American Dream: The Portastudio Recordings

THE GREATEST GIRL-GROUP YOU’VE NEVER HEARD! The Heaters were one of LA’s hottest live acts in the late ’70s, opening for heavyweights like Talking Heads, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, and more. The Heaters’ explosive stage technique, visual smarts, and great pop songwriting—harkening back to the sound of Phil Spector mixed with the energy of punk—made them the band to see on the Sunset Strip. Sadly, their debut album (one of the most highly anticipated releases of the day) was plagued with problems and captured none of their magic. A second album “sounded” better, but met the same fate with record buyers, and the group disbanded. However, sisters Maggie and Missy Connell along with Theresa Robertson of the band kept recording on a Portastudio, concentrating on the girl-group side of their sound. They created tracks that would become a Holy Grail for not only Heaters, and girl-group fans, but anyone who was lucky enough to have had a chance to have heard it. Rhino Records loved the material and wanted it re-recorded it for a new release, but the three thought the songs should be released as they were, and turned down the deal. That was over 30 years ago. It’s finally time to share these classic recordings. American Dream is the first-ever official release of those 10 tracks from Maggie, Missy, and Theresa (under the pseudonym of Mercy)—The Heaters. Glistening girl-group harmonies drawing on the golden era of that music; the ’50s and ’60s, filtered through the ’80s, and now finally being released in the 21st century! Great music is timeless, and the time has come for the true sound of The Heaters to reach the masses the way it was intended. With full cooperation, and liner notes by the band, we can finally turn up The Heaters!