The Heaters

During the late '70s, the Los Angeles-based trio the Heaters were tipped to have a breakthrough. Straddling the line between mainstream rock and the new wave, they opened for both Van Halen and Cheap Trick, but struggled in the studio. They released an eponymous debut in 1978 on Ariola and leaped to the majors in 1980 for Energy Transfer, but neither record garnered much attention. Lead vocalist Mercy Bermudez and sisters Maggie and Missy Connell kept working, acquiring a four-track PortaStudio and recording on their own, emphasizing their girl group inspirations. These recordings garnered some attention in Los Angeles -- Phil Spector became a fan and Rhino wanted to sign the band but they turned down the deal and eventually disbanded. The PortaStudio recordings were finally released in 2016 on Omnivore Records as American Dream: The PortaStudio Recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine