The Maisonettes were an English pop band formed by Laurence "Lol" Mason (formerly of
City Boy) with Mark Tibenham and drummer Nick Parry, best known for their hit single "Heartache Avenue".
History
The group's debut single, "Heartache Avenue", reached number 7 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in early 1983,
topped the
UK Independent Chart
The UK Independent Singles Chart and UK Independent Albums Chart are charts of the best-selling independent singles and albums, respectively, in the United Kingdom. Originally published in January 1980, and widely known as the indie chart, the rele ...
,
and later peaked at number 12 on the Canadian chart and number 97 in Australia. The band's demo was picked up by David Virr, who released "Heartache Avenue" on his own Ready Steady Go! label.
The single had been recorded with session backing singers, but to promote the single, they recruited models Denise Ward and Elaine Williams, although these two were later replaced by
Carla Mendonça
Carla Mendonça (born 1961) in Coventry, Warwickshire is a British actress. She is known for playing Orla Crawshaw in ''Coronation Street'', Sophie Johnson in the CITV children's sitcom ''My Parents Are Aliens'' (2001–2006) and Mrs. Fitzgeral ...
and Elisa Backer (née Richards)
The follow-up single, "Where I Stand", peaked at number 28 on the UK Independent Chart.
In 1984 their album, ''Maisonettes for Sale'', was released in Canada, including "Heartache Avenue" and ten other songs. With no further hits, the group soon disbanded.
"Heartache Avenue" was later sampled by UK rap group
Roll Deep
Roll Deep (formerly Roll Deep Entourage) are a British grime crew. They were founded in 2001 by Wiley shortly before the disbandment of UK garage crew Pay As U Go Cartel.
The group have had two UK No. 1 singles, " Good Times" and " Green Ligh ...
, for the chorus on their UK number 11 hit, "The Avenue".
In 2004, ''Heartache Avenue: The Very Best of the Maisonettes'' was released in the UK by Cherry Red records, containing two unreleased tracks, the original "Heartache Avenue" and a remix, and fifteen other songs.
On 31 July 2019, Laurence "Lol" Edward Mason died at the age of 69 in his home in
Harborne
Harborne is an area of south-west Birmingham, England. It is one of the most affluent areas of the Midlands, southwest from Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in ...
from a heart attack, after complications following a kidney transplant.
Discography
Albums
*''Maisonettes for Sale'' (Ready Steady Go!, 1983)
;Compilations:
*''Heartache Avenue: The Very Best of the Maisonettes'' (
Cherry Red, 2004)
Singles
References
External links
*
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*
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English pop music groups
English new wave musical groups
Musical groups from London
{{UK-band-stub