The Sisters of Mercy are a rock band that emerged out of the English post-punk scene in 1980-1981. After achieving early underground and goth fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output as a strike against their record company. Currently, the band is kept alive as a touring outfit only. The band's symbol was inspired by a common illustration in Anatomy textbooks, namely that illustrating the anterior and posterior triangles of the neck. Specifically, it was noticed by Andrew Eldritch in the early medical student's bible Gray's Anatomy. The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy (RSM) is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland in 1831. ... Image File history File links The logo of the rock band The Sisters of Mercy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see Leeds (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Post punk generally refers to the particularly fertile and creative period following the initial punk rock explosion. During the first wave of punk, roughly spanning 1976-1983, bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones and The Damned began to challenge the current styles and conventions of rock... Gothic rock (sometimes called goth rock or simply goth) is a genre of rock music that originated during the late 1970s. ... “Hard Rock” redirects here. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Merciful Release is a record label started by Andrew Eldritch, frontman with Leeds outfit The Sisters of Mercy. ... The Sisterhood was a short-lived English goth band, consisting of Andrew Eldritch (writer and producer), drum machine Doktor Avalanche and the Chorus of Vengeance of Lucas Fox (drums), Patricia Morrison (bass and vocals), James Ray (guitar and vocals) and Alan Vega (synthesizer and vocals). ... AntiProduct (IPA: or ) are a UK-based glam punk band, fronted by Alex Kane, formerly of Clam Abuse, Enuff Znuff and Life, Sex & Death. ... A closeup of Eldritch at a concert in Portland, OR, in March of 2006. ... Chris May is the guitarist from the rock band The Sisters of Mercy. ... Ben Christo Ben Christo (AKA Ben Christodoulou, formerly Ben Chivers) is the current lead guitarist for The Sisters of Mercy. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... Post punk generally refers to the particularly fertile and creative period following the initial punk rock explosion. During the first wave of punk, roughly spanning 1976-1983, bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones and The Damned began to challenge the current styles and conventions of rock... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the late 20th / early 21st century subculture. ...

The group has released three original studio albums, of which the last was released in 1990. Each album was recorded by a different line-up; singer and songwriter Andrew Eldritch and the drum machines called Doktor Avalanche are the only points of continuity among the line-ups. Eldritch and Avalanche were also involved in The Sisterhood, a side-project connected with Eldritch's dispute with former members. An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... A closeup of Eldritch at a concert in Portland, OR, in March of 2006. ... For the religious organisation of this name, see Sisters of Mercy. ... The Sisterhood was a short-lived English goth band, consisting of Andrew Eldritch (writer and producer), drum machine Doktor Avalanche and the Chorus of Vengeance of Lucas Fox (drums), Patricia Morrison (bass and vocals), James Ray (guitar and vocals) and Alan Vega (synthesizer and vocals). ...

The group ceased recording activity in 1994, when they went on strike against their record company Time Warner, which they accused of withholding royalties and being incompetent. Although Time Warner eventually let the band go in 1997, they have not signed to another label, and have chosen not to go the independent label route, despite showcasing numerous new songs in their live sets. Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Time Warner Inc. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... An independent record label is variously described as a record label operating without the funding (or outside the organizations) of the major record labels, and/or a label that subscribes to indie philosophies such as DIY and anti-corporate art. ...

Since 1985, when the other original members left, The Sisters of Mercy has become the artistic vehicle of Andrew Eldritch. Ex-members of the group established the bands Ghost Dance and The Mission. Ghost Dance was a guitar pop/goth/rock band formed in 1985 by Gary Marx (ex-The Sisters Of Mercy guitarist) and Anne-Marie Hurst (ex-Skeletal Family vocalist) as both were leaving their respective bands. ... The Mission (known as The Mission UK in the United States due to a naming clash with a Philadelphia R&B band) is a gothic rock band formed in 1986 from the splinters of the freshly-dissolved rock band The Sisters of Mercy. ...

Influence

The band cited Leonard Cohen, Motörhead, The Stooges and Suicide as among their influences; Cohen himself wrote and performed a song entitled "Sisters of Mercy" on his debut album, Songs of Leonard Cohen. The latter two bands are respectively considered to be protopunk and punk artists, and as such the band shares influences with other bands in the first wave of what is termed "goth" music. Leonard Norman Cohen, CC (born September 21, 1934 in Westmount, Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. ... This article is about the band. ... The Stooges are an American rock band that was first active from around 1967 to 1974, and then reformed in 2003. ... Suicide is an American rock music group intermittently active since 1971 and composed of Alan Vega (vocals) and Martin Rev (synthesizers and drum machines). ... The album Songs of Leonard Cohen was the Canadian poet Leonard Cohens debut into the world of popular music. ... Protopunk is a term used to describe a number of performers who were important precursors of punk rock, or who have been cited by early punk rockers as influential. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Gothic rock (sometimes called goth rock or simply goth) is a genre of rock music that originated during the late 1970s. ...

Whilst the band enjoys a considerable fan base with overlapping interests in so-called dark culture, The Sisters of Mercy consider themselves first and foremost a rock band. They have actively discouraged their association with "goth" via regular public statements in the press, not to mention stipulations in their standard contract riders. Nevertheless, this has not stopped them from regularly appearing at festivals where this music is featured, such as M'era Luna. In addition, The Sisters of Mercy were highly influential to the second wave of Gothic rock bands. For further discussion on this point, see the article on Andrew Eldritch. The term dark culture (German Schwarze Szene, Portuguese cultura dark, Spanish cultura oscura), also called dark scene, is an umbrella term, used to describe a summary of parts of several subcultures. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... Perttu Kivilaakso, band member of Apocalyptica, Mera Luna 2003 Simone Simons Epica, 2004 The Mera Luna Festival is one of the most important events of the gothic or wave scene in Europe. ... Gothic rock (sometimes called goth rock or simply goth) is a genre of rock music that originated during the late 1970s. ... A closeup of Eldritch at a concert in Portland, OR, in March of 2006. ...

History

Foundation (1980)

The band was formed in Leeds, England in 1980 by F-club regulars Gary Marx and Andrew Eldritch to satisfy their desire to hear themselves on the radio; during that time band t-shirts were made and a single, "Damage Done/Watch/Home of the Hit-men", was recorded and released. For other uses, see Leeds (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Gary Marx is a lead-guitarist (b. ...

The name was influenced by Robert Altman's film McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), which featured the Leonard Cohen song of the same name ("because The Captains of Industry wouldn't have been as funny"). For other persons named Robert Altman, see Robert Altman (disambiguation). ... This article is about motion pictures. ... McCabe & Mrs. ...

On the single (claimed by the band to have been played twice by John Peel) Gary Marx played guitar through a practice amplifier and Andrew Eldritch was on drums. The partners each wrote and sang on a song. “Peel Sessions” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... For the British rock band of the same name, see Amplifier (band). ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ...

Early years (1981-1983)

The band regrouped with Craig Adams on bass, while Eldritch's drumming was replaced by a drum machine, leaving him to concentrate on vocals. The drum machine was christened Doktor Avalanche, but it's full name was actually Doktor Avalanche and the Chorus of vengeance, and all of its numerous successors kept this name. Andrew Eldritch took over lyrics-writing, Doktor-programming, and record-producing duties, while sharing the music-writing with Marx and (occasionally) Adams. Brithsh musician, bass guitarist and songwriter of: The Sisters of Mercy (1981-1985) Mission UK (1985-1992, 1999-2002) The Cult (1993-1995) Colorsound (1998-) Alarm (2003-) Categories: Stub | The Sisters of Mercy ... A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers by plucking, slapping, popping or using a pick. ... A Boss DR-202 Drum Machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums and/or other percussion instruments. ... For the religious organisation of this name, see Sisters of Mercy. ... Lyrics are the words in songs. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ...

This became what is generally recognised as the first real Sisters line-up. It began with a vintage piece of murky mythology: according to legend, the Doktor/Eldritch/Marx/Adams incarnation of the band played a gig in Leeds, England in early 1981. However, no-one is quite sure where this took place. For historic purposes, the band and fans have often celebrated the anniversary of the February 16, 1981 concert, in Vanbrugh College, York, England - the band's second ever gig in the form. In 2001, it was the scene of the band's 20th anniversary concert, complete with iced cupcakes for the audience. For other uses, see Leeds (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Vanbrugh College is a college of the University of York, a UK university. ... York shown within England Coordinates: , Sovereign state Constituent country Region Yorkshire and the Humber Ceremonial county North Yorkshire Admin HQ York City Centre Founded 71 City Status 71 Government  - Type Unitary Authority, City  - Governing body City of York Council  - Leadership: Leader & Executive  - Executive: Liberal Democrat  - MPs: Hugh Bayley (L) John...

Later in 1981, Ben Gunn established himself as the second guitarist after several others came and went. Eldritch's melancholic baritone, Craig Adams's pulsating bass, Doktor Avalanche's beat and Gary Marx's flowing guitar led the band to early underground success. Ben Gunn is a British guitarist who was with The Sisters of Mercy from 1981 to 1983, appearing on several of their early singles. ... Baritone (French: ; German: ; Italian: ) is most commonly the type of male voice that lies between bass and tenor. ...

The band's singles were regularly featured in UK independent charts; some became single of the week in various UK indie magazines. John Ashton of Psychedelic Furs produced the early classic "Alice". "The Reptile House EP" is another example of early Sisters work and marks the maturing songwriter Eldritch (who wrote, produced and [reportedly] played all instruments on it). It is rumoured that Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs, a friend of Eldritch, encouraged him to release the very first Sisters single, "The Damage Done". ^{[citation needed]} He also supposedly provided the financing for Eldritch to press the singles. Music charts are a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ... Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ... John Ashton (born on 30 November 1957, in London, England), is the guitarist of The Psychedelic Furs. ... The Psychedelic Furs are an influential British post-punk band founded in the late 1970s. ...

The live performances featured many cover versions: among those, a medley consisting of Sister Ray (by Velvet Underground), Ghostrider (by Suicide) and Louie Louie (by Richard Berry) became a live staple. Only three of them, The Stooges's "1969", The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" and Hot Chocolate's "Emma" were eventually recorded and released on Sisters records (all as b-sides). In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition (performance or recording) of a previously recorded song. ... The Velvet Underground and Nico (from left to right: John Cale, Nico, Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen Tucker) The Velvet Underground (Affectionately known as The Velvets, or V.U. for short) was an American rock and roll band of the late 1960s. ... Richard Berry (April 11, 1935–January 23, 1997) was an American singer and songwriter. ... The Stooges are an American rock band that was first active from around 1967 to 1974, and then reformed in 2003. ... Rolling Stones redirects here. ... <nowiki>Insert non-formatted text here <gallery> Insert non-formatted text here </gallery></nowiki>:For the beverage, see Hot chocolate. ... Emma a. ...

In late 1983, following the highly successful "Temple of Love" single, the band signed a contract with major record label WEA. Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

At the same time Ben Gunn left in an atmosphere of unanimous bitterness. Gunn stated that he did not agree with the direction Andrew Eldritch was taking the band - which, according to Gunn, started out as a joke on serious rock'n'roll outfits, but eventually became one. Gunn also mentioned personality conflicts with Andrew Eldritch as a reason for his departure.

First and Last and Always era (1984-1985)

Ben Gunn was replaced by Wayne Hussey, who concentrated on 12 string electric and acoustic guitars while also contributing as a songwriter. His studio-experience with Dead or Alive also proved to be invaluable as the band set out to record their first full-length album. Hussey in 2004. ...

The Black October UK tour (October-November 1984) confirmed the underground cult status of the band. This article is about the year. ...

However, the growing alienation between Eldritch and the rest of the group was getting out of hand during the recording of the debut First and Last and Always album. Eldritch's deteriorating health and psychological problems worsened the situation. The causes of these issues were frequently written about in the gossip columns of the music press of the time, NME, Melody Maker and Sounds. First and Last and Always, the debut album by UK band The Sisters of Mercy was released on March 11, 1985, on bands own label Merciful Release (under distribution contract with WEA). ... For other uses, see NME (disambiguation). ... Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was (until its closure) the worlds oldest weekly music newspaper. ... Sounds was a British music magazine, published weekly from October 10, 1970 – April 6, 1991. ...

Most songs on the album were written and rehearsed by Marx, Hussey, and Adams, with Eldritch stepping in at the latest stage to write lyrics and add vocals.

Following the release of First and Last and Always, produced by Dave Allen (March 11, 1985 - 1985 in music), Gary Marx split from the band in the middle of a supporting tour, citing inability to continue working with Andrew Eldritch. The group completed the tour as a three-piece act, and said farewell to the fans with the final gig in London's Royal Albert Hall on June 18, 1985. Video recordings of this show were later released as "Wake". Dave Allen is the bassist for the post-punk band Gang Of Four. ... is the 70th day of the year (71st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... See also: other events of 1985 Musical groups established in 1985 Record labels established in 1985 list of years in music 1980s in music // January 28 - Various artists, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... “Albert Hall” redirects here. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

A music video of the song Black Planet was also released in which the Monkeemobile was featured. Promotional videos were also made for the singles Body And Soul, Walk Away, and No Time To Cry, but as of yet none of these videos, including Black Planet, have been officially released by the band. The Monkeemobile is a modified Pontiac GTO that was built for the Monkees TV show. ...

The split (1985-1986)

Shortly after the last gig Eldritch relocated to Hamburg, while Hussey and Adams announced their decision to split off to form their own group, citing artistic and personal differences with Eldritch. This article is about the city in Germany. ...

During the highly publicised soap opera dubbed the Corporate Wars that followed, the new band started playing concerts under name of The Sisterhood, playing Hussey's songs originally written for the Sisters but vetoed by Eldritch. These include the songs Dance on Glass and Garden of Delight, which had originally been recorded (but not released) by the Sisters with Eldritch on vocals, but which Hussey went on to record with his band.

Meanwhile, Eldritch protested their usage of Sisterhood name as too similar to The Sisters of Mercy and a name that had been applied to the fan community of The Sisters of Mercy, and in an attempt to stop the practice released the single Giving Ground by his own band, The Sisterhood. The single was later followed by the album Gift. The other band eventually christened themselves The Mission amidst suspicions that the whole affair had been a PR stunt to jumpstart The Mission's career. The Sisterhood was a short-lived English goth band, consisting of Andrew Eldritch (writer and producer), drum machine Doktor Avalanche and the Chorus of Vengeance of Lucas Fox (drums), Patricia Morrison (bass and vocals), James Ray (guitar and vocals) and Alan Vega (synthesizer and vocals). ... The Mission (known as The Mission UK in the United States due to a naming clash with a Philadelphia R&B band) is a gothic rock band formed in 1986 from the splinters of the freshly-dissolved rock band The Sisters of Mercy. ... // Publicity according to etymonline. ...

According to some sources, with these releases Andrew Eldritch allegedly won over Hussey and Adams a race for £25,000 (a sum opening the song Jihad on the Gift album) advance offered by the publishers to the first member of The Sisters of Mercy to release any output. This would tie Eldritch to WEA and release Hussey and Adams from their contract with the same record company. According to Tony Perrin (Mission manager) the case never went to court and Hussey's new band was able to release their material through an independent outlet. For other uses, see Jihad (disambiguation). ...

However, Eldritch stated elsewhere that the "2" "5" "0" "0" "0" which opens "Jihad" on the Sisterhood LP represents the sum of money he won from the Mission in the civil courts. He states in an interview, recorded in Boston, that the English courts did not recognize either his or the other members' of the band's legal right to the name "The Sisterhood." He said the courts required a release for anybody to claim ownership of the band name, which was the motivation for the initial Sisterhood single. After that single had been released, Eldritch officially owned the name, and could sue, which he did. He won 25,000 pounds in his lawsuit, and opened the Sisterhood album with that number in order to show his gratitude to Wayne Hussey and The Mission for their generous financial contribution, and to indicate that the matter was closed with no hard feelings.

Floodland era (1987-1989)

Left to his own devices, Eldritch recorded the Floodland album (November 13, 1987 – 1987 in music), marking a shift away from guitar-based rock towards an atmospheric, Wagnerian, keyboard-oriented explorations pioneered in "Gift". The album was produced by Eldritch and Larry Alexander, with contributions from Jim Steinman on two songs. Floodland is the album released by The Sisters of Mercy in 1987, complete with heavy production, layers of synthesizer, choral singing, and the drum machine Doktor Avalanche. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... See also: Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... Jim Steinman (born November 1, 1947 in New York City, New York) is notable for being a record producer, composer, and lyricist. ...

American singer and bass guitarist Patricia Morrison was recruited from The Gun Club, a band which had toured with the Sisters during their previous incarnation. Morrison had also worked with Eldritch in The Sisterhood. Morrison's role with the Sisters of Mercy remains unclear: Eldritch and Morrison reportedly stated in an interview that Morrison's role was less of a musician than as a sounding board to help him define the direction of his music, and Eldritch reportedly later stated that Morrison had been brought on to maintain the illusion of a group during promotional appearances, a claim which Morrison reportedly contested. ^{[citation needed]}. Morrison undoubtedly sang on the album, and appeared with Eldrich in the music videos for the album's singles, but whether she played bass is less certain (most of the songs at least sound like they have synthesizer bass rather than bass guitar). She left the group in the early '90s, amid rumors that Eldritch had not paid her money she was owed. The band did not play live during this period. Patricia Morrison (born January 14, 1962 in Los Angeles) is an American bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. ... For information on gun clubs, see shooting ranges. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ...

Vision Thing era (1990-1993)

The next incarnation of The Sisters of Mercy featured an unknown German guitarist, Andreas Bruhn, whom Eldritch apparently discovered playing in a Hamburg pub; controversial bassist Tony James (ex-Sigue Sigue Sputnik guitarist and Generation X bassist/songwriter); and last-minute recruit Tim Bricheno, formerly of All About Eve, on guitars. This article is about the city in Germany. ... Tony James on stage with Carbon/Silicon Tony James (born on 12 April 1958) is a British musician, best known as a bassist of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. ... Sigue Sigue Sputnik is a British pop-cyberpunk band led by former Generation X bassist Tony James. ... Generation X is a term used to describe generations in many countries around the world. ... Tim Bricheno (born Timothy Bricheno, on 6 July 1963, in Huddersfield, Yorkshire) has been the guitarist for several notable English indie bands, including All About Eve, The Sisters of Mercy, X-CNN and Tin Star. ... All About Eve on Top Of The Pops in 1988. ...

The new line-up kicked off with Vision Thing album, released October 22, 1990 (1990 in music), produced by Eldritch (one song was a co-production with Jim Steinman). The album also featured guitarist John Perry with backing vocals by Maggie Reilly. Designed as an assault on USA policies, marked another change of direction, this time towards guitar-oriented rock. Vision Thing, the third and last album by UK band The Sisters of Mercy was released in 1990 (1990 in music), on bands own label Merciful Release (under distribution contract with EastWest). ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... See also: 1990 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1990 Record labels established in 1990 list of years in music // January 21 - MTVs Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest, Squeeze February 6 - Billy Idol is involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in several broken bones. ... John Perry (born June 4, 1952) is guitarist with English band The Only Ones. ... Maggie Reilly (born in Glasgow on 15 September 1956) is a Scottish vocalist best known for her collaborations with the composer Mike Oldfield between 1980 and 1984, especially by performing the vocals on Family Man (1982), Five Miles Out (1982), Moonlight Shadow (1983), Foreign Affair (1983) and To France (1984). ...

The band launched 1990-1991 world tour to promote the album. In 1991 they organized a controversial North American tour in double-act with Public Enemy. Fearing a clash between white fans of Sisters with the black following of Public Enemy, several towns banned the performances, and the tour was cancelled halfway through. In late 1991, Tony James left the group for his solo career; bass duties were transferred to Doktor Avalanche. Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Public Enemy, also known as PE, is a hip hop group from Long Island, New York, known for their politically charged lyrics, criticism of the media, and active interest in the concerns of the African American community. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Tony James on stage with Carbon/Silicon Tony James (born on 12 April 1958) is a British musician, best known as a bassist of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. ...

The USA tour fiasco did not help the already strained relationship between Eldritch and the Sisters' new record company EastWest, a WEA subsidiary (the band was assigned to it 1989 following an internal shuffle in WEA). old logo current logo Eastwest Records was started in 1955 as a subsidiary label of Atlantic Records. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Conflicts with WEA led to termination of band's USA record distribution deal circa 1991-1992, so the last records of the group are only available in USA as imports. Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

Under the insistence of the record company the band rerecorded their early single Temple of Love (with Ofra Haza on additional vocals) to promote the collection of their early independently released singles, entitled Some Girls Wander By Mistake (1992). At the end of the year, Tim Bricheno left the band and was replaced in 1993 by Adam Pearson. Ofra Haza (‎, IPA: ) (November 19, 1957 – February 23, 2000) was a popular Israeli singer, actress and international recording artist. ... Some Girls Wander By Mistake is a collection of early independent singles by the UK band The Sisters of Mercy. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Tim Bricheno (born Timothy Bricheno, on 6 July 1963, in Huddersfield, Yorkshire) has been the guitarist for several notable English indie bands, including All About Eve, The Sisters of Mercy, X-CNN and Tin Star. ...

Adam Pearson was the only guitarist on the "Under the Gun" single, which also featured Terri Nunn on backing vocals. The single was recorded to promote the "Greatest Hits" compilation, A Slight Case of Overbombing (1993). These releases turned out to be the last commercial recordings from the band to this date (early 2007). Terri Nunn (born June 26, 1961 in Los Angeles, California) is an American actress and singer. ... A Slight Case Of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Vol. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Andreas Bruhn was reportedly out of the band in spirit by this time, but continued to tour with it in 1993. Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Following the last concerts in December 1993, The Sisters of Mercy went into what Andrew Eldritch called a "strike against EastWest". A closeup of Eldritch at a concert in Portland, OR, in March of 2006. ... old logo current logo Eastwest Records was started in 1955 as a subsidiary label of Atlantic Records. ...

Late years (1996-)

The Sisters of Mercy performing in February, 2006.

The band was revived in 1996 for several gigs supporting the Sex Pistols. Andreas Bruhn's place was taken alternatively by Chris Sheehan and Mike Varjak. Image File history File linksMetadata Sisters_of_Mercy_performing_2-21-06_2135. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Sisters_of_Mercy_performing_2-21-06_2135. ... The Sex Pistols were an iconic and highly influential English punk rock band, formed in London in 1975. ... Chris Sheehan aka Chris Starling is a native of New Zealand and has been a member of The Exponents: after seven years he left and went to London. ...

The contract with EastWest was terminated in 1997 after the company agreed to accept material recorded under the SSV name instead of two albums for which the Sisters of Mercy had contractual obligations. The company agreed to accept the material (techno-like droning featuring mumbling vocals by Andrew Eldritch, without drums) without listening to it first. The recordings were never officially released and circulated only through pirate MP3s. SSV is the shortened name of the band SSV-NSMABAAOTWMODAACOTIATW, formed by Sisters of Mercy singer Andrew Eldritch in 1997, as a way to get out of the Sisters contract with WEA. Eldritch provided a duo of relatively obscure techno music producers some spoken vocals, and they quickly put together... For other uses, see MP3 (disambiguation). ...

The band failed to secure a new contract and refused to release new material independently. According to rumours, ^{[attribution needed]} Eldritch's starting negotiating position is $3 million USD for 3 albums.

The band was revived for short tours every year since 1996, except 2004. The live performances do not resemble a nostalgia act, to the disappointment of some audiences - the band plays an increasing catalogue of new unreleased songs, obscure B-sides, and reworked old classics. In 2005 Adam Pearson played his last trek of concerts with the Sisters together with new guitarist Chris "Robochrist" May. Pearson has since moved on to play for the MC5, replaced by Ben Christodoulou, formerly of UK punk/metal band AKO. In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... Chris May is the guitarist from the rock band The Sisters of Mercy. ... MC5 (short for Motor City Five) was a hard rock band formed in Detroit, Michigan, USA in 1964 and active until 1972. ... Ben Christo Ben Christo (AKA Ben Christodoulou, formerly Ben Chivers) is the current lead guitarist for The Sisters of Mercy. ...

The 4th studio album is reportedly being recorded in no hurry, and, according to Eldritch, can be completed in a few months if such need arises. On the official Sisters of Mercy website it says;

Their 2006 tour began February 16 and included dates in the USA, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Poland, Serbia, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Hungary, England, Scotland, and Turkey.

In October 2006, Side-Line Music Magazine announced that the band was in talks with the Universal sublabel W14 Music.^[1] Signed or not signed, three Sisters Of Mercy reissues were released on November 3, 2006 in Europe (and October 30th in the USA) via Wea International: "First And Last And Always" (1985), "Floodland" (1987) and "Vision Thing" (1990). All 3 albums contained bonus tracks.^[2]

1. ^ New label for Sisters Of Mercy ? - Side-Line Music Magazine
2. ^ Re-issued Sisters Of Mercy albums to hit streets next week - Side-Line Music Magazine

Notes of Interest

A highlight on most of the Sister's 7" and 12" vinyl releases was their use of run-out groove inscriptions (the blank area surrounding a record's center just before the grooves begin). Some of these include "gonzoid amphetamine filth is dead", "long live gonzoid amphetamine filth", "this one's for spiggy" ,"bilbo tape one", "rise and reverberate", "for spiggy-flash that ash", "spiggy rides again" etc. Spiggy was the name of Eldritch's cat during the time he lived above the club where the Sisters first played.

Cover Versions

• The Brazilian metal band Shaaman did a cover of the song "More."
• The punk rock band Alkaline Trio did a cover of the single "Lucretia My Reflection".
• The thrash metal band Kreator did a cover of the single "Lucretia My Reflection".
• The black metal band Cradle of Filth did a cover of the single "No Time To Cry".
• The goth metal band Paradise Lost did a cover of the single "Walk Away".
• The Swedish band Maryslim did a cover of the song "This Corrosion" together with Jyrki69, leadsinger of the Finnish band The 69 Eyes.
• The German traditional band, In Extremo did a cover of "This Corrosion".
• The alternative-country music group Lambchop also did a cover of "This Corrosion".
• The German Goth band Crematory have done a cover of "Temple of Love".
• The electronic band Novakill has done a cover of "Alice"
• The Belgian Goth Rock band Ahráyeph recorded a cover version of the unreleased song "Summer"; a fixture in the current TSOM set list for many years.

Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany. ... Paradise Lost are a heavy metal band formed in 1987 in Halifax, England. ... In Extremo (Latin:at the end or in the extreme) is a German folk metal band originating from Berlin. ...

Members

Current members.

• Andrew Eldritch, vocals, keyboards, guitars, (1980-Present)
• Doktor Avalanche (1980-Present)
• Chris May, guitars, backing vocals (2005-Present)
• Ben Christo, guitars, backing vocals (2006-Present)

Past members A closeup of Eldritch at a concert in Portland, OR, in March of 2006. ... For the religious organisation of this name, see Sisters of Mercy. ... Chris May is the guitarist from the rock band The Sisters of Mercy. ... Ben Christo Ben Christo (AKA Ben Christodoulou, formerly Ben Chivers) is the current lead guitarist for The Sisters of Mercy. ...

• Dave Humphrey, guitars, 1981
• Gary Marx, guitars, vocals on one early track (1980-1985)
• Craig Adams, bass (1981-1985)
• Ben Gunn (guitarist), guitars (1981-1983)
• Wayne Hussey, guitars, backing vocals (1984-1985)
• Patricia Morrison, allegedly "pretending" to play bass, appearance in videos, record covers, record promotion (1985-1989)
• Andreas Bruhn, guitars (1989-1993)
• Tony James, bass (1989-1991)
• Tim Bricheno, guitars (1990-1992)
• Adam Pearson, guitars, backing vocals, bass (1993-2005)
• Chris Sheehan, guitars, backing vocals (1996; 2000-2003)
• Mike Varjak, guitars (1997-1999)
• Dan Donovan, keyboards (1990-1991)

Note: this list does not include short-lived members from 1980-1981, and live band members from 1990 onwards (from 1992-1993, one keyboardist and one keyboardist/singer; and from 1996 onwards, a Doktor Avalanche operator, billed as 'Nurse'). Gary Marx is a lead-guitarist (b. ... Brithsh musician, bass guitarist and songwriter of: The Sisters of Mercy (1981-1985) Mission UK (1985-1992, 1999-2002) The Cult (1993-1995) Colorsound (1998-) Alarm (2003-) Categories: Stub | The Sisters of Mercy ... Ben Gunn is a British guitarist who was with The Sisters of Mercy from 1981 to 1983, appearing on several of their early singles. ... Hussey in 2004. ... Patricia Morrison (born January 14, 1962 in Los Angeles) is an American bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. ... Tony James on stage with Carbon/Silicon Tony James (born on 12 April 1958) is a British musician, best known as a bassist of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. ... Tim Bricheno (born Timothy Bricheno, on 6 July 1963, in Huddersfield, Yorkshire) has been the guitarist for several notable English indie bands, including All About Eve, The Sisters of Mercy, X-CNN and Tin Star. ... Chris Sheehan aka Chris Starling is a native of New Zealand and has been a member of The Exponents: after seven years he left and went to London. ... Dan Donovan is a British keyboardist. ...

Discography

Albums

The UK Albums Chart is a chart of the sales positions of albums in the United Kingdom. ... First and Last and Always, the debut album by UK band The Sisters of Mercy was released on March 11, 1985, on bands own label Merciful Release (under distribution contract with WEA). ... This article is about the year. ... Floodland is the album released by The Sisters of Mercy in 1987, complete with heavy production, layers of synthesizer, choral singing, and the drum machine Doktor Avalanche. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Vision Thing, the third and last album by UK band The Sisters of Mercy was released in 1990 (1990 in music), on bands own label Merciful Release (under distribution contract with EastWest). ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Some Girls Wander By Mistake is a collection of early independent singles by the UK band The Sisters of Mercy. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... A Slight Case Of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Vol. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Singles

"Detonation Boulevard", and "I Was Wrong" were released as promo-only singles, and "Black Planet" was released as the b-side of a USA-only Elektra promo 12" of "Walk Away". See also: Musical groups established in 1980 Record labels established in 1980 list of years in music // January 1 - The year starts off with a strong disco backlash, which causes the majority of musicians to abandon the use of real instruments in an attempt to distant themselves from anything associated... See also: 1982 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1982 Record labels established in 1982 list of years in music // January 15 - K.C. and the Sunshine Bands Harry Wayne Casey is seriously injured in an automobile accident in Miami, Florida. ... See also: 1982 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1982 Record labels established in 1982 list of years in music // January 15 - K.C. and the Sunshine Bands Harry Wayne Casey is seriously injured in an automobile accident in Miami, Florida. ... See also: 1983 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1983 Record labels established in 1983 // Michael Jacksons Thriller, the most successful album not only of 1983, but of all time, was released in 1982 and began its epic domination of the music charts the following year, 1983. ... See also: 1983 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1983 Record labels established in 1983 // Michael Jacksons Thriller, the most successful album not only of 1983, but of all time, was released in 1982 and began its epic domination of the music charts the following year, 1983. ... See also: 1983 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1983 Record labels established in 1983 // Michael Jacksons Thriller, the most successful album not only of 1983, but of all time, was released in 1982 and began its epic domination of the music charts the following year, 1983. ... See also: 1983 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1983 Record labels established in 1983 // Michael Jacksons Thriller, the most successful album not only of 1983, but of all time, was released in 1982 and began its epic domination of the music charts the following year, 1983. ... See also: // January 21 - Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart: it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40. ... See also: // January 21 - Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart: it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40. ... See also: other events of 1985 Musical groups established in 1985 Record labels established in 1985 list of years in music 1980s in music // January 28 - Various artists, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny... See also: Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... This Corrosion is a song from the album Floodland by The Sisters of Mercy. ... See also: Musical groups established in 1988 Record labels established in 1988 // Peter Ruzicka becomes director of the Hamburg State Opera and State Philharmonic Orchestra. ... See also: Musical groups established in 1988 Record labels established in 1988 // Peter Ruzicka becomes director of the Hamburg State Opera and State Philharmonic Orchestra. ... See also: 1990 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1990 Record labels established in 1990 list of years in music // January 21 - MTVs Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest, Squeeze February 6 - Billy Idol is involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in several broken bones. ... More is a song from the album Vision Thing by The Sisters of Mercy. ... See also: 1990 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1990 Record labels established in 1990 list of years in music // January 21 - MTVs Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest, Squeeze February 6 - Billy Idol is involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in several broken bones. ... See also: 1991 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels established in 1991 // 1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. ... See also: 1992 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1992 Record labels established in 1992 // 1992 was a pivotal year in the development of music. ... See also: 1993 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1993 Record labels established in 1993 // Date Unknown- Christian Rock label Tooth and Nail Records is formed. ... Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, and today operates under Atlantic Records Group. ...

External links

• The Sisters of Mercy official homepage
• The Sisters of Mercy official homepage U.K.
• Unofficial The Sisters Of Mercy discussion pages
• The Sisters Wiki (Unofficial fan wiki)
• 1959 And All That (commentary about band's lyrics)
• The Sisters of Mercy history
• The Sisters of Mercy Tours page
• Rock Video "Black Planet" with Monkeemobile page
• Interviews, extended discography, lyrics, discussion forum, many images and photos etc.
• By Appointment to the Gods, fan site including transcriptions of extensive Sisters articles from Melody Maker, Sounds and New Musical Express
• Billboard Information