The Maisonettes

The short-lived English psychedelic pop group The Maisonettes was formed in 1982 in Birmingham by Lol Mason, Mark Tibenham, and Nick Parry. Boasting a combination of '60s soul-pop à la Motown and synth-laden '80s production values, their debut single "Heartache Avenue" (1982) became a Top 10 single on the UK charts in 1983 and reached Number 93 in Australia. It was included in their first and only studio album, Maisonettes for Sale, released on David Virr's Ready Steady Go! label. Later that year, the group followed up with the single "Where I Stand," which reached Number 28 on the UK Independent Singles Chart. After their next batch of promotional singles failed to replicate the chart success of "Heartache Avenue," The Maisonettes ended up calling it quits in 1984. Two decades later, the British indie label Cherry Red issued the compilation Heartache Avenue: The Very Best of the Maisonettes (2004), a 19-track album featuring their breakthrough hit as well as some previously unreleased material. On July 31, 2019, Lol Mason died of a heart attack at the age of 69.