Sisters Of Mercy

For setlists, memories and bootlegs etc...

Moderators: BzaInSpace, runcible, spzretent, MODLAB

Post Reply
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

Admittedly i'm not a fan. I did like some of the early singles.

However, I was at my local record shop friday and at the checkout was a stack of free tix to their show here last night. So I took a couple. Figuring at the very least it would be good people watching. And that it was. What really floored me was the size of the crowd given decent to great bands dont really draw here in Detroit anymore. And I am sure not that many had freebies as there was only one shop that had them.

The band, oh are they bad. Did they ever have a drummer? The lights were very sporadic and kept flashing different colors from behind the band and there was loads of smoke/dry ice for the part of the show I watched. But it seemed calculated to sheild some things. I lasted 6 songs. Which aint bad. Free tix give you the objectivity to leave whenever you want and not feel like you wasted anything but time.
So we went to a local watering hole about a third of the way thru their set. And slowly the bar started filling up with others who were there. I felt particularly bad for the women(or guy she was with who probably bought it) sporting a $30 Sisters t shirt. She must've bought it before the show.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
SpacemanRob
Known user
Posts: 250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 8:33 pm

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by SpacemanRob »

I had the misfortune to see them at the Astoria a couple of years ago and it was truely horrific! They were once great and i was lucky enough to see them years ago at the Royal Albert Hall. I still occasionally play FALAA but they are finished as a group. Eldritch can no longer sing and the smoke disguises an average backing band.
FYI they always used a drum machine - Doktor Avalanche - but this fails to disguise the disintegration of a band that once were really great live.
Maybe it is getting older, but as well as the Sisters i have also had the misfortune to see JAMC and The Verve over the last 2 years and all 3 groups have ruined their reputation as great live bands. It makes you wonder about the nostalgia tours that seem to be so popular currently.
Thank God that a few like Spz and Julian Cope, for example, continue to be great live.
supershonn
Known user
Posts: 163
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:57 pm

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by supershonn »

mmmmmmm i L O V E those early singles, 'valentine' 'kiss the carpet' and such. one would imagine that live hey would be a bore, i've not followed them in years so i can only imagine what they are up to.
nickh
Known user
Posts: 591
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 1:52 pm
Location: London

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by nickh »

I saw them at the Lyceum in 1984 and they were dreadful then! I left early too.
rameses
Known user
Posts: 762
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: At the Abyss, peering in.

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by rameses »

They used to be one of my fave bands - I saw them a few times in Leeds and London and they were always really good. I think the lack of activity over the last decade or so probably shows a lack of enthusiasm both from and for them. The whole 'goth' thing has changed a bit since the late 80's.
It's nice to be liked,
But it's better by far to get paid.
runcible
Site Admin
Posts: 5443
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Yorkshire, England

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by runcible »

I saw them at Wembley Arena about 18 years ago and they were pretty dull. I never really got into a lot of their stuff. The second wave - Floodland etc. - was so outrageously ripped off from Chrome (who never get the respect or credit they deserved) yet I never heard Eldritch say anything about his influences for that period.

It's interesting about goths - I think they are the best behaved and generally pleasant of all youth cults. I was always based in punk from the age of about 14 but I met some really horrible punks, and the same goes for most other musical genres, but goths always had good manners and were generally nicer people. I guess that's why the murder of that goth girl a few months back was so shocking to so many.
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

well based on the size of the crowd they drew here there is still a lot interest.
so many people w/such low expectations(or maybe they really did it).
perhaps it was a good reason for the 40-50 year old ex-goths to dress up again.
but it was dreadful.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
rameses
Known user
Posts: 762
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: At the Abyss, peering in.

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by rameses »

runcible wrote:I saw them at Wembley Arena about 18 years ago and they were pretty dull.
So did I, but I thought they were good. But it had been a really good day out before hand so maybe that helped 8)
It's nice to be liked,
But it's better by far to get paid.
runcible
Site Admin
Posts: 5443
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Yorkshire, England

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by runcible »

I remember one song being decent towards the end but I never worked out what it was. I just got bored very quickly during their set. I didn't really get the whole goth music thing to a large extent even though I was a big fan of The Mission and The Cult for a while, but that was when those bands were into the big hippy psychedelic thing.
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

well I guess the moral of this story is people pick their bands to follow. And some with real intensity. Mine is Spiritualized. And I am thankful for that. Like a lot of the other 40+ somethings on this board I used to go to probably 100 shows a year minimum. This was back from the mid 80's to mid 90's.
I pick my shows very carefully now. I go to about 3 or 4 a year. Having to now pay has something to do with this as well as the fact you can still smoke at shows here. As a non smoker it is brutal.

And I do think the whole goth thing is so passed its sell by date in the US that this was a like a reunion for older goths. So thats cool.

Having said all this I just passed on a free Madonna ticket for tomorrow night($165 ticket). I did my homework, looked at the set list and she does 2 songs i wouldn't mind seeing. But the idea of going to a football stadium with 50,000 Madonna fans to see two songs I like was not appealing at all.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
MODLAB
Site Admin
Posts: 2320
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 6:52 pm
Location: Stuck in a spacetime interval.
Contact:

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by MODLAB »

Having said all this I just passed on a free Madonna ticket for tomorrow night($165 ticket). I did my homework, looked at the set list and she does 2 songs i wouldn't mind seeing. But the idea of going to a football stadium with 50,000 Madonna fans to see two songs I like was not appealing at all.

um perfect concert to take a date... or... just think of the 30-40 year olds there... 8) :wink:
Design.
spacemanrich
Known user
Posts: 1270
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: s.f.

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spacemanrich »

I saw the Sisters of Mercy on the " Vision Thing " tour back in 91' or 92' and it wasn't bad ? Yeah, I think they always had "Dr.Avalanche" for their drumming. I the Mission play about 7 years ago in S.F. or so and it was HORRIBLE. Sisters of Mercy was way better when they had Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams in the band. Saw that the Sisters of Mercy are playing in S.F., and I think I will pass on it due to the reviews on this board. Totally was into goth growing up w/ Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, the Cure, etc. - miss the good old days ...
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

SpRich:
Dont let me put you off. I was never a Sisters fan. I just went because there were free tix and it is about 2 miles from my house. I used to sell a lot of goth recrords in my shop. So I was always aware of it. Just never really went for it. I do like a few Bauhaus and Sisters songs and did go see Love & Rockets once on the Express tour. We were talking to them before the show. Talk about humorless folks. The show was good though. The Bubblemen came on and did there thing before.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
purespace
Known user
Posts: 1178
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Michigan, USA

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by purespace »

I was huge Sisters fan back in the day of the Reptile House e.p., Valentine, Burn, Fix, etc.(even had the logo painted on the back of my black leather jacket :lol: )Saw them in Detroit a few? years back when the Warlocks opened. I should have left after the Warlocks set. It was terrible and embarrassing. Andrew needs to give that enormous ego a well deserved rest and I should have left my teenage memories well enough alone. I have the video tape "Wake" recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall and that to me is the definitive Sisters with Wayne.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCzgOwrHedg
I think I feel it coming on
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

Maybe its just the opportunity to flog merchandise?
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
supershonn
Known user
Posts: 163
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:57 pm

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by supershonn »

ha! that's what destroyed the sisters. WAYNE. i wasn't one for the shimmery guitars. gimme that bassline and that drum machine. ohh and andy's screeeeeeeeeam.


never seen them, never really wanted to. the only time i missed the warlocks was when they opened for the sisters. it was at house of blues of all places and takes were way too pricey.


what about 'fields of the nephilim (sp)? i had a girlfriend in high school that was just crazy about them. the only song i can remember is the one with just a bassline and a guy singing.......anyone???
runcible
Site Admin
Posts: 5443
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Yorkshire, England

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by runcible »

supershonn wrote:what about 'fields of the nephilim (sp)? i had a girlfriend in high school that was just crazy about them. the only song i can remember is the one with just a bassline and a guy singing.......anyone???
Not heard them mentioned for a while. I used to be into them too but although they were linked to the goth scene their cowboy western image (more Once Upon A Time In The West than John Wayne) gave them a little more originality. Carl McCoy's voice sounds so awful now that I'm wondering why they ever appealed to me, but I was really into them about 20 years ago. Their Dawnrazor album had some decent tunes on it - I still have a copy somewhere. I saw them live and they had more smoke than I have ever seen - at times you couldn't see the band at all - and the first time I thought they were fantastic as they looked really cool and I loved it. The second time... it was identical to the first but the appeal wasn't there and it was dull, and that was the end of my fascination with them. I sort of found that with Acid Mothers Temple (huge leap to the side here!), who were absolutely incredible the first time I saw them - I mean verging on the extraordinary - and then the second time the did the same thing as if it was a routine and I found it somewhat dull.
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

they were the equivalent of "alternative" goth in my shop. You had the standard Sisters, Mission, Bauhaus etc. But the "real" goths wanted Nephilim records.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
supershonn
Known user
Posts: 163
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:57 pm

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by supershonn »

it's killing me, what was the name of the song? it was really different sound from what i remember.

yeah, i used to tease the girl i was seeing about his voice, it was corny. really corny. and the look, haha, it's starting to come back to me, she was really into that whole long hair and cowboy hat music (why was she seeing me, i would wear a smiths shirt and a cardigan??) ohh high school.
runcible
Site Admin
Posts: 5443
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Yorkshire, England

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by runcible »

Could it be 'In Every Dream Home A Heartache', their Roxy Music cover? That was a b-side. It certainly starts with just bass and McCoy's creepy vocals. I used to rather like it but I bet I'd cringe now!
dselevan2
Known user
Posts: 629
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:07 pm

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by dselevan2 »

Such a good Roxy Music song, the live videos are so awesome.
Sim
Known user
Posts: 398
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:15 am
Location: East Anglia, UK

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by Sim »

supershonn wrote:what about 'fields of the nephilim (sp)? i had a girlfriend in high school that was just crazy about them. the only song i can remember is the one with just a bassline and a guy singing.......anyone???
Celebrate? - from the 2nd album The Nephilim?

Don't ask. :oops:
____________________________________________________
http://spiritualized-discography.com
supershonn
Known user
Posts: 163
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:57 pm

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by supershonn »

ha! Sim you genius, that's it. i had to find it online to confirm but that's it. i always remember really liking that bassline. now the vocals..... :shock:


while i was searching for the track, i came across some death metal they made!


wow, ok let's change subjects.
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

Damn! I was just about to dust off my full length black leather trench coat.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
MODLAB
Site Admin
Posts: 2320
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 6:52 pm
Location: Stuck in a spacetime interval.
Contact:

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by MODLAB »

spzretent wrote:Damn! I was just about to dust off my full length black leather trench coat.

no need to... i see enough here in germany for the whole board.


M
Design.
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

danke schoen!
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
Sim
Known user
Posts: 398
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:15 am
Location: East Anglia, UK

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by Sim »

spzretent wrote:Damn! I was just about to dust off my full length black leather trench coat.
But if you were a true Neffs fan you'd leave that dust right there.... and add a good sprinkling of flour to your cowboy hat to top it all off! http://www.fazer.ca/wp-content/uploads/ ... s_carl.jpg
____________________________________________________
http://spiritualized-discography.com
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by spzretent »

Busted :oops:
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
runcible
Site Admin
Posts: 5443
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Yorkshire, England

Re: Sisters Of Mercy

Post by runcible »

The flour is legendary for the Nephilim. There's a famous story of them getting stopped at customs with loads of kilo bags of flour that the officials were convinced were... ...something else.

(could that have been Detroit?)
Post Reply