Heartland

I, for one, found this interesting, as it acknowledges the worthlessness of all the recent "new material" notices, and claims to have some new - and definite - info. Thought y'all might be interested.

Here's the link (there's a good old pic on the page):

http://www.side-line.com/news_comments. ... 59_0_2_0_C

And here's the text from the link:

Every now and then, the gothic network is waking up with cheers as a new album and single from Sisters Of Mercy is being announced. Also last week this was the case as several mailinglists announced a new album and single from the UK cult act. Allas, once again it was a rehashing of the good old news that has been on the band's official webpage for ages now. But what the rumours did not tell was that apparently the band would be negociating with the brand new Universal sublabel W14 Music. It was a source close to the label who informed us that the band was contacted and that talks had started. For your info, W14 Music will become the vehicle for Universal to re-launch old glories such as Siouxsie or Level 42 on a larger scale. Siouxsie will release a new album on W14 Music, next year. For Sisters Of Mercy it might be their best shot ever to get back into the public's attention. The band has not released any new material since 1993's "Under the Gun". The band did not reply to questions from the editorial staff. More news as we get it confirmed.

Here's a little info on the new label, taken from their website, for those lazy bastards who are interested, but not interested enough to look for it themselves. Sounds good to me:


W14 Music is a new joint venture label between Universal Music Group and John Williams.

It is dedicated to working exclusively with established artists from all musical genres, and will offer a bespoke home to iconic names - whose musical longevity has earned them loyal UK and international fan bases, and who continue to make, exciting, masterful and relevant music.

Based at Universal’s headquarters in Kensington, W14 Music is geared up to nurture the recording careers of some of the best-loved artists of the past 3 decades.

W14 draws on John Williams’ broad experience in the business which has included periods as a manager and producer as well as an A&R man. In the Eighties he successfully guided the career of Blancmange and was involved in radio production, producing over 70 live sessions for BBC Radio 1. He joined Chrysalis Records in 1985 as senior A&R manager, working with Jethro Tull and signing and producing The Proclaimers. He also produced both albums by The Housemartins. Becoming Polydor Director of A&R in the late Eighties, he discovered Ivor Novello winner Cathy Dennis and worked with Level 42, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lloyd Cole and Andrew Lloyd Webber. He rejoined Chrysalis in 1990 and served as Director of A&R until 1995 when he moved to the Sanctuary Group as producer, writer and manager. As senior VP of A&R for Sanctuary he signed and A&Red albums from Alison Moyet, Simple Minds, Status Quo, Ocean Colour Scene, The Blue Nile and The Charlatans. In a joint venture with Adventure Records he signed the 2003 Christmas number one Mad World.

Good finding Bismarck!
This sounds very promising!
How would I manage to do anything important today when I'm this excited?

Thanks Trev, lets hope something comes of it.

i smell the roar of a small world machine

Not jumping up and down, but curious as ever now

Interesting, ex-Sanctuary too...

I'll be rushing down to HMV to pick up the new album this Friday!

Ok. let's face the facts and cut down the white noise. This is what appears:

W14 draws on ______ A&R man_____ Jethro Tull and signing and producing The Proclaimers. ____albums by The Housemartins. ___ Cathy Dennis ____Level 42___ Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lloyd Cole and Andrew Lloyd Webber. ___Alison Moyet, Simple Minds, Status Quo, Ocean Colour Scene, The Blue Nile and The Charlatans. _____2003 Christmas number one Mad World.

I hope the best and believe this man can do a lot. Even the right thing.

But... i doubt the fact that he is taking care and shaking hands with the brutal but mild industrial crooner rock with a very twist called Andrew Eldr- i mean, The Sisters of Mercy.

We can only wait and see, good digging though!

If there was a label tour that would be hysterical

Yep, good digging indeed.

I hope "More news as we get it" is sooner rather than later.

On Poison Door, a freshman:

Trustalf wrote: You´ll see.....2007.....just heard something.....YOU MAY BE HAPPY!

(PD members go "grumblegrumble, hate it, same as every year", "allready planned to be happy in 2007", "why, value added tax gets raised?", some nutter says "You and your negative vibrations!", the usual stuff.)
Trustalf comes again:

I just can´t keep it shut...
Wait... have a tea.. there will be a MAXI with 3 songs(studio recordings)!
ABSOLUTELY SURE...

Reminds me of what happened prior to the Silver Bullet Tour.

eotunun wrote:On Poison Door, a freshman:

Trustalf wrote: You´ll see.....2007.....just heard something.....YOU MAY BE HAPPY!

(PD members go "grumblegrumble, hate it, same as every year", "allready planned to be happy in 2007", "why, value added tax gets raised?", some nutter says "You and your negative vibrations!", the usual stuff.)
Trustalf comes again:

I just can´t keep it shut...
Wait... have a tea.. there will be a MAXI with 3 songs(studio recordings)!
ABSOLUTELY SURE...

Reminds me of what happened prior to the Silver Bullet Tour.

What happened prior the Silver Bullet Tour?
Well.. guess we have to wait... and wait.
Almost the whole day have gone by without any more news.

Forgive me if I don't hold my breath on this one

Norman Hunter wrote:Forgive me if I don't hold my breath on this one

Oh, come on! Try! The first minute is the most difficult..
Well, I have plenty of tea here, and now I look forward to 2007.

I heard a strange rumour as well. I have friends close to the music industry. One of 'em said: Did you know that "the sister of merci plays with MC5 members!!?"

What he meant: mr. Pearson.

so, untill the morning is gone and we do not read that certain true resurrected word on the official website, we will dream while we're waiting for the next one to arrive.

Obviousman wrote:Not jumping up and down,

Well...I am! I got so excited reading the news that I just felt great, even if it was just for a few seconds...

After these few moments I am a bit more realistic and thinking in terms of wait and see. But hopes and dreams grew stronger again...

Don't get too excited boys and girls. What if they DO bring a new record out, and it's sh1t??



Just joking, but I AM gonna join the 'Not Jumping Up And Down' party. I'll save that for when I hear Crash & Burn and War On Drugs (studio versions) blasting out of the stereo. THEN I'll do some jumpy stuff.

I can't pretend to be hopeful. We've been disappointed (not to mention fobbed off with excuses) so many times in the past that I may have trouble believing it even if I was holding a new LP in my grubby little mitts.

I for one believe that Eldritch is in a position where he *has* to release new material. The recent Silver Bullet tour demonstrated the *potential* for a revitalized fanbase rallying around Sisters Mark IV (or is it VI?), but also clearly showed that only new studio material can realize that potential:

I would imagine that Eldritch relies on the income from touring to support himself (merchandising most of all). And Silver Bullet showed that most casual fans (rather than us diehards) do not have the interest, stamina or dedication to buy tickets for tour after tour of the same material, whether it's old or "new." Think back to the Silver Bullet threads... remember how many people were disappointed? How many vowed never to see them play live again? Eldritch needs these casual fans back in his corner. He needs them to buy tickets to future tours, and only a new record can ensure that they will do so. In short, I believe that he needs to record and release new material for financial reasons if nothing else.

Also: I know this has been said before, but it's never been more true (anyway, in the last, say, 7 years): *Now* is the time to get serious about a new release: Silver Bullet was huge in geographical scope and is fresh in people's minds, there is an interest in '80s acts in general, and the musical (and political) climate in the world is favorable for a new Sisters record. In one year these things may not be as true as they are now.

Eldritch is also intelligent enough to drop his $3million asking price for a new album in exchange for muscular distribution and promotion, which a Universal subsidiary can provide. I think conditions are favorable, and that now, more than any time in the past 7 years, we can look forward to new recorded material with more than a small degree of optimism.

If they release a new record, there'll be a load of new fans.. which will lead to elitism in a pack already containing far too much of it.

I might buy it, anyway. But only if there's a vinyl release. Otherwise, download city!

If Von's voice is in danger of giving up the ghost as much as it sounded through most of the tour, I don't think there'll be many more tours in the offing anyway. That's not to say that new releases and a return to the occasional gig format of the early 90s wouldn't go amiss. I'd certainly rather see a one-off of the power and majesty of NEC92 than several shows in little clubs somewhere (that said, the JW 2005 gig was as good as it gets).

Interesting times, but you know how it'll end up, you just know...

Planet Dave wrote: Interesting times, but you know how it'll end up, you just know...

Well, I reckon you may be right about that after all...

I suppose what I mean to say is that there's more cause to be optimistic now than there was, say, this time last year, or this time 2 years ago, etc.

I do wonder: in the absence of any new recorded material, how will Eldritch support himself? Literally. Of course I have no idea what kind of savings he's got squirreled away for retirement, but if it's not enough, that'd provide a fairly compelling motivation to record new songs. I don't wish insolvency on the man... well, maybe just a touch.

Here's hoping for Summer and Crash And Burn...

Iron and Blood, my boys, Iron and Blood!

It's fairly well known that Eldritch has other means of supporting himself, and I don't mean flogging cheap whizz down Hamburg docks. Technical writing and all the rest.

It's funny. Back when Pavement were The Hippest Thing On Earth, they used to play The Killing Moon. Throw in a few other twists, and before you know it The Bunnymen go from being derided 80s doom-mongers languishing in the bargain reissue bin to a revered national pop institution.

I don't see that happening with The Sisters. For starters, I don't believe Eldritch would let it happen. He doesn't strike me as the type that would be comfortable in that position, especially given his past record of making things difficult for himself, and his continued insistence on The Sisters being a relevant modern musical force will prevent it if nothing else does. Secondly, I don't really believe that any modern band (of the required stature) has either the balls or the guts to proclaim The Sisters as a massive influence on them. Not the type of band that can make this happen, anyway. Thirdly, even if someone did, it would probably be seen as a novelty. Case in point: Lambchop's cover of This Corrosion. Regardless of the motive, did we see hoards of Lambchop fans rushing out to buy copies of Floodland?

Much as Von may hate it, the goth thing is still there and probably always will be. And that will always be seen as a negative. And no matter how much he may insist otherwise, all one has to do is listen to the records. Exhibit A, case closed m'lud. Because they may not have been goth as it truly was in the early 80s, but they are so firmly entrenched in the modern understanding of "what goth is" that nobody is going to change their minds this late in the day.

If Von wants a record deal (and that's one big "if") he's going to have to make records that sell. And if he wants to make records that sell, he's likely going to have to accept that he will have to make records that the majority of any potential fan base will want to buy. And that means having to accept things that may be distasteful to him, which I for one don't see happening.

Hope I'm wrong about all of this, but there ya go.

Planet Dave wrote:Don't get too excited boys and girls. What if they DO bring a new record out, and it's sh1t??

Then at least I'll have a proper reason to get rid of all this annoying fanstuff

Just joking, but I AM gonna join the 'Not Jumping Up And Down' party. I'll save that for when I hear Crash & Burn and War On Drugs (studio versions) blasting out of the stereo. THEN I'll do some jumpy stuff.

We'll teach the world how to jump up and down on that day