In this episode I'm delighted to welcome musician, producer and sound pioneer Martyn Ware to the show.
Martyn takes us back to his Sheffield roots and shares how the experimental beginnings of The Human League led to the formation of Heaven 17. He opens up about the split with Phil Oakey, the creation of groundbreaking tracks like Being Boiled, and how Heaven 17 carved out their place in 80s synthpop history.
Beyond the hits, Martyn reflects on his production work — including helping relaunch Tina Turner’s career — and his passion for immersive 3D soundscapes. He also discusses the power of music for creativity, connection, and wellbeing.
Highlights include:
- Early days of The Human League and the Sheffield electronic scene
- The moment that inspired Heaven 17
- Stories from the studio with Tina Turner and Terence Trent D’Arby
- Martyn’s new podcastSoundpower and his exploration of sound and healing
- The legacy of synthpop and why fans still follow Heaven 17 today
Whether you grew up on 80s electronic music or you’re discovering it fresh, this conversation is full of stories, insight, and inspiration from one of the genre’s true innovators.
LInks:
Heaven 17 (includes tour dates)
Autobiography: Electronically Yours
Question or comment? Send us a text message.
www.undercurrentstories.com
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.