Heart (band)
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Heart is a rock band that was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1973. It has been fronted by two sisters, Ann and Nancy Wilson, almost from its inception. The band's blistering lead guitars were provided by Roger Fisher, whose brother, Michael, produced their first several albums. Other members were bassist Steve Fossen, drummer Michael Derosier, and Howard Leese, who played a variety of instruments.
Their first album, 1976's driving, dynamic and fluid "Dreamboat Annie," which included the top-40 radio success "Magic Man," as well as the harder rocking FM radio hit "Crazy On You," was an enormous critical and popular success. The album also included several genuinely touching ballads, including the title track, "How Deep It Goes" and "(Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your song."
Their second album, 1977's hastily recorded "Little Queen," featured the hard rock classic "Barracuda," and remains, with "Dreamboat Annie," one of the initial band's definitive artistic statements.
In 1978, the band released the more cerebral, static "Dog & Butterfly," on which Roger Fisher's role as lead guitarist was greatly diminished in favor of a more funk-influenced approach.
For the first time, many of the songs were co-written with Wilson friend Sue Ennis; Ennis's introduction and feminist, academic influence seems to have done more harm to the original band's spirit than any other single factor.
The title track, as well as "Straight On," became Top 40 hits, but the album clearly showed that the band was beginning to take itself too seriously.
While "Dreamboat Annie" and "Little Queen" had been instinctive, daring, visceral, and sincere, "Dog & Butterfly" felt labored, top-heavy, airless, and pretentious.
After several subsequent unfocused albums that failed critically and commercially to varying degrees, a revamped Heart, newly signed to Capitol Records, released a commercially successful self-titled album in 1985.
By that time, the Wilson sisters had replaced all but one of the original male members of the group with mediocre session musicians. The best song from the album, "Heart of Darkness," was regulated to the B-side of a 45, and hasn't been released in any other format since.
The music Heart created duing this period was Top 40 pop, which clearly showed the influence of Madonna and other influential 80s acts, and was completely divorced from their original hard rock roots.
Several videos, which the Wilsons later reviled, helped the band achieve a string of saccharine Top 40 pop hits during this time, including "These Dreams," "What About Love," "Alone," and "All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You."
The Wilsons continue to perform and tour as both Heart and as The LoveMongers, a pop band the Wilsons formed with Sue Ennis and others in the early 90s.
Roger Fisher also continues to perform, and has recorded and released several albums of his own.
