This web-site is dedicated to the musical group The Sisters Of Mercy, and it's
frontman Andrew Eldritch. The group's
music has changed a lot over the years, but the feeling of depression and darkness has been there all the time. When the
wonderful music of the Sisters and Eldritch's genious lyrics are put together, well, there is hardly anything that beats it.
Here is an introduction written by Andrew Eldritch himself, taken from the booklet of Some Girls Wander By Mistake:
I had moved to Leeds to learn Chinese, and I was living above the chemist (as the Mekons put it) with Claire and Spiggy
The Cat. One day I dared to set up the drum kit which someone had stored in the cellar. I still can't play the drums, but at
least I was the only drummer in town who could be relied upon to avoid anything complicated.
Gary Marx and I knew each other from the F Club. He was a big fan of The Fall. I was a big fan of Père Ubu, and we both
loved The Stooges. Everyboy loved The Stooges. Gary had no money and no equipment, but he wanted to hear himself on
the radio. So we made a record with no money and no equipment, and we heard it on the radio. Pressed a thousand
copies (thanks to Red Rhino in York, whose credit we used at the plant), sold a few. Even at the time, it was hard to get
and even harder to listen to. That should have been the end of it, but...
We hooked up with Craig Adams, probably because he lived above the chemist too. He was a big fan of Hawkwind and
Motorhead, and he had this bass sound which suddenly defined The Sisters - along with the drum machine, which we
bought because we all loved Suicide. Everybody loved Suicide. The drum machine became Dr. Avalanche. Gary became a
guitar player, and I became the singer, almost by default.
I think we spent the next few years in the back of a van. When it wasn't parked above the chemist we were making the
loudest noise possible in some of England's most disgusting clubs. We still had no money and no equipment: almost
everything went towards making the next gig louder than the last. Thanks are due at this point to Pete Turner, who still
mixes the live sound. He managed to turn a throbbing howl into a shimmering, pulsating machine of sorts. Some nights
you could even hear songs.
I like to think it was the songs that made this band. I know it wasn't. We used a lot of smoke, very few lights, stepped
right back and just made a space where you could lose yourself (but more probably find yourself) in a tide of colour and
noise. It sounds simple, but no-one that really wanted to be a rock 'n' roll star could have done it. Apart from anything
else, it took a long time and burned more than a few people out.
The records were never supposed to reflect that experience - it's a different medium, and one we're still learning.
Maybe some of it comes through. Anyway, in those first four years, when we had the money (and often, we didn't), we
would drop in on Kenny Giles in Bridlington. He had an eight-track and he was the only person who would help us make
records the way we wanted. Thanks Ken. They may not sound like anybody else's, they may not even sound like records,
but we loved them. For what it's worth.
Andrew Eldritch
Here is another introduction, for "Postcards above the chemist":
I grew up with a lot of books, learning to read early and spending the rest of my adolescence learning to read deeply.
Maybe I overdid it: I can't say that I've read a great deal since I left university, apart from newspapers. Japanese hard-
core sex-and-violence comics might this week influence my lyrics as much as anything else, as much as they were influenced
by living metaphorically above the chemist. A healthy counterbalence to the King James Bible, Shakespeare, and all the rest.
These are in my bloodstream, often as much of a curse as a blessing, and can certainly make one feel far too inadequate to
write anything oneself. I know what a good book is, an I'm sure I can't write one. I've no idea how anybody could dare to
write their own poetry after reading Elliot's "Four Quartets" I can't even write letters although I wish I'd kept some of my
postcards.
By the same token, not intimidated by other lyricists, I feel
qualified to write the words for songs. I feel entitled to write them the
way I do because I don't know any better, because I can, because I like to,
and because I find it enriching. There should be room for any number of
layers in a song, and there should be room for that song. I write lyrics
from a philologist's point of view, and as Someone who had read a lot of
stuff, although I hope you don't have to read a lot of stuff to appreciate
them in context. Any references shuold be a bonus for the like-minded, and
it's sufficient for one of us to have a vague idea why the mere sound of a
certain word does certain things to the psychee, resonates when set against
another, and so on.
I came to rock music very late, not having had access to it as a
child, and not really sure what the standards and idioms were supposed to
be, except that I came to it at a very specific time, when it seemed that a
certain lyrical ambition was at least openly tolerated in a way it no longer
is, and offset in ways which I still take for granted. The way I abuse
syntax is still derived almost entirely from moments on the second Cockney
Rebel album. "The Psychomodo" released in 1974, and my favorite song of all
time is still Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part II" the lyric to which
consists entirely of grunts and shouts and the three words "Rock And Roll"
I can't see the contradiction there.
It's debateable whther I ever strike the right balence between
grunt, poetry, and philosophy, and in any event I'm probably making claims
for songs that follow the early lyrics in this book. Volume One, like the
early recordings, is effectively an album of baby photographs, but we know
each other by now, and I think I owe it to you to overcome embarrassment.
I'm flattered to be asked.
Andrew Eldritch
Hamburg, August 1992
Here is the history put together by The Reptile House:
1980:
The Sisters of Mercy are formed in Leeds by Andrew Eldritch (drums,
guitar) and Gary Marx (guitar, vocals). With one guitar, a three watt
practice amp and no money, they recorded a single "to hear ourselves on the
radio." The Merciful Release label is founded to issue it and one thousand
copies are pressed. The record gets played on the radio. Decribed by the
band as "unobtainable and even more unlistenable." "THE DAMAGE
DONE/WATCH/HOME OF THE HIT-MEN" is now worth over two hundred pounds.
1981:
Sensing that something horribly huge is within their grasp, the duo
decides to "start again properl." Andrew Eldritch, by his own admission "a
very bad drummer" becomes by default the band's lead singer as Gary Marx
concentrates on guitar and Craig Adams is recruited on bass. An essential
move seems natural to the Sisters but is to set them crucially apart from
(and ahead of) their peers: they are now anchored and driven by the
legendary Doktor Avalanche, drum machine.
The band make their live debut on February 16th. Marx has wired his
guitar to a record player pre-amp which feedsback uncontrollably and
Eldritch has turned the space echo onto maximum. Their first ever set kicks
off with a twisted cover of Leonard Cohen's "Teachers" and ends with a
juggernaut howl which might have been "Silver Machine" but was in fact
"Sister Ray." The audience gets the point. The Sisters Of Mercy gradually
refine their noise and their ability to be loved and hated. Towards the end
of the year, Ben Gunn is added as a second guitarist.
1982:
The second record, "BODY ELECTRIC/ADRENOCHROME," is Single Of The
Week in Melody Maker. It will be almost three years before one of their
singles does NOT make Record Of The Week somewhere. The Sisters Of Mercy
deign to play London, and Tony James of Generation X asks Mr. Eldritch to
join the band. Offer declined, with thanks.
Radion sessions for the BBC foreshadows the next classic single and
the Sisters tour Britain with The Psychadelic Furs. November see the
release of "ALICE/FLOORSHOW" that now familiar blend of persistent and
irresistable melody, hypnotic technoid riffing and a vicious hook shining
seductively above the riptide......From now on, the band will dominate the
independant chart until a major label meets their terms. Such is their
reputation, however, that not one indie label will ever approach them. Self
- managed, they continue to "borrow" cigarettes and miraculously put out
their own records with faith and welfare money.
1983:
Early months are spent touring the country with their now huge army
of supporters. A set of Sisters' standards is variously spiked with an
audacious selection of covers including "Gimme Shelter" "Jolene" and even
Hot Chocolate's "Emma". A Second BBC session follows the release in March
of the new single "ANACONDA/PHANTOM" The twelve-inch EP
"ALICE/FLOORSHOW/PHANTOM/1969" is also the bands first American record. In
May, instead of capitulating on their notorious brand of melodic overdrive,
the Sisters Of Mercy issue "THE REPTILE HOUSE EP" some of the finest most
haunting Sisters' songs swamped in a magnificently perverse mix of
slithering cruelty.
After the first extensive tour of Europe, and before a short series of
concerts in America (Ben Gunn's last), it is decided to spend teh proceeds
on the band's first trip to a 24-track studio. Despite every effort to
invest the whole sum in multi-tracking guitars, the Sisters come out with a
three track single in October. "TEMPLE OF LOVE" is in every respect a
monster. Backed with "HEARTLAND" and "GIMME SHELTER", it is destined to be
their last independantly released record.
1984:
Wayne Hussey joins the Sisters. Concentrating upon the acoustic and
twelve-string guitars, he makes his debut in April. Prior to a UK tour in
May, the band announces that it has signed to WEA, although the production
and design of all its records will still be controlled by Merciful Release.
"BODY AND SOUL/TRAIN/BODY ELECTRIC (re-recorded)/AFTERHOUrs," a four track
single described by Eldritch as a "vision of heaven with everyone on speed,
" narrowly misses the UK Top Forty, and a third BBC session showcases some
of the material which will later comprise the Sisters' first album. Demos
are recorded for the album and the band travel to New York in August to play
two sell-out dates.
Work on the LP postponed due to Eldritch's ill-health bu the band continue
to play live, culminating the "Black October" tour. The Sisters' European
audience continues to grow, particularly in Germany and the UK. "WALK
AWAY/POISON DOOR/ ON THE WIRE" is released. There are, hoever, barely
concealed tensions within the band. Many are tempted to read into the
lyrics of "WALK AWAY" a public appeal to Gary Marx. Worries about
Eldritch's exhaustion and his not-so-private leisure pursuits are fuelled by
the lyrics to "ON THE WIRE"
1985:
"NO TIME TO CRY/ BLOOD MONEY/ BURY ME DEEP" is issued in February
and the "Tune In, Turn On, Burn Out" tour opens in March. Gary Marx's
departure is announced and the debut album goes straight into the Top
Twenty. Flawed and scarred it may be, but "FIRST AND LAST AND ALWAYS" went
gold and is still regarded as a collection of classic songs. To mark the
evet, The Sisters stage an end-of-tour concert in London's Royal Albert
Hall. Eldritch, Adams, Hussey and the Doktor play loud, hard, and
flawlessly, and the atmosphere in the auditorium charged as seldom before.
The Sisters Of Mercy are celebrating the first pinnachle of their existence,
Eldritch is expected to leave teh state with his usual "Goodnight!" but
tonight it's "Goodbye." He has already decided that this will be the only
Sisters' performance to be filmed, that the resulting film is to be titled
"WAKE". It will be five years before The Sisters Of Mercy play live again.
1986:
Craig Adams and Wayne Hussey have left the band; disagreements over matters
of writing and touring were understandable, and the departure was amicable
enough. Nevertheless, an understanding was breached when their demo tapes
began to reappear under various permutations of the Sisters' name. Disputes
arose and were settled with extreme prejudice until they are advised that
they have a legal right to be called "The Sisterhood." In a matter of weeks
they are to play live. As a recording artist, Eldritch has an exclusive
contract with WEA, who protect their opinion on the other band. He has no
way of making a challenge via the concert platform. Even worse, RCA plan to
give half The Sisters' publishing advance to the other band. Throughtful
parties follow the logic, look at the calender and realise that the whole
sum would go to the first party to make an album. Eldritch is a vocalist
without a band, songs, or any record company support. But thoughtful. He
issues a polite warning but it is ignored. By swift coincidence, Merciful
Release unleashes "GIVING GROUND" by Th Sisterhood. An Eldritch production,
the single streaks to the top of teh independant chart. Now there is only
one Sisterhood. The album "GIFT" follows quickly. Performed by a loose
coalition of forces allied to Merciful Release, but written by Andrew
Eldritch. As they write the cheque, RCA are left pondering the exact
meaning of the opening lines "Two Five Zero Zero Zero...Jihad!" Some say
that RCA earnt so much money from the various Sisters that they should have
paid each band the whole advance. Some say the album was recorded
impossibly fast, and written to be unlistenable in order to sting RCA and
escape the contract (Eldritch was promptly dropped). One this is undeniably
true: "Gift" is the German word for "poison".
1987:
Eldritch has thrown everything in the air and it had not come down.
The Sisters Of Mercy were the most bootlegged band of the decade, but had
completely stopped playing live when they seemed at the height of their
power. Eldritch had moved to Hamburg Germany, and the English press
pronounced him retired or dead. After "Gift" they should have known better.
Ahead of its time, this dense soundscape took to extremes some of the most
important elements of the Sisters' psyche. Without losing sight of the
original Sisters' vicious trash aesthetic, it assimilated the advances in
continental dance music. The layers of ersatz Elgar and chant added an
aching poignancy to the terse and savage wit of the lyrics. Insistent and
tuneful, the songs were harnessed to a menacing synthetic groove somewhere
between the New York underground and the hardcore techno-beat of Brussels
and Berlin. Eldritch was enjoying his new-found freedoms. Rumour fed upon
rumour, and in the absence of the band the legend just grew. The Sisters
were bigger than ever before, and in a position to refocus with confidence
on the future. Expectation rose to fever pich as the next phase was launched.
"THIS CORROSION/TOURCH/COLOURS" is released by WEA. The single enters the
UK Top Ten and becomes the #1 Alternative Record in America. It is also
announced that Patricia Morrison has been recruited and that the band will
not be enlarged further. On TV screens all over the planet, the torrential
rain of "This Corrosion" sets the pace for a series of spectacular videos.
The "FLOODLAND" album is released in November. A World-wide hit in critical
and commercial terms. "FLOODLAND" places the acoustic/electric guitars of
the first album on a backdrop of keyboards inspired by the experimentation
of "Gift" A fifth generation Doktor Avalanche drives a selection of songs
which highlight Eldritch's maturity as a singer and songwriter.
1988:
A dramatic video set in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra heralds
"DOMINION/EMMA" which charts at number 13. "LUCRETIA MY REFLECTION/ LONG
TRAIN" provides the Sisters with their third chart single from the
"Floodland" LP. The album goes gold and proceeds to sell over 200,000
copies in the USA.
1989:
A comilation video ("SHOT") is issued featuring the three singles
from "FLOODLAND" and an additional clip of 1959 which was filmed on location
in India during the shooting of the "LUCRETIA" video.
1990:
Andreas Bruhn (guitar) joins the band; he and Andrew Eldritch write
songs for the next album. and Tony James (bass) replaces the recently
departed Patricia Morrison as The Sisters begin recording in Denmark. Tim
Bricheno (formerly guitarist with All About Eve) completes the line-up as
the LP "VISION THING" is being finished. "VISION THING" is released in
November. It is preceeded by a single "MORE/ YOU COULD BE THE ONE, " which
continues the band's hard-earned tradition of international chart success,
particularly in West Germany, where the album achieves gold status.
Compared to its predecessor, "VISION THING" is a much more stripped down
affair. Half of teh finished mixes for the album are shelved in favour of
the rough mixes from earlier in the recording session: "monitor mixes" which
retain the immediate feel of the songs. The guitars are more direct than
they were on "FLOODLAND" and there is far less emphasis on the layering of
sound which characterised the last Sisters album. The keyboards are kept to
a bare minimum, and the baritone voice of Eldritch is clear amid the storm.
The lyrics retain their usual oblique sub-texts, but there is a new
directness of language on the surface. It has been noticed that there is no
sense whatsoever of victim on the "VISION THING" album It is confident to
the point of arrogance, commanding to the point of sheer callousness. An
intellectual tour-de-force of beautiful cruelty. The band played suprise
concerts in Ireland. "DOCTOR JEEP" is issued as a single, coupled with rare
live tracks. Brazilian warm-up dates are followed by a European tour which
stars two dates at London's 11, 000 capacity Wembley Arena.
1991:
The Sisters Of Mercy mark their tenth anniversary of their live
debut with two shows for the members of The Reptile House. The Sisters Of
Mercy information service, in their birthplace, Leeds. There is a tour of
southern Europe. "WHEN YOU DON'T SEE ME/ RIBBONS (live)/ SOMETHING FAST
(live)" is released as a single in Germany. A North American tour opens on
March 25th in Ontario. The first gig sells out in two hours. Another trip
to northern Europe follows in April and May, including wildly recieved shows
in Poland and Hungary and in arena-tour of Germany.
With encouragement of agents and promoters, the band returns to the
States for an Arena-tour on which they are to be supported by special guests
Public Enemy. By the time the tour starts the American concert industry has
slumped. Consequently the last leg of the tour is cancelled and many take
the opportunity to overlook the fact that everybody had a great time at some
truely groundbreaking concerts. "Serious entertainment" as the band put it,
"without any of the ersatz hippy bullshit that passes for attitude in so
much of today's scene" The Sisters eventually make it out of Miami, and
seal their year with a guerilla raid on the European festival circuit, most
particularly at the Rock Am Ring and Reading where they headline in front of
30,000. Tony James decides this is a suitable moment to move on in his
quest for Showbusiness Valhalla.
1992:
The retrospective album "SOME GIRLS WANDER BY MISTAKE" is released
in May and quickly goes gold. The single released to accompany the album
"TEMPLE OF LOVE (1992)" crashes into the UK charts at number 3, and becomes
an international chart success. Summer festivals in Germany are followed by
a sell out show at Birmingham's NEC. The final gig of the year is in front
of 30,000 Belgians at the Pukkelpop festival, and is preceeded by a warm-up
show the night before at the home of a Reptile House member in Oberhausen,
Germany. Eldritch parts company with his Merciful Release management team,
Bricheno and Bruhn depart to pursue colo projects, and the band is "stood
down" for a sabbatical.
1993:
Summer shows supporting Depeche Mode in Europe are followed by
another compilation album, "A SLIGHT CASE OF OVERBOMBING" A single
featuring new guitarist Adam Pearson, "UNDER THE GUN/ALICE (1993)" is
released simultaneously, and assumes its customary top ten chart position.
The compilation video released in 1988 is updated by the addition of the
Vision Thing promos and re-released under the name "SHOT (Rev 2.0)" The
year ends with a tour of Germany, supported by The Ramones, and three
British shows in Brixton and Birmingham. For a time there will be silence....
The members of the band until 1985
From left: Gary Marx, Craig Adams, Andrew Eldritch and Wayne Hussey