Heatwave

Okay I've got 5 minutes and counting.

I was walking to the bus stop this morning at 0' dark thirty and a song popped into my head. Hey what a coincidence right?  No it wasn't an 80s song but it had a big impact on me at the time. It was 1978, I was at Fort Jackson South Carolina doing my AIT (Advanced Individual Training, for all you non military savvy folks) and someone had lent me their copy of the cassette Central Heating by the band Heatwave.

Now yes, I remember them from 1976 for Always and Forever and Boogie Nights, but this album wasn't that. This was Happiness Togetherness and Groove Line and Mind Blowing Decisions.  All I had was a cassette player at the time but that was plenty, I think I eventually warped it I played it so much.

Seeing as how I was reminded of how much they meant to me at the time, I decided to do a bit of research to find out what exactly happened to them.  So, I went on Wikipedia and perused the information that was given.
I found it very interesting that the original founding member was a serviceman stationed in West Germany and when he was discharged from the Army, he stayed there. And he had a brother, whom he commissioned to come and give him a hand on vocals as they toured the London nightclub scene as Chicago's Heatwave Heatwave

So here I am in my barracks room,  as a service member, listening to a band whose lead singer was a former service member.  Coincidence? Irony?  Not really sure.  But they are definitely and permanently etched in annuls of music history and in my mind.

PS...I never made the 5 minute deadline :)