Leather Nun | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | Lädernunnan |
Origin | Gothenburg, Sweden |
Genres | Industrial, garage rock, gothic rock |
Years active | 1978 | –1995 , 2014–
Labels | Industrial, Wire, Wild Kingdom |
Associated acts | Strait Jacket |
Members | Jonas Almqvist |
Past members | Jonas Almqvist Bengt Aronsson Gert Claesson Freddie Wadling |
The Leather Nun (a.k.a. Lädernunnan) are a Swedish rock group. Careening from garage rock to goth and industrial, Leather Nun became cult heroes in their native land. In the early eighties they often shocked their audiences by showing adult movies and being accompanied by strippers when on stage.
The Leather Nun (originally named "Lädernunnan") was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1978 by radio DJ and fanzine editor Jonas Almquist (vocals) who, after getting agreement from Genesis P. Orridge to release a single on his Industrial Records label, recruited Bengt "Aron" Aronsson (guitar), Freddie Wadling (bass), and Gert Claesson (drums), all from punk band Strait Jacket. Although many people think so, Jonas Almquist claims not to have taken their name from the American underground comic Tales from the Leather Nun. He also claims that it was not taken from the stage name of a London stripper, but chosen because "it felt just as a clockwork name for a band who based its music on the dynamics between the pure innocent and the black shameful ...".
Inspired by such groups and artists like John Lee Hooker, The Mothers of Invention, Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, Rory Gallagher and Mick Ronson, The Leather Nun released their debut EP, Slow Death, in November 1979, featuring a recording of "Death Threats" from 1978 and three newly recorded tracks.John Peel played the lead song each night for two weeks on his BBC radio programme. The band soon attracted controversy over their use of hardcore gay pornography as part of their live shows.