Heidi Berry (born December 8, 1958) is an American musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she recorded and released four critically acclaimed solo albums on the British

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

Creation Records Creation Records Ltd. was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Alan McGee, Dick Green, and Joe Foster. Its name came from the 1960s band The Creation, whom McGee greatly admired. The label ceased operations in 1999, although ...

and 4AD.

Career

Her earliest release on Creation Records was the 1987 Folk-Rock styled mini-album, ''Firefly'' A second Creation release, 'Below The Waves' followed in 1989, which saw a more eclectic musical style emerging for Berry. Her association with 4AD began with a guest vocal on ''Blood'' (This Mortal Coil album) in 1991, where she contributed to their reworking of a Rodney Crowell classic, " 'Til I Gain Control Again". Berry eventually moved over to 4AD as a signed artist, releasing three solo albums, ''Love'' (1991), ''Heidi Berry'' (1993), and ''Miracle'' (1995). The album, Heidi Berry achieved a minor hit with the lovely "The Moon and the Sun" and subsequent albums yielded tours in the UK, Europe and USA. The albums achieved critical acclaim, and Berry's music garnered a devoted cult audience. Pomegranate: An Anthology was her final 4AD release in 2001. This featured the song, "Needle's Eye", a song written by Berry, and produced by Patrick Fitzgerald (Kitchens of Distinction, Stephen Hero) as part of their collaborative project, ''Lost Girls''.

Biography

Born in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Massachusetts in 1958, the third of four children,Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 221 Berry's mother, Beth was a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

singer with Québécois roots, and her father, Don Berry, worked in theatre and film, most notably appearing alongside

Ed Harris Edward Allen Harris (born November 28, 1950) is an American actor and filmmaker. His performances in ''Apollo 13'' (1995), ''The Truman Show'' (1998), ''Pollock'' (2000), and '' The Hours'' (2002) earned him critical acclaim and Academy Award n ...

in the George A Romero 1981 cult movie,

Knightriders ''Knightriders'' is a 1981 American drama film written and directed by George A. Romero and starring Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Tom Savini, Amy Ingersoll, Patricia Tallman, and Christine Forrest. It was filmed entirely on location in the Pittsbu ...

. The Berry family moved between New York City, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and after her parents' divorce, her mother met and married British anti-architect and Right Livelihood Award laureate,

John F. C. Turner John Francis Charlewood Turner (born 27 July 1927) is a British architect and theorist known for his work on informal self-help housing and neighbourhood building in Peru, the United States and the United Kingdom. His work on housing in the 19 ...

, and the family took up residency in London in 1973. While studying for a Fine Art Degree in London, she recorded a demo tape in 1985, which eventually found its way to

boss

Alan McGee Alan John McGee (born 29 September 1960) is a Scottish businessman and music industry executive. He has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for ''The Guardian''. He co-founded the independent Creation Records label, r ...

via her then boyfriend Pete Astor. She signed to Creation in 1987, releasing ''Firefly'', a six-song mini-album, recorded with Martin Duffy of

Felt Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood ...

on keyboards and members of Astor's band

The Weather Prophets The Weather Prophets were a British indie band formed in London in 1986 after the break-up of The Loft. After two studio albums, the band split up, with singer Peter Astor going on to a solo career. History Following the breakup of The Loft ...

.Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave'', Virgin Books, , p. 41Anderson, Lydia
Heidi Berry
, ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'', retrieved October 16, 2010 A full-length album, ''Below the Waves'', followed in 1989, featuring her brother Christopher on acoustic guitar (who also played on her later albums).Raggett, Ned " ''Below the Waves'' Review,

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, retrieved October 16, 2010 Her relationship with Creation broke down, and she left, stating "I simply felt that they didn't understand me".Sexton, Paul (1996)
4AD's Heidi Berry Spawns a Miracle
, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'', September 21, 1996, pp. 9, 79, retrieved October 16, 2010 It was during her support set for Felt in London's Camden Town in 1991, that Berry's performance caught the eye of Ivo Watts-Russell. He recalled being drawn in by her "Dusty Springfield hand movements". This led to him asking Berry to perform the song " 'Til I Gain Control Again" on the third album by

This Mortal Coil This Mortal Coil were a British music collective led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the British record label 4AD. Although Watts-Russell and John Fryer were the only two official members, the band's recorded output featured a large rotating ...

(''Blood''). Heidi Berry went on to record three solo albums for 4AD, ''Love'', ''Heidi Berry'' and ''Miracle''. ''Love'' featured an array of musicians, including Martin McCarrick (of

Siouxsie & the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. ''Q'' magazine ...

Terry Bickers Terence "Terry" Robert Arthur Bickers (born 6 September 1965 in Kensington, London) is an English musician and songwriter. A guitarist and singer, he is best known for his work as the original lead guitarist with The House of Love (from 1986 ...

and Laurence O'Keefe (of

Levitation Levitation (from Latin ''levitas'' "lightness") is the process by which an object is held aloft in a stable position, without mechanical support via any physical contact. Levitation is accomplished by providing an upward force that counteracts ...

), Ian Kearey (

Oysterband Oysterband (originally The Oyster Band) is a British folk rock and folk punk band formed in Canterbury around 1976. History Early history The band formed in parallel to Fiddler's Dram, and under the name "Oyster Ceilidh Band" played purely as ...

) and

Lol Coxhill George Lowen Coxhill (19 September 1932 – 10 July 2012) known professionally as Lol Coxhill, was an English free improvising saxophonist. He played soprano and sopranino saxophone. Biography Coxhill was born to George Compton Coxhill ...

. The self-titled ''Heidi Berry'' album focused on "being unlucky in love and in life." Berry toured extensively during 1991–1993 in the UK, Europe and the USA. Highlights included tours with Red House Painters,

Mazzy Star Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 in Santa Monica, California, from remnants of the group Opal. Founding member David Roback's friend Hope Sandoval became the group's vocalist when Kendra Smith left Opal. Mazzy Star ...

Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part o ...

Everything But The Girl Everything but the Girl (occasionally referred to as EBTG) are an English musical duo formed in Kingston upon Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, producer and singer Ben Watt ...

. She also toured with Brendan Perry (of Dead Can Dance) – and recorded several songs including ‘The Devil’, which he produced at his studio in Ireland. This was released on the 4AD label promo CD, "Shaving The Pavement" In 1999, she formed

Lost Girls Lost Girls or Lost Girl may refer to: Film and television * ''Lost Girls'' (film), a 2020 American drama mystery film * ''The Lost Girls'' (film), an upcoming adaptation of the novel by Laurie Fox * ''Lost Girl'', a 2010–2015 Canadian supernatu ...

, a collaboration with Patrick Fitzgerald of

Kitchens of Distinction Kitchens of Distinction (sometimes shortened colloquially to KOD) are an English three-person alternative rock band formed in Tooting, South London, in 1986. They released four studio albums and a handful of singles and EPs before disbanding ...

, releasing the single "Needle's Eye".

' long-awaited album was released in October 2014 by 3 Loop Music on vinyl, download and as a 2CD expanded edition (featuring demos and extra tracks). Berry has also contributed harmony vocals to a number of alternative, indie and dream pop artists, notably Pete Astor, Breathless,

Spear of Destiny A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastene ...

, and Stephen Hero. In the early 2000s, she collaborated with soundtrack composer, Andy Cowton. on two BBC TV documentary soundtracks. Martin Aston's definitive story of the 4AD label, ''Facing The Wrong Way'' includes numerous entries about Heidi Berry. There is also a short entry in The Creation Records Story: My Magpie Eyes are Hungry for the Prize. A filmed interview with Heidi Berry features in the documentary feature film, 'Upside Down: The Creation Records Story'

Musical style

If Berry's music has proved difficult to classify, Ivo Watts-Russell, considered this a strength. He said of her work in 2013, "Music often has to do with the time when

t was T, or t, is the twentieth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is deri ...

made, but Heidi's three albums transcend that for me. Her albums are at the core of what I hoped I was doing with 4AD, to represent people who could express themselves in music that has nothing to do with the flow and flavour of the decade in which they were made. It's the same reasons why Nick Drake's music works for people. Heidi's music is not about where she fitted in. Instead, it has great lasting value." . Berry's early music garnered comparisons to early

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

Nick Drake Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter known for his acoustic guitar-based songs. He did not find a wide audience during his lifetime, but his work gradually achieved wider notice and recognit ...

Sandy Denny Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny (6 January 1947 – 21 April 1978) was an English singer who was lead singer of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention. She has been described as "the pre-eminent British folk rock singer". After briefly w ...

Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan Order of Canada, OC Order of British Columbia, OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing ( ...

and

Beth Orton Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician, known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall, ...

, and was described as "highly orchestrated folk-rock"Mason, Stewart " ''Heidi Berry'' Review,

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, retrieved October 16, 2010 The ''

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' described her as sounding "like a majestic cross between Sandy Denny, Enya and Sade".Morse, Steve (1991) "Heidi Berry Love 4AD", ''

'', December 12, 1991, p. 6 Charlotte Robinson of

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

described her styles as essentially "folk", with "dark...instrumental flourishes and layered vocals".Robinson, Charlotte (2001)
Heidi Berry ''Pomegranate''
,

, retrieved October 16, 2010 Barry Didcock of the ''

Sunday Herald The ''Sunday Herald'' was a Scottish Sunday newspaper, published between 7 February 1999 and 2 September 2018. Originally a broadsheet, it was published in compact format from 20 November 2005. The paper was known for having combined a centre- ...

'' argues that Berry might be "the great overlooked voice of acoustic rock." While the album,''Miracle'' has an acoustic band basis for much of the music, Berry never returned to the straightforward folk/rock of Firefly, instead letting the ghostly arrangements of 'Below the Waves' be her guide for future work. ''NME'' said of the song, "Needle’s Eye" on its initial 4AD release, "Over a wasted, civil war-style landscape comes a vocal that sounds like some daughter of Tim Buckley intoning a lament for the dead. I know nothing about Lost Girls; all I know is the world should know more about them." Martin Aston of Mojo commented on the sleevenotes for ''Pomegranate'', "Given how many singer-songwriters have ploughed the folk-fusion field since Heidi, her influence is doubtless greater than people realise."

Music educator

Heidi Berry is currently a Senior Lecturer at the

British and Irish Modern Music Institute The British and Irish Modern Music Institute, now styled as the BIMM Institute, is a group of eight independent colleges which specialise in the provision of creative education in Brighton, Bristol, London, Dublin, Manchester, Berlin, Birmingha ...

, where she teaches lyric writing to undergraduates on the BA (hons) course. She holds a master's degree in Songwriting from Bath Spa University. Berry joined BIMM Brighton as a lecturer in the second year of its existence and has contributed extensively to curriculum development across the college.

Visual artist

Before embarking on her musical career, Berry attended

Chelsea School of Art Chelsea College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London based in London, United Kingdom, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation. It offers further and higher educat ...

and London's

Goldsmiths College Goldsmiths, University of London, officially the Goldsmiths' College, is a constituent research university of the University of London in England. It was originally founded in 1891 as The Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute by the Wor ...

and gained a BA (hons) in Fine Art from

Middlesex University Middlesex University London (legally Middlesex University and abbreviated MDX) is a public research university in Hendon, northwest London, England. The name of the university is taken from its location within the historic county boundaries ...

(formerly Hornsey School of Art). She continues to create visual art, concentrating on painting and printmaking.

Discography

Solo albums

* ''Miracle'' (1996) Producer: Hugh Jones. P/CD4AD (CAD 1011 CD;US CD: 46020) * ''Heidi Berry'' (1993) Producer: Hugh Jones. P/CD4AD (CAD 3009 CD;US /CD: 45301 * ''Love'' (1991) Producer: Pete Walsh. P/CD4AD (CAD1012CD) * ''Below the Waves'' (1989) Producer: Heidi Berry/Christian Lunch P/CDCreation(CRELP048) * ''Firefly'' (1987) Producer: Pete Astor. P/CDCreation (CAD1012CD)

Singles, EPs, compilations

* ''Pomegranate: an Anthology'' (2001) Producer: Various. 4AD P/CD(EAD2K10A) * ''Dr. Martens : Shoe Pie'' (1996) 4AD US/UK (CD SHOE-1-CD) * ''Shaving the Pavement'' (1996) (C PRO-C-8096) * ''No Balls'' (1995) 4AD US (CD PRO-CD-7300) * ''Think I’m Getting the Hang of It'' (1995) 4AD US (CD PRO-CD-7625) * ''Facing the Wrong Way'' (1995), 4AD UK (CD FTWW 1) * ''All Virgos Are Mad'' (1994), Warner Bros. USA (CD 9362 45789-2) * ''Soil Samples 13'' (1993), Warner Bros. USA (PRO-CD-6107) * "The Moon and the Sun" (1993), 4AD (CD single BAD-3010) * "The 13 Year Itch" (1993), 4AD UK (CD Limited Ed.) * "Lilliput" (1992), 4AD US (2 CD+hardcover book) (LILLIPUT 1/2) * ''Distant Thunder'' (1992), Warner Bros. USA (CD PRO- CD)

Collaborations

* ''Lost Girls'' (2014) Producer: Patrick Fitzgerald. P/CD-Loop Records * ''Aeroplane'' (1996) Producer: Aeroplane (John Ross / Rob Fitzpatrick). PDetox

Guest vocals

* "Deciduous Eccentric" (2019) Song, 'Stripping Oliver’. Stephen Hero (Ragoora Records CD) * ''Lost Girls'' (2014) Collaborative album with Patrick Fitzgerald. (Bad Parents CD) * "Thirty-one" (2014) Song, 'Hurry Home'. Speak of Destiny (Easter Snow Music CD) * "Green to Blue" (2012) Song,'Just For Today'. Breathless (Tenor Vossa CD) * "Aeroplane" (1996) Producer: Aeroplane (John Ross / Rob Fitzpatrick). PDetox * "Blood" (1991) Song,'Til I Gain Control Again'. This Mortal Coil. 4AD CD

Film and television

* ''Hyper Normalisation'' (2016) BBC trailer. Dir. Adam Curtis. (TV) * ''Generations; Naked'' (2000) BBC- Soundtrack collab. With Andy Cowton (TV) * ''Dawson's Creek'' (2002) S05-E08. Song: ‘The Moon And The Sun’ Dir. Lev L Spiro. (TV) * ''Baywatch'' (1998) Song: ‘Miracle’. Pearson Television / The Baywatch Company (TV) * ''Up in the Air'' (1991) Promo. Dir. Miles Aldridge. (VID/DVD) * ''The Moon and the Sun'' (1993) Promo. Dir. Angela Conway. (VID/DVD) * ''Northshore Train'' (1980) Promo. Dir. Mehdi Norowzian. (VID)

References

External links

Heidi Berry at 4AD
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Heidi 1958 births Living people Musicians from Boston Folk musicians from Massachusetts American women singer-songwriters 4AD artists Creation Records artists 21st-century American women Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts