Forty years ago, Kevin Patterson and Eddie Jordan were tucked away in a Perth bedroom trying to fathom out how the most basic of kit was going to record their new song.
Decades down the line, the upshot of those experiments with fickle 1980s technology is still getting regular airings on radio stations around the world.
(Feels Like) Heaven went on to become a top 10 1984 hit for the hastily-formed Fiction Factory, with equally elevated chart placings across the continent.
They shared a Top of the Pops studio with a youthful Madonna and bands including Whitesnake and Musical Youth.
DJs Peter Powell and John Peel introduced the band from Perth.
The pop classic is certain to prove a show-stopper at the Kilmac-sponsored Craigie Hillfest today (September 10) as the original five-piece get back together for their first hometown gig since the glory days.
Kevin and Eddie are being joined by bass player Graeme McGregor, guitarist Chic Medley and US-based, one-time Simple Minds drummer Mike Ogletree for the Fair City gig, hard on the heels of a festival in Belgium which had been put on hold by the pandemic.
“With Mike coming over from his home in North Carolina it made sense to take up the invitation to play the Hillfest,” explained Eddie.
“Why would we turn down the chance to play Perth, where it all began? I remember we played at the old Plough Inn when record label CBS wanted to see a band.”
Kevin noted: “Eddie and I had done enough playing live in the Rude Boys and we thought maybe we could just write songs for other people, having no idea how that would actually work.
“Feels Like (Heaven) was actually our first song. We had a wee Boss DR50 drum machine and two ghetto blasters. It was all very primitive.
“There was a big knob and a couple of wee knobs and a switch which gave you different sounds.
“There was more and more hiss on the cassette tapes with each recording. It was like we were on a pebble beach.”
Eddie chipped in: “I remember Kevin’s head was stuck in a cardboard box, singing along. It stopped picking up the sound of my mum washing-up in the kitchen!”
Kevin admits it’s hard to credit the song, with that instantly identifiable intro, has endured over the decades. “I am puzzled by the Duracell nature of it. I have thought about it over the years. There is obviously something that hooks people in,” he said.
While some of the band performed a 12-minute set at the 2011 Rewind at Scone Palace and in London, they last got together for a BBC One Show appearance.
“They were featuring classic songs and we were invited to take part,” said Chic, who recalls creating the original demo along with Kevin in a flea-ridden London studio.
“They were very keen on the performance aspect so we managed to persuade Mike to come over from the States and do some drumming. That was the last time we all played together.
“We have been taking this reunion seriously and we’ve got a set list together. We have been rearranging songs with the benefit of much hindsight.
“We have had to listen and figure out what we played! One or two of the more complicated ones have proved challenging.
“There will be a few songs we haven’t played live before, and one or two dating back to the 80s which haven’t even been heard before.”
While Fiction Factory top the bill, the fifth Hillfest features 18 bands at the Fair City golf club.
The gates open at 1pm and last-minute tickets are available online, priced £35, from ticketweb.co.uk and at the door.
