How many CD/LP sold m*****n vs Sisters

THE place for your Sisters-related comments, questions and snippets of Sisters information. For those who do not know, The Sisters of Mercy are a rock'n'roll band. And a pop band. And an industrial groove machine. Or so they say. They make records. Lots of records, apparently. But not in your galaxy. They play concerts. Lots of concerts, actually. But you still cannot see them. So what's it all about, Alfie? This is one of the few tightly-moderated forums on Heartland, so please keep on-topic. All off-topic posts will either be moved or deleted. Chairman Bux is the editor and the editor's decision is final. Danke.
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nowayjose
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Pursued By Trees wrote:Maybe he's been tagged with being 'difficult to work with' or something similar within the industry??
Many artists are "difficult to work with".
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nowayjose wrote:
Pursued By Trees wrote:Maybe he's been tagged with being 'difficult to work with' or something similar within the industry??
Many artists are "difficult to work with".
I agree.
I don't want to "sanctify" our amphetamine overlord but I suppose that there are worse (and obviously better) artists to work with...
It always wondered how "bad" would he be to drive all these people crazy...
..and...
I'm off...
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robertzombie
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I remember reading he wanted something like a £3million deal :lol:
Record company's ain't gonna pay that much for a band no-one knows anymore (except us of course).

S.O.T - Near my house is a massive billboard, it's nice walking home from the tube at night and imagining a bloody great MR logo plastered on it and a date in the near future underneath.
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stufarq
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stufarq wrote:The latest lawsuit?

And since we're at it, I love both bands. And am not afraid to say THE m*****n! Look - not dead yet. Nothing hap- (Is instantly struck down by a bald man wearing dark glasses and a UFP shirt.)
Hey! Does the forum automatically censor that word? I typed all the letters in an act of pathetic rebellion and they've still been asterisked out. Is AE hacking into my posts?
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It autocensors The Mission, yes.
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Pursued By Trees
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I guess I wasn't thinking so much of how personally difficult he might be to work with ... more things along the lines of the deal with East West referred to in Heartland 4 p45/46 about the deal over Puk Studios whereby Eldritch ended up owing the label approx £750,000 over the recording of Vision Thing:

"I live off writing so that's not really a worry to me. For me, personally, that's quite a good equation: in debt to the record company so they have to sell a lot to get the money back. And in the meantime, while they're selling them, I'm getting publishing money to live on, which is not recoupable from the cost of the record"

and also what Badlander said previously about SSV:

"It's just a trick Eldo played on the record company. Some s**t techno product coupled with Andrew's voice. By that point (97), the record company had got so fed up with Eldo and his strike that they accepted to regard it as a new Sisters album, hence ending Eldo's contract."

Seems to me that if you're a record company and you do a deal with Eldritch then a tiger has you by the tail. Can't really see them queing up to pay £3million to risk being burned like that.
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robertzombie
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He must have access to his own recording equipment (after all, he did Floodland himself) and there must be demos of the "new" songs. He could just release an album of those "new" demos and we'd be none the wiser but much happier.

Even if it was just on a CDr (or download even) through the website. Paypal isn't difficult to master.
I know that wouldn't be the same as going into a shop and picking it off the shelf but at least it'd be something, and that way he'd avoid the record company altogether a keep every penny.
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Prescott
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robertzombie wrote:He must have access to his own recording equipment (after all, he did Floodland himself) and there must be demos of the "new" songs. He could just release an album of those "new" demos and we'd be none the wiser but much happier.

Even if it was just on a CDr (or download even) through the website. Paypal isn't difficult to master.
I know that wouldn't be the same as going into a shop and picking it off the shelf but at least it'd be something, and that way he'd avoid the record company altogether a keep every penny.
Agreed, unless it really is "an idiot joke for an Idiot Nation" he's playing on us as Mr. Marx seems to suggest.

Why hold out for a record deal when you went through all that trouble to get out of one? Sounds like a bunch of excuses, but why? If he didn't ever want to release another studio record, why not just tell the fans that? Why keep some ancient message up about working on an album for a decade+ ? Otherwise do what Mr. Marx has done and at least be proud that you can still sell a couple thousand records. With the climate in the record industry the way it is that would still be an accomplishment.
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Syberberg
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Prescott wrote:
robertzombie wrote:He must have access to his own recording equipment (after all, he did Floodland himself) and there must be demos of the "new" songs. He could just release an album of those "new" demos and we'd be none the wiser but much happier.

Even if it was just on a CDr (or download even) through the website. Paypal isn't difficult to master.
I know that wouldn't be the same as going into a shop and picking it off the shelf but at least it'd be something, and that way he'd avoid the record company altogether a keep every penny.
Agreed, unless it really is "an idiot joke for an Idiot Nation" he's playing on us as Mr. Marx seems to suggest.

Why hold out for a record deal when you went through all that trouble to get out of one? Sounds like a bunch of excuses, but why? If he didn't ever want to release another studio record, why not just tell the fans that? Why keep some ancient message up about working on an album for a decade+ ? Otherwise do what Mr. Marx has done and at least be proud that you can still sell a couple thousand records. With the climate in the record industry the way it is that would still be an accomplishment.
I agree with the above. This is what I suspect...

Von does indeed have at least an album's worth of songs "sitting on a shelf." Let's face it, according to the offal site, he's got enough hardware and software to be able to record all the instrumentation at home and then, if necessary, do the vocals in a studio down the road, burn said vocal takes (all of them) onto a CD for transfer into his DAW of choice. Then edit, mix, rinse and repeat. Send master to be mastered. Press up as required.

This would mean he's (probably) holding out for a single, world wide distribution deal. A single distribution deal, covering all territories, would avoid all the hassle in sorting out separate ones for each territory and place the promotion of said product in the coffers of the company (to be recouped from sales).

Of course, the above paragraph can be completely removed by selling said glitter-effect beer mats from the merch stand at gigs and from the offal site. It's not that difficult, really. Is it?
I don't necessarily agree with everything I think.
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stufarq
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Dark wrote:It autocensors The Mission, yes.
Now you're just showing off.
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Karst
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These days it is easy enough to do three days in the studio, put it all onto a harddrive and then mess around with it in the wee hours. Get it mastered by a chap you know, grab some art, have a factory press it, printit and package it and then pull it up on an internet site and iTunes.

If that is what you want to do. And, actually that is what most washed-up 1980s stars do these days...
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I agree with Karst, if you have some programs it very easy to make some songs, you can make some programs for drums and etc. for demo or something more (I remember when I and my friend get good sounds from accustic gitar using programs. So, at these times are very easy to make home made promos... But this is nothing if your promos are good....
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:oops:

Too much wine and totally off topic, I'm sorry.
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Prescott wrote:Paul did Eldritch tell your friend what exactly he needs all this money from the records for?
The DAA-part of SSV-NSMABAAOTWMODAACOTIATW? :wink:
..or a decent lifestyle perhaps? For paying the rent, or enough to buy a nice house somewhere and to never run out of toilet paper? :roll:
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Karst wrote:actually that is what most washed-up 1980s stars do these days...
:lol: i hope :von: doesn't read this, or he'll keep us hanging for another few decades..

anyways.. he must still be getting some income from those 3 remasterings from last year, so he mighht wait some more anyhow.. unless he asked for those remasterings to be done in order to get some income/budget to work on a new album on the MR label like they did their first years..
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MrChris
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He's not releasing records because...he doesn't want to. The opportunities are there, and if he's placing unrealistic demands on record companies that he knows they'll refuse it's because...he doesn't want to release any records. It seems he was ready to release a record what, fifteen years ago? But now...after all this time, there is no alternative explanation. He's given up the ghost. So all we can do is ponder the motives of the imponderable one. I cannot take seriously the view that he has all this great material but is disillusioned by the record industry. In this web-age that's a lame excuse for not releasing music, and I can't imagine a serious artist taking it seriously. Fighting record companies is fighting a trivial battle that the companies know they've lost already. It's not a serious issue of artistic integrity. My own suspicion is that he simply has no confidence in his ability to resurrect a respectable career at this point, and fears that any release will be ignored by most, mocked by some, and bought by...us only. His confidence has obviously always been very brittle, and I suspect it was knocked very seriously by the reception of Vision Thing. Hence no product. Probably ever. It saddens me a lot to say this, by the way.
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Prescott
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:( The problem with this all is that plenty of these different theories as to why Andrew has not released a new Sisters CD/DVD are possible. Only he knows for sure. Definitely he is very stubborn. As we lot are as well. I know there are times we wish we could stop loving this band. Yet most of the time we are just as afraid that the second we stop waiting and paying attention he'll release something. Does he really think he can get worldwide distribution, a huge paycheck and go platinum? Perhaps, but why not reach out to some of the platinum artists that have the kind of money he wants, artists that have reached out to him in their way. Recently Billy Corgan cited The Sisters as an influence when interviewed about his solo album 'The Future Embrace' and Moby recently put out 'Lift Me Up' on Hotel stating he wanted Andrew to sing over the music but couldn't track him down. Look at Trent Reznor, unsigned and completely relevant because he markets himself wisely and has The Wall Street Journal doing stories about his internet business methods.

Why not a distribution/tour collaboration with the likes of Moby, Billy Corgan or Trent Reznor?

All in all, I hope he cares that we all care and will at the very least release some stuff to us fans in the end, no matter the money, marketing, record sales or otherwise.

I disagree that confidence is the issue.

It's almost been a decade since the official site starting telling us that "we are working on an album, inter alia...":(

Why not come on here and talk to your fans about what's holding you back Andrew?

We won't stop waiting, whether any party involved likes that fact or not, we won't stop waiting,
waiting for the miracle to come... :wink:
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There are no excuses for :von: not releasing any material,Trent Reznor , RADIOHEAD,The Charlatans have all done it and to reasonable success-nevermind the torrent releases which again boost artist recognition(i would love to see the official sales figures for NIN`s Ghost against torrent downloads which he supposedly started)
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:(
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MrChris wrote:My own suspicion is that he simply has no confidence in his ability to resurrect a respectable career at this point, and fears that any release will be ignored by most, mocked by some, and bought by...us only.
I suspect you're right. I'm guessing he won't admit to not wanting to make another record because he thinks it'll further diminish his audience when he does play the occasional show.

At this point, I don't think he's any different than any other middle-aged hobbyist musician who performs whenever they feel like it. He just happens to have enough of a legacy and fanbase to be able to gig somewhere other than the local pub. Near Meth Experience gigs aside... :wink:

As many others have stated, distribution isn't an issue now. Nor is recording. A decent quality home studio setup- especially if you'll never have to record a live drummer- isn't prohibitively expensive. If he really wanted to, he would. (I'd record them in my living room for free and pay for cigarettes! ;D ) He doesn't. It's a damn shame, I think; I like the "new" Sisters material, and I'm curious about these rumored songs he has on the shelf because they don't fit in with the harder rock sound of their live set. I love the Sisters, but I'll never hear a new record with Andrew on it. I've come to terms with that.
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Prescott
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Whatever, I'm stubborn. Obstinate Sycophant I guess. He Should release a new album. Applying Kant's categorical imperative, that is the conclusion anyone should come to.

Off to wait some more I guess.
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stufarq
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That may be a reason for not going to a major label, although there are other equally likely reasons mentioned above; but none of it gives any reason for not releasing anything at all. If anything, it just supports the argument that he could have some sort of product out there very easily if he wanted, whether it be CD or download.
Any more of that and we'll be round your front door with the quick-setting whitewash and the shaved monkey.
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Prescott
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That article really doesn't say anything that could be thought of as a legitimate reason for him not to release a new Sisters record. Especially with the realization that iTunes is now the biggest retailer/distributer in the USA. The USA, I gather from numerous interviews, is where he wanted to have excellent distribution. It don't get much better than in everyone's damned iTunes. Whatever. I'll keep waiting anyways. But seriously, it does seem like some sick game to keep his cult following around, out of curiosity and anticipation. Perhaps it's to do the opposite and get rid of the likes of me (dare I say us). It's a damned shame. Period.
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I think MrChris is right. No new album because he knows the expectations would be so high after 15 years (:eek:) that whatever he might release could never live up to them. So his confidence is shot.

As well, there have been what, 12 'new' songs since Under The Gun? Either he's got serious writer's block or he just can't be bothered any more.
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