Yet another ABSOLUTELY Unofficial, ARCANELY Archaic And POSITIVELY Fan Based Trib Page By YOUR Ever Faithful Leftenant, Me, Reg? .
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
Now then, from the band's seriously in need of updating official Divine Rites bio (link to yr left)...
The New Christs were originally formed by Radio Birdman and New Race vocalist Rob Younger after he was offered the support spot on Iggy Pop's Australian tour of 1984. The other members had played in groups such as Celibate Rifles, Lime Spiders and Hoodoo Gurus. The tour proved a success and the band stayed together, recording the two singles Like A Curse and Born Out Of Time for Sydney independent label Citadel Records . These releases gained universal acclaim for their tough and uncompromising nature. With the prospect of an album deal and European tour, the other members instead chose to return to their former interests. Younger was left to pursue a career producing some of the finest upcoming Australian alternative bands.
In 1986 Barracudas bass player Jim Dickson returned to Australia from the UK and together with Younger started a new line-up. Featured were Charlie Owen , a gifted but as yet unknown guitarist and drummer Louis Burdett who soon left to be replaced by Nick Fisher who had played with Ed Kuepper and Wet Taxis . This line-up released a series of hard hitting singles Black Hole , Headin' South , Another Sin and the EP Dropping Like Flies . These tracks were compiled under the title Divine Rites , whose European release allowed the group to tour there for the first time.
With the release of their 1989 debut album Distemper , through Citadel offshoot Blue Mosque, the band received glowing reviews and were at last played on national Australian radio. Healthy sales resulted. Better still a swelling demand in Europe saw the album released in all EC territories. A four month tour was embarked upon but sadly, as internal friction took its toll, the band dissolved. Apart from a final short tour of Australia supporting The Ramones, this awesome line-up never again resurfaced.
Three years later Younger and Christian Houllemare , bass player of Happy Hate Me Nots and French punkers Bad Brains, formed a nucleus of what was to evolve into the current band. Still with Citadel, they released the EP Pedestal and mini-album Woe Betide . These titles found their way into the US via small Canadian label Lance Rock. Interest was high enough to see a further release there with the compilation Born Out Of Time that featured a selection of tracks spanning the band's previous 10 years.
So... let's ROCK...