While The Lords retained a punk rebellion, their music was darker, more melodic and (frankly) better-produced. Their talents alienated the die-hard punk audience, while bringing them a wider, more diverse following.
The Lords concept began in 1980 when Bator and James renewed an acquaintance that began when the Dead Boys opened for the Damned on several CBGB dates and an English tour. After splitting with their previous bands, Bator and James briefly enlisted ex-Generation X bassist Tony James and ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes. Later in 1980, Damned drummer Rat Scabies, and Tregunna replaced Tony and Terry for a single gig billed as the "Dead Damned Sham Band." By the time The Lords recorded their self-titled I.R.S. release in 1982, Turner had replaced Scabies and this more or less became the permanent lineup retained throughout the band's most productive years.
Though the debut was well-received, The Lords became more notorious for their live shows. A devotee of Iggy Pop, Bator had developed a fearless reputation in his Dead Boys days and continued such antics with The Lords. The most famous being the time he reportedly hanged himself during a show. Bator's stunt had went awry. He was pronounced clinically dead for several minutes. Nonetheless, Bator survived and The Lords recorded two more successful albums for I.R.S., IS NOTHING SACRED? and THE METHOD TO OUR MADNESS.
In 1985, The Lords slowly began to disintegrate. They recorded a mockingly rich single of Madonna's "Like A Virgin" for the IRS' "Best Of" Collection, KILLER LORDS. Around this time Tregunna left, replaced briefly by Grant Flemming, before returning to the band a short time later. A second guitarist, Alistair Simmons, was also added but later canned. Eventually Turner quit to be with his singer/actress wife, Hillary Shepard (of IRS stablemate American Girls with whom he had started a family) and was replaced by Danny Fury on the drums. Bator injured his back in 1988, forcing James to advertise for a replacement singer. When Bator found out, he played the encore of his last show donning a T-shirt with James' newspaper ad printed across the front. He then proceeded to fire the remaining members on-stage.
Bator died in 1990 of injuries sustained when he was struck by a car in Paris, quashing all possibilities of his return or a reunion of the original band.
In 2001, surviving members Brian James and Dave Tregunna announced a reformed Lords of the New Church. This new line-up, now a quintet consisting of James and Tregunna and new members Steven Marque on vocals, Jez Miller on guitar, and "Ozzie" on drums is set to tour Europe in spring 2002 and the US in the summer. A new album by this line up is due in May 2002.
Stay tuned for more details!
Mr Bill would like to thank Adam W Becvare
for more or less building this page!
LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH
Produced by The Lords
Recorded at Farmyard Studios
Mega Thanks to Miles Copeland, Derek Dowsett and the Illegal Gang
Mastered by Frank DeLuna & Marv Bornstein at A&M
Layout by Carl Grasso
Musicians:
Stiv Bator lead vocals
Brian James guitar & backing vocals
Dave Tregunna bass & backing vocals
Nick Turner drums & backing vocals
Additional Musicians:
Matt Irving synthesizers
Simon & Rudi horns
Track Listing:
Although The Lords members had spawned punk rock, their debut album announced to the world that the Lords of the New Church were more than a punk band. They'd now proclaim to be the last beacon of truth in a world nearing its end. Guitarist Brian James and the Tregunna/Turner rhythm section provide a pulsating, bleak canvas for the face, mouth, and heart of The Lords, Stiv Bator. Here Bator casts himself in the role of rock & roll poet/preacher/prophet. On THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH, his lyrical maturity overthrows his former useless Dead Boys ramblings. Consider The Lords ethos from their debut opening track, "New Church" -- "Truth can't be found on the television/Throw away youth ya gotta take a stand/Music is your only weapon/Spanners in the works go start your gang..." LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH stands as a thorn twisting in it's Reagan era side. Bator's message of personal freedom, and the fervor and integrity with which The Lords delivered it, shall forever remain timeless. Be a Lord of the New Church...
--Adam W Becvare
IS NOTHING SACRED?
Musicians:
Stiv Bator lead vocals
Brian James guitar & backing vocals
Dave Tregunna bass & backing vocals
Nick Turner drums & backing vocals
Additional Musicians:
Matt Black synthesizers
Rudi Thompson tenor sax & trumpet
Simon Lloyd alto sax & trumpet
Todd Rundgren synths on track #10
Track Listing:
--Adam W Becvare
LIVE FOR TODAY EP
Musicians:
Stiv Bator lead vocals
Brian James guitar & backing vocals
Dave Tregunna bass & backing vocals
Nick Turner drums & backing vocals
Additional Musicians:
Matt Black synthesizers
Rudi Thompson horns
Track Listing:
Review coming Soon!
THE METHOD TO OUR MADNESS
Produced by Cris Tsangarides for Rock Steady Productions
Assisted by Andy Warwick
Recorded at Studio Miravel (France), Powerplant, Battery & Musicworks (England)
Mixed at Farmland Maison Rouge & Battery Studios
Photography by Sheila Rock
Design by Graphyk
Thanks to Ian Sales & the FBI
Musicians:
Stiv Bator lead vocals
Brian James guitar & backing vocals
Dave Tregunna bass & backing vocals
Nick Turner drums & backing vocals
Additional Musicians:
Matt Irving, Chris Tsangarides, Mike Hugg synthesizers & keyboards
Rudi Thompson horns
Jacques Loussier piano
Vicki & Samantha Brown, Helen Chappelle, Tricia Ronane, Paola Pieroni, and Tanya Landau backing vocals
Miles Copeland verbal abuse on Cut #1
Hein Hoven string arrangements
Track Listing:
The Lords' third release, rockwise THE METHOD TO OUR MADNESS sounds closer to their debut. The band is much rawer than their previous release thanks to the energies and production of Chris Tsangarides. The opening salvo is "Method to My Madness," a straight-up rocker with vocal contribution by I.R.S. Records' impresario & CEO Miles Copeland, who admonishes, "...don't go tellin' secrets -- this record's gotta sell!" After that, The Lords aggression level rests only for the Russian Roulette-like ballad, "I Never Believed" and "When Blood Runs Cold" (which includes Strings with Stiv!) THE METHOD TO OUR MADNESS contains some of The Lords' best non-hits: the sinister, bass-driven single "Murder Style" and "The Seducer," a tale of a figure who might be a messiah, might be an antichrist, probably not too far off from how Bator saw himself. The closer, "My Kingdom Come" brings it all to an end -- and it was; The Lords would never again record at full power before their split in 1988.
--Adam W Becvare.
KILLER LORDS
1988 Re-release compiled by John Guarnieri
Other Production Credits:
Coming Soon!
Musicians:
Stiv Bator lead vocals
Brian James guitar & backing vocals
Dave Tregunna bass & backing vocals
Nick Turner drums & backing vocals
Additional Musicians:
Coming Soon!
Track Listing:
Review coming Soon! Originally released in 1986 with only tracks 1 thru 12. The above information (and cover image) pertains to the 1988 re-release with 7 bonus tracks (13 thru 19).
"Open Your Eyes"/"A Question Of Temperature"
Produced by The Lords
Other Production Credits
Coming Soon!
REVIEW COMING SOON!
"Open Your Eyes"/"Holy War" (PROMOTIONAL 12" VINYL)
Produced by The Lords
Other Production Credits
Coming Soon!
REVIEW COMING SOON!
"Live For Today"/"Girls Girls Girls"
Produced by Todd Rundgren (for Alchemedia Prod. Inc.)
Engineered by Chris Andersen
Recorded at Utopia Sound Studios, New York
B-Side Produced by The Lords
B-Side recorded at Farmyard Studios, England
Photography by Chris Garnham
Design by Graham Humphries
REVIEW COMING SOON!
"Method To My Madness"/"?" (PROMOTIONAL 12" VINYL)
Produced by The Lords
Other Production Credits
Coming Soon!
REVIEW COMING SOON!
BORN TO SKI SOUNDTRACK (IRS 13134): features "John The Bad"
HEARING AIDS (no number) includes "Live For Today"
KROQ PRESENTS THE NORMAL NOISE OF IRS (IRS #?) includes "Dance With Me"
OUT OF BOUNDS SOUNDTRACK (IRS 6180): features "Fresh Flesh"
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 SOUNDTRACK (IRS 6184) includes
"Good To Be Bad" and "Mind Warp"
THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS! (IRS82010) includes "Like A Virgin"
There are many websites devoted to The Lords Of The New Church. Here are but a few...