VIVE LE ROCK - Death Or Glory (A Compilation)

Right then, as the new issue of Vive Le Rock has hit the newsagent stands, with Johnny Thunders on the cover, and a great feature inside on the man, the myth and the murder. (No free CD, but a free double sided Thunders / Adam Ant poster) It's time to post the previous issues free disc.

Some of the bands on this CD need no introduction, like the sleazy Rock'n'Roll splendour of THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH for example, who kick off this 14 track collection with a remastered version of Things Go Bump. I've reviewed both THE REVERENDS and THE NOVEMBER FIVE's albums elsewhere on this blog, both were bought on the strength of their tracks; Give It Up Son and Here We Come from this compilation. I would have also spent cash on the MARK VENNIS & DIFFERENT PLACE one, but didn't have enough to spare, their track Portsdown Hill is a beautiful cinematic power pop ballad about the freedom of growing up. The piano pounding JIM JONES REVUE need no descriptions, Never Let You Go gets yer speakers rattling. With just a guitar and his voice PATRIK FITZGERALD is one of Britain great lost songwriters, his track Ambition is a testimony to that fact. Testify by DYNAMITE PUSSY CLUB is a mighty blast of garage punk. FLIPRON's Round and Round The Sun is a pop punk 60's psychedelic influenced tune, produced by Rat Scabies. Fun Police by THE FUCKWITS is just that, a fun knock about punk anthem reminiscent of Stiff Little Fingers. THE DESTRUCTORS are the purveyors of the finest Punk/Metal racket and turn in another mighty row with The End of The World is Coming Today. Never Let You Down by PIPES AND PINTS sounds like The Clash meeting The Pogues. THE GO GO CULT's My Baby Drives A UFO is a B-Movie Rockabilly romp. CHRIS POPE was the former singer/guitarist in mod punkers The Chords and Mutiny On The Thames is a catchy saxophone laced protest song. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah by the BLACKBOMBERS is a blast of Blues and Soul tinged Rock'n'Roll. Once again there's something for everyone here. Enjoy!

THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - Live @ The Reading Festival (Sun 24th Aug 1986) *RE-POST*

Today’s music is a second coming for those leather clad rock'n'roll renegades The Lords Of The New Church, made up from former members of The Dead Boys, The Damned, Sham 69 and The Barracudas, they truly were a 'punk super group' I saw The Lords many a time through out their career, always a good night out, Stiv Bator’s probably one of the best front man of a Rock'n'Roll band, second only to Iggy; microphone cable wrapped round his neck, rolling round the floor, prowling the stage, while Brian James riffed out over Dave Tregunna's throbbing bass and the solid pounding of Nicky Turners Drums. Maan! These guys were one sexy sleazy Rock'n'Roll beast, as a listen to any of their three albums will testify. The death of Stiv Bator in 1990 was the case of a life cut short too soon, hit by a car in Paris, he got up went home, went to bed and died in his sleep.

By the time of this recording at the Reading Festival in 1986 the band had reached their peak, but were nowhere near past their sell by date. Dave Tregunna had briefly left the band, to be replaced by Grant Flemming, who is charmingly introduced to the Reading audience by Stiv. The bands set is a nice selection of the old and the new, the quality of the recording aint half bad, considering the sound at the Reading Festival was notorious for floating off with the wind at times. Enjoy! And remember TRUTH IS THE SWORD OF US ALL!

As a footnote it's worth mentioning that there's a new collection of recordings available from Easy Action Records. The Gospel Truth is a 3 CD/DVD set that includes rare re-mastered studio recordings from 1987-88, and two live shows one from 1982 at The Agora, and another in 1988 in Lyon. If that wasn't enough there's a live DVD from Vienna in 1988. All this comes at the unholy price of £19.99, a bargain for all believers and worshippers of the New Church.  

THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - Truth Is The Sword

Put on yer eyeliner and squeeze into those leather/PVC trousers, it’s time to Rock’N’Roll out with The Lords Of The New Church. The Lords were always a good night out in the 80’s with the eyeliner running and the bollocks sweating by the end of the evening. I’ve had these couple of shows knocking about for a while waiting to post, but never got around to it until now that is. This post was inspired by a recent series of ones on The Lords over at Music Ruined My Life Blogspot which included some fine critical comments on the band; who could go from a song like their 1982 single Open Your Eyes, which I think is one of the best political statements made by a Rock’N’Roll group ever (It easily sits up there with anything by The Clash or Crass) to say, something like the singles b-side Girls, Girls, Girls without any hint of irony. A truly unique and individual group who were greater than the sum of their parts which were top quality in themselves; ex members of The Damned, Sham 69, The Barracudas and The Dead Boys. What was to be expected was what we received; 100% Honest Grade A Rock’N’Roll with a few minus B moments. What more could you ask from a band? Anyway what you’ve got here is a recording from The Loft in Berlin in 1984 and there’s one from The Reading Festival in 1986 just for good measure. I think Stiv rode on to the stage on a motorbike at this one, or was that Dumpy from The Rusty Nuts. Fucked if I can remember. Enjoy!

LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - BBC Radio In Concert 1982

Here’s a little something more for ya from the Lords of The New Church; a live BBC Radio In Concert performance from 1982. It was issued as an album in the USA as a Promo, with three extra tracks that are missing from this recording, but hey never mind, this is still quality shit from the black leather rock’n’rollers. The accompanying artwerk is a page from an old scrap book of mine; bringing the past into the present and preserving it for the future.

THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - Live in 82

Here’s a couple of live shows from those leather clad lovelies; The Lords Of The New Church. Both were recorded in the Autumn of 1982 in the good old U.S of A, I’m not sure if the venues/dates are 100% accurate, but I’m gonna go with what my supplier told me (a big thanx to rcs) The first one’s an audience recording from Boston 23/8/82 the second’s a Radio Broadcast from Hitsville, NJ 17/9/82 Same set at both gigs, so take yer pick if you fancy some top quality sleazy and sexy rock‘n’roll.

Right then here's some Psycho Sex, courtesy of a Lords of The New Church 12" These 4 tracks: Real Bad Time, Things Go Bump, Follow, Bang Bang Baby Maybe were released in 1986 on the French label; Bondage International. Not the bands finest songs, but still top stuff and essential listening, from the purveyors of the finest sleaze rock this side of Iggy and the New York Dolls. For a little bonus I've added the two tracks Good To Be Bad and Mindwarp which the band recorded for the soundtrack album to the film Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2. You know what you've got to do, just click.