The Sisters of Mercy
| The Sisters of Mercy | |
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The Sisters of Mercy performing on the main stage of Spirit of Burgas, Bulgaria, August 2008
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
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| Years active |
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| Website | www |
| Members |
Andrew Eldritch Chris Catalyst Ben Christo |
| Past members | See personnel section |
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band, formed in 1980 in Leeds. After achieving early underground fame in the UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company. Currently, the band is a touring outfit only.
The group has released three original studio albums, of which the last was released in 1990. Each album was recorded by a different line-up; singer-songwriter Andrew Eldritch and the drum machine called Doktor Avalanche are the only points of continuity among the line-ups. Eldritch and Avalanche were also involved in the Sisterhood, a side-project connected with Eldritch's dispute with former members.
The group ceased recording activity in 1993, when they went on strike against their record company Time Warner, which they accused of withholding royalties and of incompetence. Although Time Warner released them from their contract in 1997, they have not signed to another label, despite showcasing numerous new songs in their live sets.
Since 1985, when the other original members left, the Sisters of Mercy has become the artistic vehicle of Eldritch. Former members of the group established the bands Ghost Dance and the Mission.
The Sisters of Mercy were formed in Leeds, England, in 1980 by two regulars of the F-club punk night—Gary Marx and Andrew Eldritch—to satisfy their desire to hear themselves on the radio. During this time band a single, "Damage Done/Watch/Home of the Hit-men", was recorded and released. The name was influenced by Robert Altman's film McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), which featured the Leonard Cohen song "Sisters of Mercy" (from the album Songs of Leonard Cohen)—"because [calling ourselves] the Captains of Industry wouldn't have been as funny".
On the single Marx played guitar through a practice amplifier and Eldritch was on drums that he had bought from John Langford. The duo each wrote and sang on a song: Eldritch on "Damage Done", Marx on "Watch".
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