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The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
in 1980. After achieving early underground fame, the band experienced a commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s, sustaining their success until the early 1990s, when they halted the release of new records in protest against their record company,
WEA The Wea were a Miami–Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as being either closely related to the Miami tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami. Today, the descendants of th ...
. Currently, although the band operates primarily as a touring outfit, they continue to perform new and unreleased music live. The group has released three original studio albums: '' First and Last and Always'' (1985), '' Floodland'' (1987), and '' Vision Thing'' (1990). Each album was recorded by a different line-up; singer-songwriter
Andrew Eldritch Andrew Eldritch (born Andrew William Harvey Taylor, 15 May 1959) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the Sisters of Mercy, a band that emerged from the British post-punk s ...
and the drum machine known as Doktor Avalanche are the only constant elements throughout. Eldritch and Avalanche were also involved in the Sisterhood, a side project linked to Eldritch's disputes with former members. The Sisters of Mercy ceased recording in the early 1990s due to a dispute with their record company,
East West Records East West Records (stylized as east''west'') is a record label formed in 1955, distributed and owned by Warner Music Group, headquartered in New York City. History After its creation in 1955 by Atlantic Records, the label had its first hit wit ...
. The record company contract was with Andrew Eldritch rather than with the band. Under the contract Eldritch owed the company two albums; however East West Records agreed to terminate the contract in return for one album by Eldritch, which he recorded under the name SSV in 1997. The album, ''Go Figure'', consisting of techno-like droning with mumbled vocals by Eldritch, was not released by the record company, though bootleg versions are in circulation. After the Sisters of Mercy were released from their contract with East West, they have not signed with another label nor released any new material. They have continued to perform new songs live. Former members of the group went on to establish the bands
Ghost Dance The Ghost Dance (, also called the Ghost Dance of 1890) is a ceremony incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. According to the millenarian teachings of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (renamed Jack Wilson), pro ...
and the Mission.


History


Early years (1980–1983)

The Sisters of Mercy were formed in
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
, England, in 1980 by
Gary Marx Gary Marx (born Mark Frederick Pearman) is a British guitarist and musician. He was a founding member of British rock band the Sisters of Mercy and its lead guitarist and songwriter from 1980 to 1985. He left the band in 1985 to form Ghost Da ...
and
Andrew Eldritch Andrew Eldritch (born Andrew William Harvey Taylor, 15 May 1959) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the Sisters of Mercy, a band that emerged from the British post-punk s ...
, driven by their desire to hear themselves on the radio. In their inaugural year, the band experienced several lineup changes. One early formation included vocalist Keith Fuller and keyboardist Claire Shearsby, who accompanied Eldritch on drums and Marx on guitar. After this lineup disbanded, only Marx and Eldritch remained involved, both taking on vocal duties. During this period,
Jon Langford Jonathan Denis Langford (born 11 October 1957) is a Welsh musician and artist based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Langford is a founder member of the punk band The Mekons, the post-punk group The Three Johns, and the alternative count ...
played keyboard in the band but left due to infrequent attendance at practice. At the end of 1980, the single "Damage Done/Watch/Home of the Hit-men" was recorded and released. On this single, Marx played guitar through a practice amplifier while Eldritch played drums, which he had purchased from Langford. Each member contributed to the songwriting: Eldritch penned "Damage Done," while Marx wrote "Watch". The band's name was inspired by
Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...
's film '' McCabe & Mrs. Miller'' (1971), which featured
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, soc ...
's song "Sisters of Mercy" from his album ''
Songs of Leonard Cohen ''Songs of Leonard Cohen'' is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on December 27, 1967, on Columbia Records. More successful in Europe than in North America, ''Songs of Leonard Cohen'' foreshadowed the kin ...
'', as they believed that " alling ourselvesthe Captains of Industry wouldn't have been as funny". The band later regrouped with Craig Adams on bass, while Eldritch's drumming was replaced by a
drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...
, allowing him to focus solely on vocals. The drum machine was named "Doktor Avalanche," a title that continued with its numerous successors. Eldritch assumed responsibilities for lyric writing, Doktor programming, and record production, while co-writing the music with Marx and, occasionally, Adams. This lineup is generally recognized as the first definitive Sisters formation. It commenced with the Doktor/Eldritch/Marx/Adams incarnation of the band performing a gig at the Riley Smith Hall of the
Leeds University Union Leeds University Union (LUU) is the representative body for the students at the University of Leeds, England. It is led by a group of student sabbatical officers known as the Student Executive, and supported by around 140 full-time staff membe ...
building in early 1981. Since the exact date remains unrecorded, for historical purposes, both the band and fans often celebrate the anniversary of the concert on 16 February 1981 at Alcuin College,
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
, which marked the band's second performance; however, during this time, the band cycled through two additional members: guitarists Tom Ashton and Dave Humphrey. Later in 1981, Ben Gunn was recruited as the Sisters' second guitarist. Eldritch's melancholic
baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...
, Craig Adams's pulsating bass, Doktor Avalanche's beat, and Marx's flowing guitar contributed to the band's early underground success. In 1982, the band recorded the "Body Electric" b/w "Adrenochrome" single for the CNT label. The band's singles regularly featured in UK independent charts, with some being named single of the week in various UK indie magazines.
John Ashton John Ashton may refer to: Entertainment * John Ashton (composer) (1830–1896), Welsh musician * Will Ashton (John William Ashton, 1881–1963), British-Australian artist and art director * John Rowland Ashton (1917–2008), English author * John A ...
of
the Psychedelic Furs The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band founded in London in February 1977. Led by lead vocalist Richard Butler (singer), Richard Butler and his brother Tim Butler on bass guitar, the Psychedelic Furs are one of the many acts spawned from ...
produced the early classic "Alice." '' The Reptile House E.P.'' exemplifies the Sisters' early work and highlights the maturation of songwriter Eldritch, who wrote, produced, and reportedly played all instruments on the release. Their live performances included many cover versions; among these was a medley consisting of "
Sister Ray "Sister Ray" is a song by the Velvet Underground that closes side two of their 1968 album '' White Light/White Heat''. The lyrics are by Lou Reed, with music composed by John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker and Reed. The song concerns dr ...
" (by
the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionis ...
), "Ghostrider" (by
Suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
), and "
Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a Standard (music), stand ...
" (by Richard Berry), which became a live staple. Only four covers,
the Stooges The Stooges or Iggy and the Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexande ...
' "1969,"
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
' "
Gimme Shelter "Gimme Shelter" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. Written by Jagger–Richards, it is the opening track of the band's 1969 album '' Let It Bleed''. The song covers the brutal realities of war, including murder, rape and f ...
,"
Hot Chocolate Hot Chocolate are a British soul band formed by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson. The group had at least one hit song every year on the UK Singles Chart from 1970 to 1984. Their hits include " You Sexy Thing", a UK number two which also made ...
's " Emma," and
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
's "
Knockin' on Heaven's Door "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, written for the soundtrack of the 1973 film '' Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid''. Released as a single two months after the film's premiere, it became a worldwide hit, ...
," were eventually recorded and released as B-sides on Sisters records. In late 1983, following the highly successful single " Temple of Love", the band signed a contract with major record label
WEA The Wea were a Miami–Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as being either closely related to the Miami tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami. Today, the descendants of th ...
. Simultaneously, Gunn departed amidst an atmosphere of widespread discontent. Gunn expressed his disagreement with the direction Eldritch was steering the band, which, in Gunn's view, had started as a humorous take on serious rock 'n' roll outfits but had ultimately transformed into one. He also cited personality conflicts with Eldritch as a reason for his exit.


''First and Last and Always'' era (1984–1985)

Gunn was succeeded by
Wayne Hussey 250px, Hussey performing at the Hildesheim.html" ;"title="M'era Luna Festival in Hildesheim">M'era Luna Festival in Hildesheim, Germany, 2004 Jerry Wayne Hussey (born 26 May 1958) is an English musician who was born in Bristol, England. He is ...
, who focused on 12-string electric and acoustic guitars while also contributing as a songwriter. His studio experience with
Dead or Alive A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composite ...
proved invaluable as the Sisters set out to record their first full-length album. The ''Black October'' UK tour (October–November 1984) solidified the band’s underground cult status; however, the growing estrangement between Eldritch and the rest of the group became increasingly problematic during the recording of the debut album '' First and Last and Always''. Eldritch's declining health and psychological issues further exacerbated the situation. The causes of these problems were frequently discussed in the gossip columns of the music press, including ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'', ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...
'', and '' Sounds''. Most songs on the album were written and rehearsed by Marx, Hussey, and Adams, with Eldritch stepping in at the final stage to write lyrics and provide vocals. Following the release of ''First and Last and Always'', produced by
David M. Allen David M. Allen (born 29 June 1953) is an English record producer, engineer and mixer. He is mostly known for his work with new wave, synth-pop and goth rock bands including the Cure, the Sisters of Mercy, the Chameleons, Depeche Mode, the Mis ...
, Marx departed from the band in the midst of a supporting tour, citing an inability to continue working with Eldritch. The Sisters of Mercy completed the tour as a three-piece act, bidding farewell to fans with their final performance at London's
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
on 18 June 1985. Video recordings of this show were later released as "Wake." A music video for the song "Black Planet" was also produced, featuring the Monkeemobile. Promotional videos were created for the singles "Body and Soul," "Walk Away," and "No Time to Cry," but none of these videos, including "Black Planet," have been officially released by the band to date.


The split: the Sisterhood and the Mission (1985–1986)

Shortly after the last gig, Eldritch relocated to Hamburg, where he was soon joined by Hussey. Their intention was to begin working on a follow-up album, tentatively titled ''Left on Mission and Revenge''. Hussey had written several songs for the album, including "Dance on Glass" and "Garden of Delight". Demo versions of both songs featuring Eldritch on vocals have since surfaced, suggesting that the band worked on the material together. When Adams and Hussey left the band, they were replaced by the American singer and bass guitarist
Patricia Morrison Patricia Anne Rainone (born January 14, 1962), better known by her stage name Patricia Morrison, is an American bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. She has worked with Bags, the Gun Club, Fur Bible, the Sisters of Mercy, and the Damned. Biog ...
of the Bags and
the Gun Club The Gun Club were an American post-punk band from Los Angeles that existed from 1979 to 1996. Created and led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeffrey Lee Pierce, they were notable as one of the first bands in the punk rock subculture to i ...
. Hussey and Adams went on to form a new group called the Sisterhood. Their setlists featured songs Hussey had intended for the Sisters of Mercy; he would later record and release many of them with his new group. Meanwhile, Eldritch protested against their use of the ''Sisterhood'' name as being too similar to the Sisters of Mercy and the name of his band's fan community. In an attempt to stop Hussey's band, Eldritch released the single "Giving Ground" by his own band, the Sisterhood. The single was later followed by the album ''Gift''. Hussey's band eventually named themselves the Mission. Hussey has since expressed regret about the entire incident. According to some sources, with these releases, Eldritch allegedly won, over Hussey and Adams, a race for a £25,000 advance (a sum opening the song "Jihad" on the ''Gift'' album) 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 the Mission's manager Tony Perrin, the case never went to court, and Hussey's new band was able to release their material through an independent outlet. 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 stated in an interview recorded in Boston that the English courts did not recognize either his or the other members' 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, winning £25,000 in the lawsuit.


''Floodland'' era (1987–1989)

Left to his own devices, Eldritch recorded '' Floodland'', marking a shift away from guitar-based rock toward atmospheric, Wagnerian rock and keyboard-oriented explorations pioneered on ''Gift''. The album was produced by Eldritch and Larry Alexander, with contributions from
Jim Steinman James Richard Steinman (November 1, 1947 – April 19, 2021) was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, mus ...
on two songs, one of which is "
This Corrosion "This Corrosion" is a song by the English rock band the Sisters of Mercy, released as the lead single from their second studio album, '' Floodland'' (1987), in September 1987. The song peaked at number 6 in Ireland, number 7 in the UK, and number 1 ...
". "This Corrosion" was a composition that Eldritch had already recorded (if not released) with his Sisterhood collaborators. The
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...
featured "Torch," the last song from the previous line-up. Then-manager Boyd Steemson maintained that the chart success was no surprise for the band. Eldritch later considered producer Steinman to have been more pivotal in securing funding for additional production than the songs themselves. The band did not perform live during this period but did mime on ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
'', among other shows. "This Corrosion," "
Dominion A dominion was any of several largely self-governance, self-governing countries of the British Empire, once known collectively as the ''British Commonwealth of Nations''. Progressing from colonies, their degrees of self-governing colony, colon ...
," and "
Lucretia My Reflection "Lucretia My Reflection" is a song by the English rock band the Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in Leeds in 1980. After achieving early underground fame, the band experienced a commercial breakthrough i ...
" were released as singles, with their videos compiled in the 1988 VHS release ''Shot'', alongside a video for "1959."


''Vision Thing'' era (1989–1993)

The next incarnation of the Sisters of Mercy featured an unknown German guitarist, Andreas Bruhn, whom Eldritch allegedly discovered playing in a
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
pub and brought into the band in April 1989. Joining him were bassist Tony James, former guitarist of
Sigue Sigue Sputnik Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave band formed in 1982 by former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band have had three UK top-40 hit singles, including " Love Missile F1-11" and " 21st Century Boy". The band's music, image and in ...
and bassist/songwriter for
Generation X Generation X (often shortened to Gen X) is the Demography, demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the Baby Boomers and preceding Millennials. Researchers and popular media often use the mid-1960s as its starting birth years and the ...
, and last-minute recruit
Tim Bricheno Tim Bricheno (born Timothy John Bricheno, 6 July 1963, Huddersfield, Yorkshire) is an English guitarist, songwriter and music teacher. He was a member of several notable British indie bands, including All About Eve, The Sisters of Mercy, XC-NN ...
, formerly of
All About Eve ''All About Eve'' is a 1950 American Drama (film and television), drama film written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. It is based on the 1946 short story (and subsequent 1949 radio drama) "The Wisdom of E ...
, on guitars. The new line-up kicked off with the '' Vision Thing'' album, released in October 1990, produced by Eldritch (one song, the single "
More More may refer to: Computing * MORE (application), outline software for Mac OS * more (command), a shell command * MORE protocol, a routing protocol * Missouri Research and Education Network Music Albums * ''More!'' (album), by Booka Shade, ...
," was a co-production and co-written with Steinman). The album also featured guitarist John Perry, with backing vocals by
Maggie Reilly Maggie Reilly (born 15 September 1956) is a Scottish singer best known for her collaborations with the composer and instrumentalist Mike Oldfield. Most notably, she performed lead vocals on the Oldfield songs " Family Man", " Moonlight Shadow ...
. The title is derived from a quotation by then-Vice President George Bush in 1987 and marked another change of direction, this time toward guitar-oriented rock. The band launched a world tour from 1990 to 1991 to promote the album. In 1991, they organized a controversial North American tour in a double act with
Public Enemy Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
. Fearing a clash between the predominantly white fans of the Sisters and the primarily Black following of Public Enemy, several cities banned the performances, leading to the tour being canceled halfway through. Late in 1991, bassist James left the group to pursue a solo career, and the band continued by using a pre-recorded backing track. The US tour fiasco did not help the already strained relationship between Eldritch and the Sisters' new record company
EastWest East West Records (stylized as east''west'') is a record label formed in 1955, distributed and owned by Warner Music Group, headquartered in New York City. History After its creation in 1955 by Atlantic Records, the label had its first hit wit ...
, a
WEA The Wea were a Miami–Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as being either closely related to the Miami tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami. Today, the descendants of th ...
subsidiary (the band was assigned to it in 1989 following an internal shuffle within WEA). Conflicts with WEA led to the termination of the band's US record distribution deal circa 1991–92, meaning later recordings became available in the US only as imports. Under the insistence of the record company, the band re-recorded their early single "Temple of Love" (with
Ofra Haza Ofra Haza (; 19 November 1957 – 23 February 2000) was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as " the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-sop ...
on additional vocals and Tony James on bass) to promote the collection of their early independently released singles, entitled ''
Some Girls Wander By Mistake ''Some Girls Wander by Mistake'' is a compilation album by English band the Sisters of Mercy, released on 27 April 1992 on their own label Merciful Release, distributed by East West/Warner Music UK. The album collected the complete and unedite ...
'' (1992). Early in the year, the band performed the track on ''Top of the Pops'' with Haza and Tony James, marking the final time the recording line-up for *Vision Thing* shared the stage. In June 1992, Eldritch dismissed Boyd Steemson, the band's manager for ten years. Around this time, Bricheno began focusing on his other band, XC-NN (originally, CNN). Meanwhile, Bruhn released his debut solo album, ''Broon''. Bruhn claimed that the songs on the album were offered for the next Sisters release, only to be rejected by Eldritch. Eldritch denied these allegations, stating he was never offered the songs. Bricheno left by the end of the year and was replaced in 1993 by Adam Pearson. Pearson was the only guitarist on the single " Under the Gun," which also featured former
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
lead vocalist
Terri Nunn Terri Kathleen Nunn (born June 26, 1961) is an American singer and actress. She is known as the vocalist of the 1980s New wave music, new wave and synth-pop band Berlin (band), Berlin. Biography Nunn was born in Los Angeles, California on June 2 ...
on backing vocals. The track was co-produced by
Billie Hughes Billie Keith Hughes (April 4, 1948 – July 3, 1998) was an American singer, recording artist, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is best known for his successful artist career in Japan, lead vocalist of his band Lazarus and his coll ...
, co-writer of the song. The single was recorded to promote the "greatest hits" compilation, ''
A Slight Case of Overbombing ''A Slight Case of Overbombing'' is a greatest hits album by English gothic rock band the Sisters of Mercy. It was released on 23 August 1993 on the band's own label, Merciful Release, under distribution contract with East West Records. All the ...
'' (1993). A third video album, ''Shot Rev 2.0'', was also released, containing all videos from the original ''Shot'' in 1988, the videos for the ''Vision Thing'' singles "More," " Doctor Jeep," as well as the videos for "Under the Gun," the 1992 re-recording of "Temple of Love," and a video for the album track "Detonation Boulevard." Bruhn left the band in 1993. These releases turned out to be the last commercial recordings until the 2021 release of the ''BBC sessions 1982-1984'' on vinyl for RSD and CD, containing the 1982 and 1984
Peel Sessions John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...
and the 1983 David 'Kid' Jensen session.


Feud with EastWest Records and continued activity (1993–2005)

Following their last concerts in December 1993, the Sisters of Mercy entered what Eldritch referred to as a "strike against EastWest." He was reported to have been preoccupied with legal matters surrounding the band; although Eldritch has never clarified the meaning behind this, various parties have suggested that the issues stemmed from either the short-lived tour with Public Enemy in 1991 or Eldritch's ongoing disputes with EastWest Records, as the band still owed them two original studio albums. In 1995, Eldritch remixed two songs for the German group
Die Krupps Die Krupps () ("The Krupps") is a German industrial metal/electronic body music, EBM band, formed in 1980 by Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper, and Bernward Malaka in Düsseldorf. The band has had a diverse range of musical influences over time, i ...
and appeared on the
Sarah Brightman Sarah Brightman (born 14 August 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano singer and actress. Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip and released several disco singles as a solo performer. In 1981, she made ...
single " A Question of Honour". Eldritch's associates approached Gary Marx, a co-founding member, to write tracks for a new studio album. Marx then met with Eldritch, and the two agreed upon the terms under which the backing tracks would be produced. After Marx delivered a total of eleven tracks, Eldritch backed out of the project "without uttering a single word." In 1996, the band was revived for several gigs supporting the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
, with Bruhn's place initially taken by
Chris Sheehan The Starlings were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1989, utilised as the main project for New Zealand-born singer/guitarist Chris Sheehan. The group was dissolved by Sheehan around the release of their last EP. Sheehan went on to r ...
. During subsequent tours, the guitarist position rotated between Sheehan and Mike Varjak. In late 1997, the contract with EastWest was terminated after the company agreed to accept material recorded under the SSV name instead of the two albums for which the Sisters of Mercy had contractual obligations. The company consented 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. Following the release, the official Sisters of Mercy website contained the same "update" for several years:


Recent history, developments and ongoing touring activity (2005–present)

In 2005, The Sisters of Mercy recruited
Chris Catalyst Chris Catalyst is a British rock guitarist, known for his work with the Sisters of Mercy, Ugly Kid Joe, Ginger Wildheart, Terrorvision, the Professionals, Mariachi El Bronx, the Scaramanga Six and his own band, Eureka Machines, as well as ...
as a guitarist, followed by the addition of Ben Christo on guitar in 2006. Christo recalled, "I got a call one afternoon from an unknown number. With very little preamble, the caller, without introducing himself, stated, ‘We might want you to be in our band.'" Subsequently, in 2006, The Sisters of Mercy embarked on a world tour that spanned North America, Europe, and South America. The band has maintained an active touring schedule, performing at headline shows and music festivals almost every year, showcasing both released and unreleased material. In 2019, frustrated with Eldritch's slow-paced work ethic, Catalyst left the band. Shortly thereafter, Australian guitarist Dylan Smith was recruited. In 2023, Smith was dismissed on the first day of their Autumn European tour. Consequently, Kai from
Esprit D'Air Esprit D'Air ("Spirit of Air" in French) is a Japanese alternative metal band formed in 2010 with members from Japan and England who coalesced in London. The band is led and fronted by Kai, current guitarist from The Sisters of Mercy. In 2013 ...
was quickly recruited mid-tour as their new guitarist. In the same year, Chris Catalyst rejoined the band, taking on the role of the Doktor Avalanche operator. In 2024, The Sisters of Mercy announced an upcoming North American tour scheduled for Autumn, with performances planned across the USA and Canada.


Possible fourth studio album

In October 2006, Side-Line Music Magazine announced that the band was in talks with the Universal sublabel W14 Music. In the same year, three Sisters of Mercy reissues were released on 3 November in Europe (and 30 October in the USA) via WEA International: ''First and Last and Always'' (1985), ''Floodland'' (1987), and ''Vision Thing'' (1990). All contained bonus tracks taken from related single releases. The Sisters of Mercy have not released new recorded material since 1993. In 2010, Eldritch confirmed that he saw no reason to release an album in an interview with ''
Classic Rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...
'' contributor
Joel McIver Joel McIver (born 10 February 1971) is a British author. His best-known work is ''Justice for All: The Truth About Metallica'', first published in 2004 and appearing in nine languages since then. McIver's other works include biographies of Bla ...
. In August 2010, when asked to elaborate, Eldritch cited time constraints and a lack of available material as some of the issues involved. Speculation about a new release was renewed in November 2016 when Eldritch mentioned he might release a new album if Donald Trump were elected president: "I don't think I could keep quiet if that happened." The band has yet to release any new material, but in 2017 they embarked on a European tour in August and September. The band has performed thirteen new songs during concerts held between 2019 and 2024, such as "There's a Door", "Don't Drive on Ice", "I Will Call You", "Show Me (On the Doll)", "When I'm on Fire", "On the Beach", "But Genevieve", "She's a Monster", "Here" and "Quantum Baby", but no studio recordings have been made available. Since 2012, some of the shows have featured a guest appearance by the Irish singer Lisa Cuthbert, who performs her cover version of "This Corrosion" on piano.


Influences

Eldritch cited
the Psychedelic Furs The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band founded in London in February 1977. Led by lead vocalist Richard Butler (singer), Richard Butler and his brother Tim Butler on bass guitar, the Psychedelic Furs are one of the many acts spawned from ...
,
Slade Slade are a rock band formed in Wolverhampton, England in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The '' British Hit Singl ...
,
Pere Ubu Pere Ubu is an American rock group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. The band had a variety of long-term and recurring band members, with singer David Thomas being the only member staying throughout the band's lifetime. They released their ...
, and
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
as his primary influences; and noted
Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Kilmister was the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band a ...
,
the Cramps The Cramps were an American rock band formed in 1976 and active until 2009. Their lineup rotated frequently during their existence, with the husband-and-wife duo of singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy the only ever-present members. T ...
, and
Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...
among his early influences. According to Jennifer Park, the band has also mentioned
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, soc ...
,
Hawkwind Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...
,
Gary Glitter Paul Francis Gadd (born 8 May 1944), better known by his stage name Gary Glitter, is an English former singer who achieved fame and success during the 1970s and 1980s. His career ended after he was convicted of downloading child pornography i ...
,
Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...
,
the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionis ...
,
Iggy and the Stooges The Stooges or Iggy and the Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexande ...
,
Suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
, the Birthday Party, and the Fall as additional influences. While the band enjoys a considerable fan base with overlapping interests in so-called
dark culture Dark culture (German ''Schwarze Szene''; Portuguese ''cultura obscura''; Spanish ''escena oscura''; Italian ''scena Dark'' or ''scena gotica''), also called dark alternative scene, is a mixture of thematically related subcultures including the ...
, the Sisters of Mercy consider themselves first and foremost a rock band. They have consistently discouraged associations with "goth" through regular public statements in the press and stipulations in their standard contract riders. Nevertheless, this has not prevented them from regularly appearing at festivals featuring this genre of music, such as
M'era Luna The M'era Luna is a gothic festival that encompasses a number of different styles such as metal, future pop, aggrotech, synthpop, gothic rock, dark wave, and EBM. It is held annually on the second weekend of every August, in Hildesheim, ...
.


Personnel


Members

;Current members *
Andrew Eldritch Andrew Eldritch (born Andrew William Harvey Taylor, 15 May 1959) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the Sisters of Mercy, a band that emerged from the British post-punk s ...
– vocals, keyboards, guitars, drum programming (1980–1985, 1987–present), drums (1980) *
Chris Catalyst Chris Catalyst is a British rock guitarist, known for his work with the Sisters of Mercy, Ugly Kid Joe, Ginger Wildheart, Terrorvision, the Professionals, Mariachi El Bronx, the Scaramanga Six and his own band, Eureka Machines, as well as ...
– guitars, backing vocals (2005–2019), Doktor Avalanche operator (2023–present) * Ben Christo – guitars, backing vocals, bass (2006–present) * Kai – guitars, backing vocals (2023–present) ;Former members *
Gary Marx Gary Marx (born Mark Frederick Pearman) is a British guitarist and musician. He was a founding member of British rock band the Sisters of Mercy and its lead guitarist and songwriter from 1980 to 1985. He left the band in 1985 to form Ghost Da ...
– guitars (1980–1985), vocals (1980) * Keith Fuller – vocals (1980) * Claire Shearsby – keyboards (1980) *
Jon Langford Jonathan Denis Langford (born 11 October 1957) is a Welsh musician and artist based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Langford is a founder member of the punk band The Mekons, the post-punk group The Three Johns, and the alternative count ...
– keyboards (1980) * Dave Humphrey – guitars (1981) * Tom Ashton – guitars (1981) * Craig Adams – bass (1981–1985) * Ben Gunn – guitars (1981–1983) *
Wayne Hussey 250px, Hussey performing at the Hildesheim.html" ;"title="M'era Luna Festival in Hildesheim">M'era Luna Festival in Hildesheim, Germany, 2004 Jerry Wayne Hussey (born 26 May 1958) is an English musician who was born in Bristol, England. He is ...
– guitars, backing vocals, keyboards (1983–1985) *
Patricia Morrison Patricia Anne Rainone (born January 14, 1962), better known by her stage name Patricia Morrison, is an American bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. She has worked with Bags, the Gun Club, Fur Bible, the Sisters of Mercy, and the Damned. Biog ...
– bass, backing vocals (1987–1989) * Andreas Bruhn – guitars (1989–1993) * Tony James – bass (1989–1991) *
Tim Bricheno Tim Bricheno (born Timothy John Bricheno, 6 July 1963, Huddersfield, Yorkshire) is an English guitarist, songwriter and music teacher. He was a member of several notable British indie bands, including All About Eve, The Sisters of Mercy, XC-NN ...
– guitars (1990–1992) * Adam Pearson – guitars, backing vocals, bass (1993–2006) *
Chris Sheehan The Starlings were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1989, utilised as the main project for New Zealand-born singer/guitarist Chris Sheehan. The group was dissolved by Sheehan around the release of their last EP. Sheehan went on to r ...
– guitars, backing vocals (1996, 2000–2005) * Mike Varjak – guitars (1997–2000) * Dylan Smith – guitars, bass, backing vocals (2019–2023) ;Former touring musicians * Dan Donovan – keyboards (1990–1991) * Simon Denbigh – Doktor Avalanche operator (1996–2012) * Ravey Davey – Doktor Avalanche operator (1996; 2008; 2012–2023)


Timeline


Line-ups


Doktor Avalanche

The original incarnation of Doktor Avalanche was a
BOSS Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...
DR-55 ("Doctor Rhythm"); the Doktor was later replaced by a
Roland TR-606 The Roland TR-606 Drumatix is a drum machine built by Roland Corporation from 1981 to 1984. Sounds It uses analog synthesis rather than samples to produce sound. It imitates acoustic percussion: the bass drum, snare, toms, cymbal and hi-hat ...
, soon followed by a TR-808, and, briefly, a
TR-909 The Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer, commonly known as the 909, is a drum machine introduced by Roland Corporation in 1983, succeeding the Roland TR-808, TR-808. It was the first Roland drum machine to use Sampling (music), samples for some sounds, ...
. On one album, '' First and Last and Always'', an
Oberheim DMX The DMX is a programmable Digital data, digital drum machine manufactured by Oberheim Electronics, Oberheim. It was introduced in 1980 at a list price of and remained in the company's product line until the mid-1980s. The Oberheim DMX was the se ...
bore the Doktor name. With increased financial resources from sale of the album, the Doktor was upgraded to a
Yamaha Yamaha may refer to: People * Torakusu Yamaha, a Japanese businessman and founder of the Yamaha Corporation Companies * Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer ** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organi ...
RX5, and subsequently reinforced by
Akai Akai (, ) is a Japanese brand & former electronics manufacturer, established as Akai Electric Company Ltd in Tokyo in 1929. It was best known outside Japan for its tape recorders during the 1960s and 1970s. The company became bankrupt in 2000 ...
S900 and S1000 samplers. An Akai S3200 has been used as studio equipment. Soon after, the first
digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Businesses *Digital bank, a form of financial institution *Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) or Digital, a computer company *Digital Research (DR or DRI), a software ...
Doktor appeared in the form of a set of
Compaq Compaq Computer Corporation was an American information technology, information technology company founded in 1982 that developed, sold, and supported computers and related products and services. Compaq produced some of the first IBM PC compati ...
portable PCs, which had to be scrapped when it became impossible to maintain them because of a lack of
spare part A spare part, spare, service part, repair part, or replacement part, is an interchangeable part that is kept in an inventory and used for the repair or Refurbishment (electronics), refurbishment of defective equipment/units. Spare parts are an i ...
s. In recent years the "Digital Doktor" has been moved to a custom-built laptop designed by Eldritch and constructed by an English military software and hardware company. For a time there was some division in the band whether or not the Doktor should be moved to a
Mac Mac or MAC may refer to: Common meanings * Mac (computer), a line of personal computers made by Apple Inc. * Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth * Mac, a prefix to surnames derived from Gaelic languages * McIntosh (apple), a Canadi ...
running
Logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of deductively valid inferences or logical truths. It examines how conclusions follow from premises based on the structure o ...
or remain as is. In a 2011 interview with a New Zealand radio station, Eldritch said Doktor Avalanche was now a
MacBook Pro The MacBook Pro is a line of Mac laptop computers developed and manufactured by Apple. Introduced in 2006, it is the high-end sibling of the MacBook family, sitting above the ultra-portable MacBook Air and previously the low-end MacBook li ...
laptop running
Steinberg Cubase Cubase is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed by Steinberg for music and MIDI recording, arranging and editing. The first version, which was originally only a MIDI sequencer and ran on the Atari ST computer, was released in 1989. Cut-do ...
. Doktor Avalanche also "runs" the on-line
advice column An advice column is a column in a question and answer format. Typically, a (usually anonymous) reader writes to the media outlet with a problem in the form of a question, and the media outlet provides an answer or response. The responses are w ...
on the group's website.


Discography

*'' First and Last and Always'' (1985) *'' Floodland'' (1987) *'' Vision Thing'' (1990)


References


External links


Official website

Official UK website


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sisters Of Mercy English gothic rock groups English new wave musical groups Musical groups established in 1980 Post-punk groups from Leeds Warner Music Group artists Elektra Records artists East West Records artists Rhino Entertainment artists