Formed in 1981, The Lords of the New Church already carried international Punk Rock pedigree. One could say they were to "punk" what Asia was "progressive stadium rock." Singer Stiv Bator and guitarist Brian James were founding members of (respectively) Cleveland's Dead Boys and London's The Damned. Both were successful, influential punk pioneers. The band was rounded out by punk stalwarts Dave Tregunna (bass, formerly of Sham 69) and Nick Turner (drums, formerly of The Barracudas).While The Lords retained a punk rebellion, their music was darker, more melodic and (frankly) better-produced. Their talents alienated the die-hard punk audience, while bringing them a wider, more diverse following.The Lords concept began in 1980 when Bator and James renewed an acquaintance that began when the Dead Boys opened for the Damned on several CBGB dates and an English tour. After splitting with their previous bands, Bator and James briefly enlisted ex-Generation X bassist Tony James and ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes. Later in 1980, Damned drummer Rat Scabies, and Tregunna replaced Tony and Terry for a single gig billed as the "Dead Damned Sham Band." By the time The Lords recorded their self-titled I.R.S. release in 1982, Turner had replaced Scabies and this more or less became the permanent lineup retained throughout the band's most productive
years.
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In 1985, The Lords slowly began to disintegrate. They recorded a mockingly rich single of Madonna's "Like A Virgin" for the IRS' "Best Of" Collection, KILLER LORDS. Around this time Tregunna left, replaced briefly by Grant Flemming, before returning to the band a short time later. A second guitarist, Alistair Simmons, was also added but later canned. Eventually Turner quit to be with his singer/actress wife, Hillary Shepard (of IRS stablemate American Girls with whom he had started a family) and was replaced by Danny Fury on the drums. Bator injured his back in 1988, forcing James to advertise for a replacement singer. When Bator found out, he played the encore of his last show donning a T-shirt with James' newspaper ad printed across the front. He then proceeded to fire the remaining members on-stage.Bator died in 1990 of injuries sustained when he was struck by a car in Paris, quashing all possibilities of his return or a reunion of the original band.
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