Spear of Destiny (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Spear of Destiny | |
|---|---|
| Origin | London, England |
| Genre(s) | Post-punk, Alternative rock, Indie rock |
| Years active | 1982– present |
| Label(s) | S.S., Burning Rome, Epic Records, Virgin Records, Eastworld, Do-Little |
| Associated acts | Theatre of Hate, Dead Men Walking, Bush |
| Website | Brandon’s Website Spear of Destiny on Myspace |
| Members | |
| Craig Adams Kirk Brandon Robin Goodridge Adrian Portas |
|
| Former members | |
| Pete Barnacle Steve Barnacle Chris Bell Stevie Blanchard Chris Bostock Mark Celvallos Mickey Donnelly Graham Wilkinson Volker Janssen Lascelles James John Boy Lennard John McNutt Marco Pirroni Neil Pyzer Art Smith Alan St. Claire Stan Stammers Dolphin Taylor Mark Thwaite Mick Proctor |
|
Spear of Destiny is a British rock band, established in 1983 by singer and songwriter Kirk Brandon (born on 3 August 1956, in Westminster, London) and bassist Stan Stammers (born on 19 May 1961). It had an ever-changing line-up through the years.
Contents |
[edit] Brief Biography
Brandon had previously been in The Pack, and from 1980 to 1982 in the post-punk Theatre of Hate with its album Westworld and single 'Do You Believe In The Westworld ?', which was a UK Top 40 single in 1982, whilst the album made the Top 20.
As had happened with Joy Division and New Order, the band were criticised for using the name Spear of Destiny, with its potential Nazi overtones. Any such links were fiercely denied, particularly since the band were politically left-leaning.
Spear of Destiny recorded one session for John Peel (recorded 22/11/1982, transmitted on BBC Radio 1 on 29/11/1982). Between 1980 and 1982, Theatre of Hate recorded three.[1]
“The band played a punk-influenced form of power rock, which often had an anthemic feel”. [2]
The critical consensus is that Spear of Destiny’s second album, ‘One Eyed Jacks’ (1984), is their best album. (It reached number 22 in the UK). However, arguably, Spear of Destiny’s reputation in the mid-1980s depended to a greater extent on their live performances.
In 1985, their album, 'World Service' reached the UK Top 20. Founder member Stan Stammers left in 1986. In the wake of the release of the fourth album, ‘Outland’ (1987) and its hit "Never Take Me Alive", the band began achieving some overdue single chart success and staging sell-out shows, including a support slot to U2 at Wembley stadium. Unfortunately, ill fortune struck on the eve of the band’s appearance at the Reading Festival, as Brandon contracted Reiter disease which obliged the band to put all their plans on hold for nearly a year.[3] After recovery, Brandon and Spear of Destiny never regained their momentum. Indeed, the band have failed to chart with any of the albums they have released after the 1980s.
To date, Spear of Destiny have had 10 UK Top 75 singles. Four reached the Top 50 but only one made the Top 20 - Never Take Me Alive in 1987.[4]
Aside from Brandon and Stammers, past members of the band in the 1980s included former Gillan drummer Pete Barnacle, former JoBoxers bassist Chris Bostock, former Adam & the Ants guitarist Marco Pirroni, and former Tom Robinson Band and Stiff Little Fingers drummer Dolphin Taylor.[5]
Brandon once played in an early incarnation of Culture Club. In the mid 1990s, Brandon embarked on unsuccessful legal action against Boy George over allegations of a homosexual relationship, revealed in George’s autobiography. The Judgement went against Brandon and he was ordered to pay a significant part of the not inconsiderable legal costs.[6] Brandon is married.
Kirk is also a member of the 'super-group' Dead Men Walking.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
[edit] Studio
- Grapes of Wrath (1983) #62
- One Eyed Jacks (1984) #22
- World Service (1985) #11
- Outland (1987) #16
- The Price You Pay (1988) #37
- Sod's Law (1991)
- Religion (1997)
- Volunteers (2000)
- Morning Star (2003)
- Loadestone (2005)
- Imperial Prototype (2007)
[edit] Live
- Live at the Lyceum 22.12.85 (released 1993)
- Radio One Live In Concert (1987, released 1994)
- The Preacher (1983, released 2000)
- Kings of London (2000, released 2001)
- Live at the Colchester Arts Centre (2002)
[edit] Compilations
- The Epic Years (1987)
- The Collection (1991)
- Time Of Our Lives: The Best Of (1995)
- The Best of Spear of Destiny (1998)
- The Best of Spear of Destiny (2004)
[edit] Singles
| Title | Release date | Album | UK chart position |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Flying Scotsman"/"The Man Who Tunes The Drums" | May, 1983 | Grapes of Wrath | 85 |
| "The Wheel"/"The Hop" | May, 1983 | Grapes of Wrath | 59 |
| "Prisoner Of Love"/"Rosie" | January, 1984 | One Eyed Jacks | 59 |
| "Liberator"/"Forbidden Planet" | April, 1984 | One Eyed Jacks | 67 |
| "All My Love"/"Last Card" | May, 1985 | World Service | 61 |
| "Come Back"/"Cole Younger" | July, 1985 | World Service | 55 |
| "Mickey"/"Up All Night" (Original version) | July, 1985 | World Service | - |
| "Strangers In Our Town"/"Somewhere Out There" | January, 1987 | Outland | 49 |
| "Never Take Me Alive"/"Land Of Shame" | March, 1987 | Outland | 14 |
| "Was That You?"/"Was That You?" (Live at the Hammersmith Odeon) | July, 1987 | Outland | 55 |
| "The Traveller"/"Late Night Psycho" | September, 1987 | Outland | 44 |
| "So In Love With You"/"March Or Die" | September, 1988 | The Price You Pay | 36 |
| "Radio Radio"/"Life Goes On" | November, 1988 | The Price You Pay | 78 |
| "Black Country Girl"/"Babylon Talking" | September, 1992 | Sod's Law | - |
| "Uphill Backwards"/"Never Take Me Alive" (1999 version) | 1999 | Volunteers | - |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ John Peel Sessions on BBC Radio 1;
- ^ Joynson, V. (2001) Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk, Borderline Productions, Wolverhampton, p. 358;
- ^ Thompson, D. (2000) Alternative Rock, Miller Freeman Books, San Francisco, p. 650;
- ^ Chart runs in the UK Singles Chart since 1952;
- ^ Strong, M.C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, Edinburgh, p. 519 - 520;
- ^ Larkin, C. (2003) The Virgin Encyclopedia of 80s Music, Virgin Books, London, p. 439;
