Harriet Wheeler
Harriet Wheeler has been out of the public eye for quite some time now, but that doesn’t mean she’s not missed. It’s been over 10 years since their last album (wow!) yet I get more emails and comments about Harriet Wheeler and the Sundays than anyone else. If you’re ever feeling reminiscent, youtube has a great collection of Sundays interviews and videos, including their video for Summertime! While you’re here though, why not leave some comments about Harriet and the Sundays! Out of respect for Harriet and her family, please do post any information on her place of employment! Any comments that do will be removed.
Image Gallery
Below are just a few pictures of Harriet Wheeler from various videos and TV appearances. More are available at the Sirens of Song photostream on flickr.
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- Harriet Wheeler (the Sundays) – Summertime
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- Harriet Wheeler (the Sundays) – In Concert
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- Harriet Wheeler (the Sundays) – Goodbye
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- Harriet Wheeler (the Sundays) – Love
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- Harriet Wheeler (the Sundays) – MTV Europe
Concert Review
9:30 Club (Washington, DC – 12/3/97)
December 3rd, 1997 will go down as one of the best days of my life. I finally saw the Sundays in concert and they were awesome! Harriet hit every note. They performed about 17 songs (this is from memory…I wasn’t able to get my hands on a set list) including the 3 encores. Here they are in no particular order. If anyone does have the set list from the D.C. show please inform me of my errors.
Summertime
Homeward
She
What Do You Think
When I’m Thinking About You
Here’s Where The Story Ends
Can’t Be Sure
Joy
Medicine
Another Flavour
Hideous Towns
Monochrome
My Finest Hour
Goodbye
I Kicked A Boy
Turkish*
Cry
*clip from a Vancouver performance (3/15/93), not the D.C. show
The best part was that I met Harriet! After the show, I started walking to my car and noticed 3 or 4 people hanging around out front where the tour bus was so, I decided to stick around too. One of the tour members knew what was going on so he stressed to us several times that if we just stayed calm and didn’t act like maniacs they’d probably sign autographs and pose for photos.
To make a long story short, about an hour later it finally happened. They walked right out the front door and signed autographs and posed for pictures. (By this time there was a small crowd of about 20 people.) Both Harriet and David were very nice and down to earth. They were making conversation with everyone and were more than happy to sign everything and anything that was handed to them. They must have stood outside in the cold and drizzle for at least 30 minutes. I am quite happy to say I was able to get an autograph and even pose for a picture with them. Even after I got a pic with them I stuck around a while and took about 7 more pics. Of course it goes without saying I ran to the one hour photo shop the next day and got reprints in every size…5×7, 8×10, and 24×36. (Ok, I didn’t go for the poster size). All in all, it was a night I’ll never forget! More photos from the night are available at the Sirens of Song photostream on flickr.
Albums/Singles
This IS NOT a complete discography. This only represents what I own.
 Static And Silence (1997)
1. Summertime |
 Blind (1992)
1. I Feel |
 Reading Writing and Arithmetic (1990)
1. Skin & Bones |
 Summertime CD-1 (1997)
1. Summertime |
 Summertime CD-2 (1997)
1. Summertime |
 Cry CD-1 (1997)
1. Cry |
 Cry CD-2 (1997)
1. Cry |
 The Black Session (1993)
1. My Finest Hour – live |
 Can’t Be Sure (1990)
1. Can’t Be Sure |
 Goodbye (1992)
1. Goodbye |
92 Responses to this post
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Every time I hear one of the Sundays songs I remember the loveliness of being 16 and how everything seemed dream like. I will hold the sundays near my soul,they helped me get threw much darkness and light. Mari
Hi Mary, Hello to the creator of this page,
Sorry for my bad english, I speak french.
I’m comin from Belgium (near France), and I’m 33 years old.
Harriet is the best female voice I have heard in my life.
She has the voice of an angel, she CAN’T be go from here !
She says: “celebrate the life, be good with yourself”.
And “just love yourself like no else”.
Thanks Mari for you post
There have so many wonderful and beautiful voices in the last 20 years, but none have had the ability to touch my soul and transport me to another place like Harriet Wheeler’s voice. Whenever I hear any song by The Sundays, I have stop what I am doing, take a deep breath and close my eyes becaue I want my full attention and dedication to without a doubt the greatest female vocalist of all times. I would give anything to turn back the hands of time and go back to 1990’s to watch as many concerts of The Sundays as I possibly could; Harriet, wherever you may be, I wish you all the best and I want you to know that you are dearly missed.
The Sundays are a great band, especially because of Harriet’s voice. She is missed by fans everywhere and it is very sad to me that there is not more of a web presence for them. I hope they will come back one day in one form or another. I understand they are raising their children now, so why not do a children’s album? They Might Be Giants did a fine job of that! My 5 year old daughter loves The Sundays–Harriet, David, are you listening? :^)
Easily one of my favorite bands. Several others have been compared to them (or vice-versa), such as Sixpence None The Richer, The Ocean Blue and The Cocteau Twins. All share a similar sound in some respects, sometimes called “Jangle-pop,” but none have the beautiful voice or sparkling songwriting that Harriet and David brought to this band.
Like others who have posted before me, her voice transports me in a way that I can’t associate with any other singer or band. Of course I respect them for wanting to drop out of the music business and raise their family, but I still miss the band terribly. I never got to see them live, so I feel I really missed out on a great experience.
(Sorry for my bad english, I speak french)
Thanks to all, congratulations.
Yes, we must say that: Harriet’s voice is fantastic.
Before, I had tears when I listened her songs. No more now, but she stands great.
You can listen the album of 2001 of Hope Sandonwal (Mazzy Star) and “Sueanne”. It’s (a little) similar.
The Sundays helped me through the hardest years of my life (my teenage years). The sweet sound of the music and Harriets SPECIAL voice, entangled with some of the most emototional lyrics I have ever heard makes every song very special. A perfected sound that would touch any heart and turn it to candy floss. Harriet! The Sundays! Come back soon. You cant leave it like this for your hundreds/thousands of fans.XX
Hi,
I met Harriet and David during their Static and Silence. I waited for them after the concert and was SO blessed to engage in a 1 hour conversation with David. I am bilingual and Hispanic so I guess he wanted to practice his Spanish because he actually took me towards the seats and sat next to me to chat with me about his travels, things he loved to do, etc. (for 1 hour) after that, he called Harriet and introduced me to her. When I told her I had listened to their music for 1 entire year (my car had a tape player that just kept playing their tape over and over) she signed the playlist I took from the stage with: Thank you for your listening ears…Harriet!
That was and continues to be the BEST moment of my life…I still have the pen she used to sign the playlist…I just wish I could find the person who took a picture of us.
Another huge fan here…just happened to be searching to see if there was anything on the horizon for them, but alas, looks like it may not be. They managed to transcend the “shoegaze” genre, with really interesting music and, of course, the transcendent loveliness of Harriet’s voice. Unfortunately, I was never able to see them live. I know they have a family, but personally, I don’t think it’s fair to deprive us of their music…
There are few bands that stick with you after a long absence like the Sundays. I can still put in one of their albums and be transported back to my high school and college days. I was lucky enough to see them in concert 3 times and once waited over 2 hours to see them come on stage in a small club venue (300 people?) in San Diego that was really unbelievable. I remember also seeing them at UC Irvine and between songs I yelled out “I want to marry you Harriet!” Everyone laughed not only because it was a stupid thing to yell out, but it also genuinely caught Harriet by surprise and I think she said something like “oh thank you”. But I remember David not being amused and at the end of the show he was upset about something and slammed down a bunch of flowers on the stage as he stomped off after the set. The show in Los Angeles at the Mayan theater was also excellent. Wish they would do another album!
The Sundays along with All About Eve were the best bands from the 1980’s.Both had great female lead singers and both had great albums you could listen to over and over again.
Listening to the Sundays is a spiritual experience for me–no other way to describe it. I only listen to them at night when all is still and peaceful so I can tune in and let ever word and every note fill me. I am SO glad so many of you are out there loving the Sundays right along with me. Harriet is just an angel.
I would hope I’m not exhaggerating in saying this, but Harriet’s voice is the best I’ve ever heard. And this is coming from someone who’s been impressed by the likes of Whitney Houston, Bjork, Liz Frazier, Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, etc. She sings with a unique passion I’ve never heard before, her tone is exceptionally clear and youthful, and her voice is just well…FANTASTIC! It’s a shame she never struck out on a solo career. That voice!
When i say i consider myself as being one of the lucky ones that has been at a liver performance of The Sundays, then everybody who had that same luck agrees. I stood near the stage when Harriet blew the notes of “Blind” into the air at “Aula Magna” of the university complex here in lisbon. I can´t remember what year it was but, i bought a t-shirt and upon today i still listen to all the musics. They are really unforgetable. Despite of having only good things to say about all beautiful songs and lyrics, i consider it almost a crime they didn´t continue. Everybody who ever heard them misses tehm deeply, i know. Their songs, their moods and admospheres are timeless and will therefor continue in time. Thanks you Harriet and David for all. I miss you.
Fred
For me harriet wheeler has the greatest sweet, lovely voice,, every time i listen to their music i feel so calm relax etc. i fell in love with her bec. of her voice so soothing, u r the best harriet, SKUNK HERE(pHILS>)
Hello skunk,
Sorry for my bad english.
You and everybody here can contact me : mounier1950@gmail.com
I would be happy to hear songs that you find great.
Bye
Harriet’s sparkling blue eyes and equally sparkling voice are truly missed. I’ve only heard “Summertime” and seen the video but I hope one day she’ll come back (with or without the band) and grace music once again with her heavenly beauty and talent.
mounier hi, in their static and silence album u can find summer time, cry ,when im thinking about you and other great song, u will like listening to that songs, the other great songs are here’s where the story ends, you’re not the only one i know, both songs are great im sure u will love it. it is in the reading, writing, and arithmetic album. for downloads of that album get free download manager search the web, then go to http://www.thepiratebay.org enjoy!
SKUNK (PINOY ASTIG!)
Such quality and sensebility in thier music. I grew up with the Sundays. Harriets thoughts and her songs are now imbebed in my day-to-day psychology. Can you tell I’m a big fan. I’d by Reading, writing arthmetic 10 times over cause very little new music measures up to it these days.
I’m back with one more thought, should there be a reuion concert, I’m there! even if it’s in Timbuktu, Mali but Toronto, Ontario would be better because it’s closer and did you know that desire is a terrible thing but I rely on mine. ah.
Next year there will be another Lilith Fair. Let’s hope they’re convinced to do a few dates!!
Happy Birthday Harriet !!!
I just discovered “the Sundays” a week ago listening to 96.5 the BUZZ here in Kansas City, MO on a Sunday morning “back when” program. It’s ALL BRAND NEW to me! I luv ‘em!!!
The Sundays are one of my band’s greatest musical influences. I never get tired of their amazing music and Harriet’s perfect voice! If you like female singers, please check out our myspace at http://www.myspace.com/ifnotfordreaming
Please listen!
Just as everyone here, I too think Harriet Wheeler’s voice is unmatched and when I was at my lowest point of my life, the song “Love” was the most inspiring tune that pulled me through my hardship. I heard a song the other day and it stopped me in my tracks. I thought it was a new track from The Sundays and I listened as hard as I could to discern the voice timbre as Harriet Wheeler’s. As I listened, the voice I heard was close, and I thought since many years has passed, maybe it was her, but father time had taken some of the quality away. So I am here today searching to see if,…maybe The Sundays were coming back to bless us with more beautiful music. It seems I was mistaken.
Please come back Harriet and crew,….you have a following of fans that will never accept the fact that your done with singing and we shall hope and yearn just as your lyrics has inspired us in our daily lives. God Bless
reading, writing & arithmatic is just the best album ever and Harriet’s voice is so beautiful. I never tire of listening to it and all the tracks are top of my ipod play list out of 888 songs. When will they com back please. Harriet is even more beautiful than here voice!!!!
hey all, as a fan of the sundays for, well as long as most how would find this lil’ page, might i let you all in on a voice and a band you might might want to look in to, the voice is that of Karin Bergquist and the band She and her hubby, Linford Detweiler, are is called Over the Rhine. thay just did a big 20 year “birthday’ of the band show this year and i have been a friend and fan for 18 of thoes years and thay move people in much the same ways the sundays have. i am sure i am not the only one out there in” i love the sundays” land that know of otr, so check them out, im sure your gonna like what you hear.
saw the sundays in houston, don’t remember the year, they played austin with new order the year before that. liked tracy with the primitives and anneli drekker of bel canto, and kari bremnes of north norway ,and sarah cracknel of st. etienne ,and what with echo and mac and bernard and new order and david and roger of different floyds it was quite a time for this 56 year old. cried a lot of tears of joy seeing these wonders, embarrassed a lot of girls wondering why a grown man would cry for music. and what beautiful music it is.never thought harriet would be away so long still get goosebumps. lucky for me bernard is quite active ,mac is too, and all these gorgeous ,almost unknown, young ladies voices ,will never, ever be very far away
Hi what does harriet do now,does she still sing? I’m 43 years old and i’ve loved her voice for a very long time but i never knew who she was.
I miss the sundays. what i wouldn’t do to hear from them again… I didn’t know how lucky I was to have seen them live twice and meet them, until they vanished from the world of music. I’m always hoping that with technology today and the uselessness of record labels, they might put something online for us old fans.
Saw The Sundays in concert here in San Antonio at the Majestic in June of ‘93 after having been a fan for three years. The performance was astounding, one of the best I have ever seen. I came alone to the concert and didn’t really know anyone else who listened to the Sundays so it was kinda weird looking around and seeing other folks who had similar tastes. There weren’t that many people there but that made it more special and it was a rainy night which reminded me of England which was fitting for the mood the band generated.
She hit all of the notes and the band was far tighter than I expected them to be live in concert. It was very impressive. One song Harriet performed wasn’t on any LP and it turned into her just singing notes, one by one, and it was so beautiful and so very memorable. It’s been 16 years and I remember it perfectly but I wish I had a recording. The crowd was blown away! The whole concert had a really subdued and precious feel to it. I knew while I was watching and listening that it would never be matched in terms of intimacy. The small crowd, rainy night and old but classy venue made it all beyond special.
After the show I hung out in the drizzle behind the theater with a couple dozen or so other people to see the band leave and get an autograph if possible. They came out and Harriet gracefully signed for everyone who asked. At one point the crowd came in a little too fast and I helped another guy kinda shield Harriet from overeager fans. It was nice to be able to help and all was just fine. All in all, it was absolutely an evening to remeber.
The music of the Sunday’s makes me feel so good, so calm. I saw them twice in concert. one show at San Francisco’s Warfield theatre got a little rough up front and Harriet was concerned. She asked the crowd to step back. I don’t recall if they did but she made the effort and i think that was just another example of her sensitivities often heard in her songs. I miss this band and I sure wish they put something new out or at least tour again. BTW the drummer was incredible.
One of my all-time favourite indie groups is The Sundays. I saw Harriet Wheeler years ago in a bike shop in Kentish Town, she was a little embarrassed when I asked when she’s be releasing another album – Sorry, Hariet! I only recently found their 1989 John Peel Session on a blog site somewhere (I had just the one track – ‘My Finest Hour’ – on a tape, now in my parent’s attic somewhere in Tottenham, that I recorded off John Peel back in 1989. It was good to hear the other tracks (the tape that’s on ran out!) from my student days.
The Sundays are one of those bands whose music is timeless. You can listen to Static & Silence today and have no idea it was recorded back in the 1990s! For anyone wondering what became of them, David and Harriet voluntarily left the music business after Static & Silence to raise their family. The official Sundays page on Myspace is myspace.com/harrietwheeler, and Harriet herself promises to read all messages sent to her – be sure to visit & ask to be added as a friend, there are surprisingly few of them!
If only we could have one more album….
Grüße aus Deutschland an Harriet und alle Ihre Fans!
Erst seit wenigen Jahren kenne ich die SUNDAYS, bin seit dem ersten Video ein absoluter Fan einer Gruppe, die es leider heute nicht mehr gibt.
Zeitlose Musik mit der engelsgleichen Stimme von Harriet Wheeler, einer außergewöhnlich sympathischen Frau mit einer faszinierenden Ausstrahlung gab es bisher nicht. Diese perfekte Kombination ist daher unerreicht und niemals kopierbar.
Harriet heute irgendwie in irgendeiner Form wiederzusehen, mit oder ohne die SUNDAYS, ist ein Wunschtraum vieler Fans. Ich wage ja gar nicht auf eine neue CD zu hoffen, ein aktuelles Lebenszeichen von ihr würde ja bereits genügen.
Harriet, Deine Fans warten auf Dich! Your fans are waiting for you!
Roland
Hello. “Here’s Where the Story Ends” is simply the greatest pop song I have ever heard. I admit I’m a sucker for nostalgia, but the vocals and arrangement! Wow! The video blew me away. I had to stay to see MuchMusic replay the song in its rotation. Wild Horses is a classic cover, too. This is a compliment: I still hear The Sundays over the Muzak in the mall and grocery store. I look around to see if anyone else is paying attention to it. Since the Sundays, I have been turned on to The Innocence Mission, Mazzy Star (Hope Sandoval), Once Blue (Rebecca Martin), and Feist. Gracias por la musica, Sundays. Mark Hanson
Harriet wheeler has been running a bakery in ******** with her husband Dave for some years now – she is quite well known for her Cornish pastries sourcing her beef from local organic beef producers. She quit music so she could raise her kids. Once she’s seen the last one off to university she plans to release a collection of Acapella songs in a creative partnership with the brotherhood of Welsh Abbeys.
Are you talking about “********”? I know she works or worked there at one point. When I lived there I used to bump in her once in a while. She used to say that if she could have sold as many albums as she now does with her meat pies she’d be a millionnaire. It’s kind of funny, last time I asked what she listened to it was Annie Lennox and Dido.
this is a m a z i n g !
i love how it’s 20 years gone on and we’re all still so enthralled with their music, and them, and where they are, and what they are doing, and if they’ll ever come back as a band.
having said all that… i hope they do, in some fashion. they were(are!) a perfect blend of music and lyrics.
in the meantime i’ll try one of ms. wheeler’s cornish pastries.
First heard The Sundays on a Budwieser commercial (Wild Horses). It was a “Oh, my, God, who is that?!” moment. I found out and have listened ever since. They brought me through some stress in my life, and opened up a whole new world of music for me. There is always a place in the CD changer for them. I love “monochrome” because it reminds me of “me and MY sister”. In July 1969, we watched the Apollo 11 moon landings when we were very young on a black and white TV. It was late at night in USA, 4 a.m. there for them. Clever lyrics as usual.
Yes!!! It is ********! Thanks! I went there today, asked if Harriet was there and she was. She looks nothing like she used to mind you, a lot older. She says there’s no chance of a Sundays reunion anytime soon as she’s approaching her fifties and she does not know what half the orignal band is doing. She thinks one is now a chemist. Depressing. She was rambling on a bit and eventually said she might think about recording music again but it would be just her and Dave, but then they don’t have a record contract and therefore no studio and so that’s a no go right there.
I was 17 in 1989 when I first heard “Here’s Where…” Instant fan. But the song that really gets me, just as heavily now as it did when it came out in ‘92 is “Goodbye”. (Heard it for the first time the same night I was introduced to Verve’s “Gravity Grave” – another instant favorite). Such a unique structure and incredible melody/harmony. The word people seem to use most to describe Harriet’s vocals is “angelic” and I completely agree. I think she is the greatest female rock vocalist ever, bar none.
Thanks for the updates on Harriet’s whereabouts…very cool to know what she’s up to!!
Was at ******** last Monday – Harriet is not very happy that her whereabouts are on the internet. In fact she’s pretty angry. According to her there’s a reason she’s quit the music industry and this is it. She was not very friendly.
I’m sure no one meant any harm, but going forward, out of respect for Harriet and her family, please do post her place of employment. Any comments that do will be removed. Thank you!
- Sirens of Song
I went to to her place of employment (*****) all the way from Bath, just to say hi and ask for an autograph and she almost kicked me out threatening to sue for privacy invasion in front of a crowd of regulars who started yelling at me too. It was really upsetting, especially as i had my 5 year old daughter with me who started crying. I told her I was sorry and just a fan. She did not have anything good to say about this website AT ALL and wants it shut down. I think not naming her place of employment is a good thing. For me “here’s where the story ends”. I’m done with the Sundays.
This is an open letter I wrote to Brian bringing this to his attention. PLEASE read and understand it.
Brian,
Glenn R here from Colorado. I have been watching your blog about Harriet Wheeler of the Sundays for some time now. I just recently decided to post a little something. I am likely much like you in that I like Indie music to some degree and have a special place for The Sundays. In watching your blog, I noticed that Harriet Wheelers current place of employment has been released, and at least two people have visited her and posted their comments on the meeting. I don’t know how often you read your blogs, but it seems Harriet is pretty upset that her current location is on the internet. Instead of being gracious, she is angry and wants her privacy. I feel you have an important decision to make as to leave the blog posted, or, out of respect for the entire bands privacy, at least remove the location from your blog. Myself, I’m a bit torn between the two. For one thing, The Sundays being worldwide published artists accepted that their privacy might, and may continue to be violated once they decided to become recognized. Further, benefiting from the cash flow that their fans created does in my eyes constitute some responsibility to those fans in the way of continued production of their product, and a limited amount of contact with such. However, The Sundays as a group, have demonstrated no interest whatsoever in their continued sales or promotion of their music. They have not even claimed copyright on their images or video as it is all being distributed freely on the internet on sites like Youtube and other private blogs like yours. That being said, I would graciously implore you to remove the information of Harriet’s location out of, if nothing more than, respect of their wishes. On a search on Google, your site comes up on the first page, giving it wide coverage. Since now it has become a personal problem to at least one band member, out of the sheer love of their music, I ask you to take down at least the information. I thank you sir for your time.
I went all the way from Holland to Wales and she was not working there. The next day she was and was not happy to say hallo to me. I showed her my concert ticket from when she played in Amsterdam a long while ago to get it signed and she did not like it. I took a foto of her.
This blog is such an interesting read…..It’s too bad that Harriet feels her privacy has been violated but she had to have known that this was going to happen sooner or later. With technology the way it is today, nobody really has any privacy….I can go to Google Maps and get my license plate number off of my truck for cryin’ out loud!! Understandably she has been living the way she has wanted for some time; out of the spotlight being a ‘regular’ person with her ‘regular’ family….and that is great. But as an artist that has obviously impacted so many in such a positive way, you would think that she would embrace her ‘newly’ found notariety and be thankful that so many still care……maybe she can post a sign outside of her place of employment thanking the fans and maybe even set specific times to sign autographs or maybe even anonymously post a YouTube video updating the World-At-Large what she has been up to. I for one, being a huge fan, am not going to England to get an autograph….but it would be cool to see what she has been doing since their last CD.
Harriet Wheeler is my hands-down favorite female vocalist of all time, and it’s really not even close. Her voice mixed with David’s unique chord choices made some of the most sublime music I’ve ever heard… I wish they would’ve produced more music, but I respect their wishes. That said, as long as there’s a Harriet and David, I can still dream there will be another Sundays album one day!
On another note, I’m sorry to hear that she’s been badgered by fans at her place of work. That must be very uncomfortable for her… I suppose it’s difficult for her to see how much her voice touched people. It would be nice if people could just enjoy the CD’s they have to get their Sundays fix as opposed to harrassing Harriet and/or David.
Mike – you are not a nice person. I did not harrass Harriet. I just ask for foto and said hi. I did not touch her.
Leave Harriet alone!
Don’t be a stupid stalker fan, this is not worthy for a true Sundays fan.
Never understood it anyway, what do you want with a stupid piece of paper
with a pen scribble on it, sell it? Damn you!
I know we where all in love with her and I fall in love again every time
I play there records, don’t spoil it for your self by doing stupid things
like invade her private live, she is not like Britney Spears who needs it.
Remember, give me an easy live and a peaceful dead.
And what where you thinking by giving her whereabouts on the
internet, don’t you know that there are crazy people out there!
God forbid should anything happen to her.
LEAVE HER ALONE!!!!!!!
Harriet, all my sea all my blue.
Forher – I am sorry but I worry why you love Harriet. “All my sea, all my blue”? pfffff…you are a sad man. Go cry yourself to sleep.
Guys, Ladies & Brian: here’s what I suggest – delete all messages starting with message 38. I think someone is pranking you, actually I’ve been thinking that for a while. Do you really believe she works in a bakery and is going to release an acapella album with Welsh monks? That she’s now into Dido and Annie Lennox?
I am sad? I am not the one that when all the way to England .
all my sea all my blue.
Is a piece of lyrics at the end of the song life and soul.
Ok, it may be a bid strong it’s called poetry, and please don’t worry
about me, I am fine.
Robert- your probably right by starting over.
Hans – You got me wrong, I wasn’t attacking you at all. I was just saying that it’s a shame she’s had some issues.
i’m the christopher of post 38 and i must say this turn of events has saddened me a little. out of respect to ms. wheeler’s privacy and the music she’s already graciously provided us from her time with the sundays i’ll forgo having one of her pastries.
the music will more than suffice in feeding me.
It sucks that Harriet was so angered by the current situation. I guess I understand her position, but is it really that big of a deal? If there are swarms of people going to her place of business and interrupting her day, that is one thing, but a few people here and there doesn’t seem like such a big issue…(I suppose I would worry about my kids) are there many sundays fans left in England???
Oh well, I still love her. Does she still have that supercute hair?
Please understand – you’ve all been done up like a bunch of kippers. Just take a look at the messages, it’s got to be a hoax. I’ve also googled that bakery and it’s a chain, they don’t sell meat pastries. Harriet doing an album with welsh monks? Come on. Someone obviously got a good giggle out of all the reactions here.
And yes, I’m a British guy that likes the Sundays, seen them in concert, but has moved on with the times and now have several kids.
Viva Filipinas!
I love the Sundays! Harriet’s voice is very mesmerizing I hope to see them one day on a big concert…cheers!
I have requested being buried with the album “Reading, writing and arithmetic” i love it and it makes me so upset to never have seen them in concert- to have been there to hear her sing “cant be sure” or “Here’s where the story ends” wouldve been truly soul feeding
I was fourtunate enough to see them in Boston on what may have been there last tour in the early 90’s…What a preformance
)) Juat Awesome…It was a great time for music just like Marie said dream like times…
Ja, Der Sundays were very gut. Were kan I get more Sundays – has anyone got botlegs? Danke schon if you do. Greetings und kisses from Austria.
I am a big Sundays fan – I like Reading, Writing etc a lot. So on Sunday I am a happy mann. On Monday not. On Friday I’m in love with the Sundays and on Sunday i am a happy mann again.
I have to agree with Robert (#60) above. Just the smallest bit of research will tell you that nobody in the band has ever even looked into being a chemist, and the Welsh Monks post is simply laughable. Remember that anyone on this blog can type anything they want. I believe that much of the whereabouts posts are just rubbish. If I had the money, I would fly to the south of Wales and debunk or confirm the story without bothering Harriet in any way. If you think about it, these posts could be friends just sending out propiganda.
I think Glenn has some good points. I guess it’s going to be hard to establish the truth; but I feel if it is true there is a certain obligation Harriet should have to the odd fan expressing their joy The Sundays gives them. However I don’t think harassing her in any way is acceptable.
I was lucky to see The Sundays in Leicester during the Blind tour and it was really great. She sounded exactly like she does on record and the guitar work was brilliant. You can see why they were getting called the new Smiths.
Not sure what people think of Camera Obscure but another great band with beautiful vocals. ‘Lloyd I’m ready to be heartbroken’ is a great tune.
Yes – as Glenn points out Robert has to be right (though I doubt it is propaganda): I can’t believe how gullable people are: An a capella session with a bunch of Welsh monks whilst working in a sandwich shop serving meat pies? I thought it was very funny. Obviously he or she had a good giggle out of this and hasn’t been around lately as all the recent post seem sincere. That said posts 65 and 66 look suspicious. (if they’re sincere then Gunter and Boris I apologise).
the welsh monks and sandwiches thing does seem a bit silly, but stranger things have happened i suppose…i would like to see that “foto.”
i will just keep hoping that maybe someday we will hear something new…if i was harriet i would want to sing all the time…i sing along with my ipod, and could sing for hours while cleaning, etc…then my kids look at me as if i have tentacles coming out of my ears and gently remind me that i sound like a sick toad or something…
happy new year to all of you!
i disagree with some of the last posters, it sounds to me like this was real info, and a few people did piss them off. (and i’ve been around on the interwebs a LONG time… in fact my very first use of the internet, in 1994, was to search for info about the sundays! via which i found the fansite that used to be at huan.com, i think… and arithmetic, the mailing list. ahh those were the days.) i can see why, if any of the other visitors were like hans, who says he didn’t harrass harriet because he didn’t touch her, but yet took a picture of her when she was clearly unhappy about the whole visit… well, i can see why she’d be pissed. (harriet, if you read any of this, please know that some of us fans of yours are very sorry for the invasion of privacy!
anyway. if anyone’s seen any of the vh1 “where are they now?” type shows, ending up running a bakery doesn’t sound at all far-fetched.
i also wanted to chime in on the my-sundays-in-concert experience. i saw them in LA, specifically at uc irvine (gah, what a drive…) in 1992. i won the tickets from KCRW, the great public radio station in LA. i was with my family in the car headed home from dinner one evening, and just as we were approaching home they announced the ticket giveaway. i don’t know how i made it out of the car, into the house, and to a phone in enough time to actually get on the phone with them – AND win. i was SO on cloud nine! my only regret is not listening to _blind_ more before going. i think i didn’t have it – didn’t have the money. oh well. the concert was still heavenly, wonderful, awesome. sigh.
A: Real Info? Come on. This was just a bit of fun on an unprotected website. I did not come from Holland to take a “foto” of her (which yes is Dutch for photo). It was all a bit of fun: me and some mates tried to say the most ridiculous unbelievable things one late night after a nostalgic nineties party and that got out of hand beyond any way any of us could have ever have imagined- people clearly want to believe the ridiculous. I wish we never had started it. That pastry chain is in the Swansea area of Wales and consists of two stores. There is no brotherhood of Welsh Abbeys. Harriet does not make meat pies. Believe me I KNOW. She does have kids and has happily exited the music scene over a decade ago. We’ve been trying to discredit our story ever since to bring normality back into this forum that we kind of abused with a bogus story for which we apologise.
I have read several times & from several different sources in the past decade that they live in Scotland (in a small town on the peninsula of Nairn) on a farm that they purchased in the late 90’s where they have their own recording studio and continue to write and record(as a hobby and for the love of music it would seem). She is an English/Music teacher at a private school.
Forgive me asking, but is the phrase “done up like a bunch of kippers” an English thing? Does it refer to the fish in a can?
Hans Koppers, you and your friends where dickheads. Harriet Wheeler had an unique voice and probably one of the best singers in pop history, touch a lot of people right there where it counts. At least you show some remorse by apologizing, your punishment is; feel a shame for one hole year, and that’s on probation of course.
ted on, please reveal your sources!
ted.. I was a huge fan back in the day and I consumed any article or info. about them. I have no idea where they live but I do remember reading articles about David installing and learning to master a recording studio installed in his “country” home, and about learning to master it with children running about. They recorded some of “Static and Silence” in their home. I know that Harriet had a teaching degree from Bristol and believe David did also before music got a hold of them.
Of course I do not know them, but piecing information together at the time, they were sort of freaked out by their popularity (the crazies attracted to Harriet) and accordingly the loss of privacy. Added to that, their record company wanted to glam Harriet up (they did,a bit)and feature her, making her into what would amount to a solo artist and I think this was the end for David. They also had the usual disagreements with control of the artistic content of their work. As is well known, they put out the word that they wanted to raise their family and take time off.
An American, I lived in the UK from 1988 through 1993: the most wonderful and magical phase of my life so far. And no small part of that was the Sundays. The music on their first two albums completely captured the magic I felt living there. Like the icing on the cake. I absolutely admire Gavurin and Wheeler, having made their point, for retreating from the public scene. I wish them all the best and if they read this: thank you and well done!
Cheers! Theo
Greetings from Japan to you Harriet yes? You work in bakery now? Please send me email to say hello. I like sundays a lot. goodbye my friend.
I tripped upon this website while searching to see if there was anything new posted on The Sundays (and also Heather Nova)… I found this blog and also fell for the threads a bit although knew there was something a bit off…
I’ve been a Sundays fan since the first record. I’m 38 now and have (along with all of you it seems) loved their music deeply and wished they would give fans more. I went to see two shows in Florida (the Edge in Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale) back for the Blind tour but before the show,,, they cancelled the tour. I never saw them live, sad but true
Two years ago, I found (by accident) Paul Brundley’s email address (bass player) and took a shot in the dark, writing him. I asked if it was indeed “the” Paul Brundley and if he could help a desperate Sundays fan by giving me some info. I sent it and forgot about it. About 2 weeks later, low and behold I got an email back from him. It was pretty detailed and extremely genuine. He answered my questions… He even ended the email by saying that I could write him back in the future.
The things I wanted to know was what the band was up to and if they’d be doing any new music. As a bass player myself, I also shared my appreciation for Paul’s playing on A Certain Someone. His reply was that he doesn’t know what is going to happen with the band. He said that they have talked about doing new music several times but ultimately, Harriett and Dave call the shots and are just very content with life outside of the music business. He still talks to them both and the rumors that they “broke” up are untrue. He said that Dave and Harriett have always run the band and the rest kind of follow their lead. He did say that they have two children and that they have pretty much dedicated their lives to them. He said he hopes they do get back together and do another record and that they really appreciate the support that fans have given them in spite of the little music they put out.
A few months ago, I sent him another email. Again, he expressed that he believes “someday” we will see more music from them… He did say he did not know if it would be under “The Sundays” name or if it would be something different. He said he talked to Harriett not long before and that it is something that is on the burner…. Just not the front burner. And the burner may be on a very slow simmer. Time is not an essence to them. They have always been more about quality and loyalty to their creativity than pleasing the masses (don’t we know!)
He did to stay tuned and not to give up hope. In the end though, it is up to Harriett and Dave and until we see new Sundays material,,, it means they just aren’t ready or don’t want to pursue it.
As my wise parents once said,,, sometimes no is just no. And that means we may just never get anything more from the Sundays. As much as we all pine for more and wish/hope for that day to come,,, no may just be no…
Hope this helps those who care! (And it is 100% genuine,,,no hoax!)
Kevin / Michigan, USA
Sorry, also did confirm the piece that they were living in the country and something about a farm. And they did build a studio in their house where some of S/S was recorded. Paul said that “they” stay busy with their kids. I also recall something about teaching as well so that rumor may be true (teaching English/Music). Not sure.
And Harriett is not in her 50s… She was born in 1963.
I’ve sent Paul an email with this website address and encouraged him to blog with some facts that hopefully will quench that unquenchable fire we all have for The Sundays….
Thanks for the update Kevin!
Kevin, I am sorry but I am not convinced, you do not bring any new facts to bare.
Just the same stuff we all ready know. Did you deleted your e-mails?
What do you mean …something about a farm and …something about teaching…
Did Paul Brindley write to you in riddles?
It’s a well know fact that they recorded most of S&S at there home made studio, but in an interview David and Harriet are saying …we recorded virtually all of it in our little studio, but to record the drums we had to go to a big studio. Drums don’t make for real happy neighbors.” Would you have problems with neighbors on a farm? The interview is by phone, David and Harriet are at home and just put Billie to sleep in her bed some where in London. ( http://www.ccytsao.com/arithmetic/articles/09-04-97atn.html )
It’s Paul Brindley and not Brundley.
I agree with JMD, probably a hoax again: I did not read anything I did not already know. Funny that, sending an email to Paul Brundley and getting a response from the real Paul Brindley.
Why don’t we all write an e-mail to Harriet, and ask her and David to make music for us again. There is this account on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/harrietwheeler
Maybe it’s really her? Or yet another hoax?
Assuming it’s really her, if we ask her in a polite and in a friendly manner, maybe it’s just that bit of encouragement that will make them want to publish work again.
Start mailing!
As a longtime Sundays fan, it was very disturbing to read those comments about Harriet regardless of whether the rumors were true or passed along as a prank. Sundays fans revere Harriet. Personally, Harriet is the equivalent of British royalty to me. You don’t joke about Harriet or Dave! Now, about these other rumors.
The Gavurins living in Scotland? That rumor originated from one small comment on a Youtube video and took off. I’m almost certain they still live (together, yay!!!) in or around London based on Harriet sightings with her kids over the years. And that MySpace website is a fan site, so I wouldn’t write any love notes to Harriet thinking she’ll read it.
Oh, Harriet and Dave’s daughter is 14 or 15 now, and I’m sure she surfs the web like most teens do – another reason to not spread nasty rumors which she may run across.
I still search for news about them, but I’m not as ravenous as I used to be out of respect for their privacy. I’m hoping that VH1 will revive that Bands Reunited show and do the dirty work for me.
The only thing that I ran across about Dave was that he was possibly working on a song for David Baddiel last year. At least that’s what David Baddiel wrote on his Twitter page (Google “twitter.com david baddiel gavurin”). Other than that, just unconfirmed rumors that Harriet cut off her signature hairdo.
God I miss Harriet and the band. It really does hurt not having them around anymore. Well, at least not in our lives.
Hello Joe, fellow appreciator of The Sundays.
I would very much like to know why you write that the myspace account is
just fan based. The account does not present it self as such, please give us some facts.
I visited that MySpace site a few years ago, and my fuzzy memory recalls seeing a comment that it was just a fan site. I have no concrete proof that it isn’t Harriet’s work, but there are no personal pics or statements that would lead me to conclude it’s authentic. Although it’s possible Harriet still uses her maiden name ‘Wheeler’, I doubt she’d create a public website under her own name. Just not her style.
I unfortunately do not know Harriet or Dave personally, so it’s just my opinion. This Paul Brindley Facebook page looks authentic: http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Brindley/635017717 See the difference?
BTW, that “song” that I said Dave wrote for Baddiel might be just a tune catered to a comedy movie that David Baddiel is releasing sometime this year called The Infidel (http://infidelmovie.com), so if you do catch the movie, I don’t expect to hear anything Sundays-esque. My heart sank when I read this Twitter comment by Mr. Baddiel: “Harriet not singing it – it’s for a (male) character in the movie, an 80s pop star”
I first heard the Sundays in 2001 at the age of 20. I previously listeded to things popular in the US at the time, but was becoming increasingly unable to find enjoyment from it. I begin looking into the past for music to inspire me and was being turned on by groups like the Smiths, Throwing Music, Echo and the Bunnymen and one night I saw “Here’s where the story ends” playing on my TV. I didn’t realize what a love affair would be sparked, by I was immediately gripped by not only the sound of the music, but also by the unassuming screen presence of Harriet. She looked like a girl I could meet at the grocery store or a bus stop.
I bought Reading Writing and Arithmatic, and was blown away. I remember hearing the closing section of “My Finest Hour” and getting overwhelmed by an emotional reaction I can only compare to being in love for the first time.
I then HAD to get all the other albums. I was shocked that I never heard this music before. I listen to it still and am never bored by that beautiful clarion voice that chokes me up to this day. Listening to a Sunday’s album is like remembering a lost dream of ethereal beauty.
I guess you guys can relate.
stumbled upon this site after hearing the sundays on pandora. i remember seeing the breakthrough video for here’s where the story ends back in the early 1990s. from the first listen, i was hooked. i was lucky enough to be at the 9:30 club show reviewed above. it was a great show at one of my favorite venues. i can listen to reading, writing, and arithmetic and blind and enjoy them as much as i did almost 20 years ago. the albums have withstood the test of time pretty well.
Thanks to Joe post 86 , I found this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoe__mKJYGk&feature=player_embedded
David Baddiel tells a story about David Gavurin.
At last! Some news about Gavurin, David wrote a song for a new film
Baddiel is making. Baddiel and Gavurin are long time friends, and Baddiel talks about The Sundays in the here and now, this gives me new hope!
Joe is probably right about the myspace account.
Thanks again Joe!
HARRIETT, I LOVE YOU!!!!! COME LIVE IN HOLLAND AND I WILL SHOW YOU A REALLY GOOD TIME (hint, hint)!!!!