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 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. Although the band operates primarily as a touring outfit today, they continue to perform new and unreleased music live.
The group has released three original studio albums: First and Last and Always, Floodland, and Vision Thing. Each album was recorded by a different line-up; singer-songwriter Andrew Eldritch 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. 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 and the Mission.
History
Early years (1980–1983)
The Sisters of Mercy were formed in Leeds, England, in 1980 by Gary Marx and Andrew Eldritch, 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 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's film McCabe & Mrs. Miller, which featured Leonard Cohen's song "Sisters of Mercy" from his album Songs of Leonard Cohen, as they believed that " the 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, 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 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, 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, 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 of the Psychedelic Furs 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", "Ghostrider", and "Louie Louie", which became a live staple. Only four covers, the Stooges' "1969," the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," Hot Chocolate's "Emma," and Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," 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. 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, who focused on 12-string electric and acoustic guitars while also contributing as a songwriter. His studio experience with Dead or Alive proved invaluable as the Sisters set out to record their first full-length album. The Black October UK tour 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, Melody Maker, 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, 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 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 of the Bags and the Gun Club.
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 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 on two songs, one of which is "This Corrosion"."This Corrosion" was a composition that Eldritch had already recorded with his Sisterhood collaborators. The B-side 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, among other shows. "This Corrosion," "Dominion," and "Lucretia My Reflection" were released as singles, with their videos compiled in the 1988 VHS release Shot, alongside a video for "1959."