First and Last and Always

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First and Last and Always
Studio album by The Sisters of Mercy
Released	March 11, 1985 1988 (on tray card)
Recorded	1984
Genre	Gothic rock, Alternative rock Post punk
Length	45:37
Label	Merciful Release/Warner Bros.
Producer	David M. Allen Reissue producer: Andy Zax
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Q Favourable Dec. 1999, p.171
The Sisters of Mercy chronology
First and Last and Always (1985) Floodland (1987)
Singles from First and Last and Always
"Walk Away" Released: October 1984 "No Time to Cry" Released: February 1985

First and Last and Always, the debut album by UK band The Sisters of Mercy was released on March 11, 1985, on band's own label Merciful Release (under distribution contract with WEA). It has been described by songwriter and singer Andrew Eldritch as 'some decent songs, but iffy production' [1].

All members of the band except Andrew Eldritch left the group after the album's promotional concert tour.

A remastered version of the album, based on second generation tapes and containing remixes by Andrew Eldritch originally made for the Japanese market, was released in 1992. Many fans, however, consider the original (unremixed) version to be superior [2]. Despite Eldritch's highly vocal rejection of the designation "Goth", First and Last and Always has consistently been praised in the canon of gothic rock, and in December, 1999, Q magazine included it in their list of "The Best Gothic Albums of All Time".

"Amphetamine Logic" is listed as "Logic" on the album, because the WEA insisted that many high street retailers would not stock the album if the word "Amphetamine" was used. The band decided not to contest this in preference to incurring possible delays with the album release and difficulties with their contract [3].

[edit] Track listing

(all lyrics written by Andrew Eldritch except where noted)

1. "Black Planet" (music: Hussey) – 4:27
2. "Walk Away" (music: Hussey) – 3:20
3. "No Time to Cry" (music: Adams, Marx, Hussey) – 3:54
4. "A Rock and a Hard Place" (music: Hussey) – 3:36
5. "Marian (version)" (music: Hussey) – 5:37
6. "First and Last and Always" (music: Marx) – 3:58
7. "Possession" (music: Hussey, Eldritch, Adams) – 4:36
8. "Nine While Nine" (music: Marx) – 4:07
9. "Amphetamine Logic" (music: Marx) – 4:46
10. "Some Kind of Stranger" (music: Marx) – 7:16

[edit] Bonus tracks on 2006 reissue

1. "Poison Door" (words and music: Marx)
2. "On the Wire" (music: Andrew Eldritch)
3. "Blood Money" (contentious)
4. "Bury Me Deep" (music: Andrew Eldritch)
5. "Long Train" (music: Andrew Eldritch)
6. "Some Kind of Stranger (Early Version)" (music: Marx)

On the original 7" and 12" singles, "Blood Money" is listed as Hussey/Eldritch, a reversal of the normal order, thereby implying that its credits are words: Hussey, music: Eldritch.

[edit] Personnel

• Andrew Eldritch - vocals
• Wayne Hussey - guitar, backing vocals
• Gary Marx - guitar
• Craig Adams - bass guitar
• Doktor Avalanche (drum machine) - drums
• Dave Allen - producer

v • d • e The Sisters of Mercy Andrew Eldritch Gary Marx • Craig Adams • Doktor Avalanche • Ben Gunn • Wayne Hussey • Andreas Bruhn • Tony James • Tim Bricheno • Adam Pearson Other people Studio Jim Steinman • Dave Allen • Larry Alexander • John Perry • Maggie Reilly • Ofra Haza Live Patricia Morrison • Dan Donovan • Chris Sheehan • Mike Varjak • Chris May • Ben Christo Studio albums First and Last and Always • Floodland • Vision Thing Compilations Some Girls Wander by Mistake • A Slight Case of Overbombing Selected bootlegs Some Boys Wander By Mistake Videos Wake (video) • Shot (video) Related articles Mission • Ghost Dance • The Sisterhood • James Ray • Merciful Release • "This Corrosion" • "More"