Mainstream was critically acclaimed and became the New Musical Express' album of the month, and Island Records' fourth or fifth biggest seller at the time, close to sales figures of Bad Company and Cat Stevens.

Quiet Sun dissolved shortly afterwards, but Bullen and Hayward, who had bonded over their similar tastes and attitude to music making, decided to continue working together.

After playing in a variety of improvisational groups such as Dolphin Logic and Friendly Rifles, they were joined by visual artist Gareth Williams, who despite his lack of formal musical training had an intuitive ear for sound.

This Heat's first radio airplay came in early 1977 from legendary DJ John Peel, to whom they sent a demo tape recorded in the top room at Hayward's parents' house in Camberwell, prior to moving into Cold Storage - formerly the cold store room of a meat pie factory - which they converted into a studio as part of the Acme artists studios complex in Brixton.

During this time, they also recorded a session with Ghanaian percussionist Mario Boyer Diekuuroh, parts of which later appeared on a 1982 split cassette with Albert Marcoeur, released by the French experimental rock magazine Tago Mago.

Whilst maintaining their experimental approach, Deceit found the band incorporating more coherent song structures, and consolidating the dub and world music influences in their work.

This Heat split up in 1982 after completing their final European tour with bassist-vocalist Trefor Goronwy and keyboardist Ian Hill joining Bullen and Hayward.

[6] Bands and artists that have called This Heat either an influence or a favourite include Steve Albini,[7] Alexis Taylor,[8] Dan Snaith,[8] Avey Tare,[9] Amen Dunes,[9] Women,[10] Preoccupations,[11] Nurse With Wound,[12] Palm,[13] Squid,[14] Mark Stewart,[15] The Dead C,[16] Daniel O'Sullivan,[17] Dean Blunt,[18] Disco Inferno,[19] Elias Rønnenfelt,[20] Marc Hollander,[21] Family Fodder,[22] Matt Johnson,[23] 23 Skidoo,[24] David Grubbs,[25] Volcano the Bear,[26] Dazzling Killmen,[27] Nisennenmondai,[28] Korekyojinn,[29] Steven Wilson,[30] The Sound of Animals Fighting,[31] Yoshida Tatsuya,[32] 75 Dollar Bill,[33] Horse Lords,[34] Mika Taanila,[35] FRIGS,[36] Warm Ghost,[37] Justin Pearson,[38] Bo Ningen,[39] Pinkish Black,[40] Young Knives,[41] AIDS Wolf,[42] Controlled Bleeding,[43] These New Puritans,[44] Eyeless in Gaza,[45] Six Finger Satellite,[46] Trans Am,[47] Dave Kerman,[48] Guapo,[49] Chrome Hoof,[50] Ut,[51] Heiner Goebbels,[52] and many others.