Marginal Era formed in mid-1982 around the songwriting talents of Paul Agar, who had released his first single 'Your Eyes' as Paul Agar & The Set, recorded in February 1982 at Mandrill Studios with Glynn Tucker and Trevor Reekie at the desk. Warwick Paul Agar had been in the band Vivid Militia, who appeared on Propeller's Class of 81 collection, for eight months in 1981 and before the band split, they had demoed 'Your Eyes'. The new 1982 recording was released on Mandrill Studio’s Reaction Records label. When Glynn Tucker played the single to Kim Fowley in Los Angeles, the LA legend was enthusiastic and arranged publishing and representation for Agar. Fowley had been in New Zealand the year prior, recording Street Talk and the Crocodiles. ‘Your Eyes’ was also released in Australia on Glenn Baker's Rivet label. In July 1982 Agar put together his band Marginal Era with Dave Larsen (drums), Martin Robson (bass) and Phil MacDonald (keyboards). The band rehearsed for several months and played low-key gigs in November and December 1982. The set was largely originals with a few covers of their favourite songs by Pete Shelley and The Teardrop Explodes. In March 1983 bassist Robson left Marginal Era, leaving the nucleus of three to record the band's debut 12-inch single 'This Heaven' for the Reaction label. The single was released August 1983 with the B-side 'Best Thing', a song that was originally intended to be the A-side. 'This Heaven' started life as an instrumental B-side,