Songbook Words and Pictures By Heather Slater Book Preview
Pale Heather is the solo post-punk/goth/alternative project of Heather Slater (one half of alternative duo The Monikers , former guitarist for UK goth band Phantasmagoria and occasional backing vocalist for Earth Calling Angela . Heather also has a solo acoustic project for her quieter, more reflective moments.). This project has been conceived to allow Heather's darker influences and roots to resurface.
Heather's interest in music began at the age of eight, when she started playing the piano. By the age of 14 she fell in love with her first (and currently only) electric guitar, which still serves her well to this day. Soon after this she began to take an interest in goth and was particularly inspired by bands at the punkier end of the genre, such as Bauhaus and Skeletal Family.
In 1995 Heather played her first gig as guitarist for Phantasmagoria, supporting The Marionettes, at Birmingham's Mercat. In February 1996, Phantasmagoria recorded a three-track demo tape, the Darkfall EP, in London. Then in May, Heather was asked to sing backing vocals on a number of Earth Calling Angela tracks for their album Reverence in Kind. Sadly the album was not released due to technical difficulties but Heather realised how much she enjoyed taking on singing duties. UPDATE: An Earth Calling Angela best-of album, Hope Springs Eternal, featuring some of those "lost" tracks - including one with Pale Heather on backing vocals - is available now from CD Baby. Please click on the banner below.
Several more Phantasmagoria gigs followed, with Heather chugging away on guitar, supporting a host of bands including the Dream Disciples, Screaming Dead, All Living Fear and Waterglass. There was even a slot with the likes of Alien Sex Fiend at an all-day goth fest in Nottingham Rock City in 1997. This proved to be Heather's swansong, although Phantasmagoria continued for a few years without her.In 2002, Heather began writing songs with her friend Alex and formed The Monikers - a mostly acoustic band who have recorded a wealth of material, none of which has yet been released. Meanwhile Heather's solo acoustic/alternative project, under her own name, can be found at www.myspace.com/heatherslaterproject
Pale Heather is the latest chapter in Heather's musical outings and at present is a studio-based project. Its aim is to allow Heather to get right down to the serious business of making spiky, horror-tinged guitar music with claustrophobic vocals and a primal punk heart.
