Biography
This Is Heaven was the solo project of Auckland musician and scene figure Paul Luker, active in the early 1980s alongside his parallel work as founder of the Industrial Tapes cassette label and co-editor of punk fanzine Empty Heads. Luker had moved to Auckland’s Parnell suburb in 1979, immersing himself in the post-punk scene as a fan, poet, sound engineer, and occasional musician. His background as a photolithographic apprentice made him a key figure in the DIY production ecosystem of the era.
Industrial Tapes, launched by Luker in December 1983, became one of Auckland’s most prolific independent outlets, releasing over 30 cassettes by March 1984 with high-quality coloured glossy packaging. It distributed work by Skeptics, Sneaky Feelings, and numerous other acts across the country. Luker built on this infrastructure for his own This Is Heaven recordings, releasing Watch It There (1983) and Above (1984) on the label before the project’s sole Flying Nun release.
The 200 Variations EP (1985), a joint Flying Nun and Industrial Tapes release, featured four instrumental tracks and was pressed in an edition of just 200 copies, each accompanied by a book and maps insert. Luker was also a member of Phantom Forth alongside Lorraine Steele, whose “silvery voice” anchored that group’s blend of drum-machine minimalism and influences drawn from Young Marble Giants and Cabaret Voltaire.
Members
- Paul Luker (Instruments, Phantom Forth, This Is Heaven)
- Lorraine Steele (Vocals, Phantom Forth, This Is Heaven)
Discography
- Watch It There (Industrial Tapes, 1983)
- Above (Industrial Tapes, 1984)
- Albert Northee (Industrial Tapes, 1985)
- 200 Variations EP (Flying Nun Records / Industrial Tapes, 1985) — 200 copies only