Did Eldritch plan the 1985 split a year earlier ?

[Nikolas Vitus Lagartija]

My latest blog post is based on two amazingly frank interviews given by AE to Italian fanzines, one conducted in December 1984 and one in early May 1985, and both published prior to the RAH date.

http://sistersfan.blogspot.co.uk/2016/0 ... never.html

My thanks to both LG and spiggytapes for sharing these incredible interviews, which I had not seen until recently.

"Ho gia preso contatti"
= "I have already contacted" !!!

So what became "The Sisterhood" seems to have been already being set up in the latter part of 1984, almost a whole year before the final abortive recording sessions for the second album.

This to me is an amazing revelation on an endlessly recycled topic which seemed to have been fully exhausted some years ago.

[Being645]

My latest blog post is based on two amazingly frank interviews given by AE to Italian fanzines, one conducted in December 1984 and one in early May 1985, and both published prior to the RAH date.

http://sistersfan.blogspot.co.uk/2016/0 ... never.html

My thanks to both LG and spiggytapes for sharing these incredible interviews, which I had not seen until recently.

"Ho gia preso contatti"
= "I have already contacted" !!!

So what became "The Sisterhood" seems to have been already being set up in the latter part of 1984, almost a whole year before the final abortive recording sessions for the second album.

This to me is an amazing revelation on an endlessly recycled topic which seemed to have been fully exhausted some years ago.

Wow, well done all together!!! ... ... ...

[Pista]

What a cracking read.
& certainly puts another slant on the whole split.
Thanks Nik

[eastmidswhizzkid]

great research and a fascinating read. well done sir!

[Bartek]

Great reaserch work. Musical journalists could learn a lot.

But is that a real revelation. I guess that tensions between band members started long before split, so plan B was something natural.

[Nikolas Vitus Lagartija]

Great reaserch work. Musical journalists could learn a lot.

But is that a real revelation. I guess that tensions between band members started long before split, so plan B was something natural.

Whilst I agree with all that you say about this being a natural turn of events, to be so explicit about the Plan B a year in advance and then make no further mention of it in the many future interviews on the topic is extraordinary in my view.

This "new" information also sheds new light on the JLP/Eldritch spat (Melody Maker interview with Pat Mo 88):

"How did you find yourself becoming secreted into the Sisters ?

Two years ago. The day they fell apart, he called me and said 'Will you do it?' and I said yes.

Were you still with The Gun Club?

No, which is very amusing because, even in Melody Maker, Jeffrey was going on saying 'Andrew stole my Patricia' and all that. I was out of The Gun Club for a year before I started working with Andrew."

[Bartek]

A man with a plan.

It's true that it changed a bit direction, perspective or how we can (ought to?) see this split: like it was indeed a plan, like AE wanted this to happen, so maybe (just maybe) he pushed them away from band.

What was the reason then? Maybe change on style, which seems logical from perspective of time. AE didn't want to make something like FALAA pt II, while Craig and Wayne did (judging from god's own medicine).

[ROBBIE]

What a very fascinating and eye opening read.

Thank you for all the time and effort you have put it to the research and writing of the article.

[Alex66]

A man with a plan.

It's true that it changed a bit direction, perspective or how we can (ought to?) see this split: like it was indeed a plan, like AE wanted this to happen, so maybe (just maybe) he pushed them away from band.

What was the reason then? Maybe change on style, which seems logical from perspective of time. AE didn't want to make something like FALAA pt II, while Craig and Wayne did (judging from god's own medicine).

I would think given the quite extreme differences in style between the albums that AE is not interested in creating the same thing twice. Maybe he felt he could not work with some of the band any more on a personal level and egos clashed along with the desire not to do the same thing all the time and he felt pulled in that direction so pushed back causing the split. From what Chris has said AE is not hard to work with as long as you understand its his baby. By the time of the split with Marx gone it was very much his project and he was probably being driven up the wall with some people wanting to assume the mantle of being TSOM/Sisterhood. I thought that was a really dodgy move taking the a name associated with a band that you were not founding member of to launch your project. I see the M..... as very much WH's project so.

[Nikolas Vitus Lagartija]

Regarding the "name-stealing" issue, AE seems to have sent some mixed messages by suggesting that others try out as vocalist and by making it clear that he did not want to tour with a band. On the other hand, that would all have been with him remaining as manager of the project (a little like with "Gift", one would imagine). He clearly had no plan to give up the band name at any time, and clearly saw himself as the band, as you say. This is confirmed by the section of the Italian interview from Rome at the beginning of May 1985 when he states that the band has already been reduced from four people to three, and that he could envisage there only be in one person left (i.e. himself) later in the year.

[Being645]

Anyway, in this respect the new m*****n release could be interesting ... even for me ... *never give up hope ...

"the lost link between TSOM FALAA and our very God’s Own Medicine – just 30 years late.
I have rekindled my love for the guitar, electric 12 string particularly, after many years of ambivalence between us."

http://www.themissionuk.com/wp/2016/07/ ... ion-album/

[million voices]

I read the Mish link does it mean that Eldo is singing on one of the tracks on "Another Pile Of Crap" or have I just misinterpreted

[Being645]

I read the Mish link does it mean that Eldo is singing on one of the tracks on "Another Pile Of Crap" or have I just misinterpreted

I guess not ... ...

I’ve managed to persuade a few of my old mates to lend their vocal talents to this album.

[jost 7]

Excellent, new to me. Thanks a lot for all your efforts!

[Spiggy's hat]

[/i]).

From what Chris has said AE is not hard to work with as long as you understand its his baby.

And as long as your not trying to record your debut album for a major record label which is beyond its deadline & probably beyond it's budget & while you're recording the music the vocalist is in hospital!

To be fair, Chris plays other people's 30 year old songs, for a month, once every 18 months. I'm not sure that he really knows what Von was like in the mid 80s, when under creative preasure to meet release deadlines.

Practically every other member of the Sisters from back then gives a different view, that's for sure.

[million voices]

Nowadays it is difficult to describe most of the songs "his babies".

Most of them are so old they should have left home years ago and have had children of their own.

[Alex66]

Nowadays it is difficult to describe most of the songs "his babies".

Most of them are so old they should have left home years ago and have had children of their own.

This day and age some could be grand parents.

[Planet Dave]

My latest blog post is based on two amazingly frank interviews given by AE to Italian fanzines, one conducted in December 1984 and one in early May 1985, and both published prior to the RAH date.

http://sistersfan.blogspot.co.uk/2016/0 ... never.html

My thanks to both LG and spiggytapes for sharing these incredible interviews, which I had not seen until recently.

"Ho gia preso contatti"
= "I have already contacted" !!!

So what became "The Sisterhood" seems to have been already being set up in the latter part of 1984, almost a whole year before the final abortive recording sessions for the second album.

This to me is an amazing revelation on an endlessly recycled topic which seemed to have been fully exhausted some years ago.

Bloody hell, nevermind the revelation regarding Von's plans or thoughts regarding the future of the band in 85, for myself the revelation has been reading through all your blogs, eventually. Best read for a long long time, cheers for the articles and research (fair bit of that!), you've made an old Sisters geek very happy, not to mention informed. Thanks

[Nikolas Vitus Lagartija]

Thanks for the kind words, @PlanetDave, much appreciated. The blog is a real labour of love and very much a team effort, thanks to the help I receive from many HL members. More soon!