers, Sparks, and Magazine's Howard Devoto.[1]
The band frequented Bandwagon Music Supplies in Perth. "They would come into my shop wanting to hear their recording on my wee cassette recorder that turned out to be a number six single that still gets played today," said Pete Caban, the shop's owner. "I still see the guys, they still come in." The shop closed in 2020 after 37 years in business.[2]
The band's single "(Feels Like) Heaven" became a UK Top 10 hit in 1984 (also reaching the Top 10 in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Ireland and Switzerland); it was their only success in the UK. The follow-up single "Ghost of Love" only reached no. 64 on the singles chart, while the parent studio album Throw the Warped Wheel Out did not reach the chart at all.[3] Fiction Factory had more success in Europe with "(Feels Like) Heaven" reaching no. 2 in Switzerland and the Top 20 in several countries, "Ghost of Love" spending 11 weeks on the German singles chart[4] and Throw the Warped Wheel Out charting in Switzerland (no. 23),[5] Sweden (no. 34)[6] and Germany (no. 57).[7]
In 1984 Fiction Factory toured Europe as support for OMD, but the same year Jordan, McGregor and Ogletree departed from the band. Patterson and Medley recorded the next studio album with session musicians, including keyboardist Paul Wishart and brothers Graham and Neil Weir of OMD.[8]
Fiction Factory disbanded in 1987 after the release of their second studio album Another Story had become a commercial flop.[8] Patterson formed the short lived duo The Dearhearts with singer Karen Smyth and left the music industry soon afterwards.[1] He now works in IT and is married with two children.[9][10] Patterson and Jordan reunited to perform "(Feels Like) Heaven" with a backing band at the latter's wedding in August 2007.[11] Medley went on to work with the Scottish world music project, Mouth Music.
In 2011, the original line-up reformed for the first time since 1984 for their performance at that year's Rewind Festival.[12]
In 2016, Manic Street Preachers covered "(Feels Like) Heaven" for the album BBC Radio 2 Sounds of the 80s, Volume 2.
In 2022, Fiction Factory reunited and performed at the Belgian "W-Festival" in Ostend.[1]
Fiction Factory discography
2
6