Heartland

Posted: **29 Jan 2011, 20:26**

Hi.

I've noticed a few comments on these forums that seem to infer that The Sisters Of Mercy were in negotiations to release the new album on MUTE RECORDS (Daniel Miller's label) but then for some reason it never happened.

I would have thought that MUTE would be the perfect home for the Sisters, they are an indie label but they have major label distribution connections plus they don't interfere with their artist's vision. I mean if they can build up and maintain the careers of Nick Cave and Depeche Mode then surely they could handle the Sisters?

Does anyone know the full story?

Thanks.

Posted: **29 Jan 2011, 20:38**

According to the official website (http://www.the-sisters-of-mercy.com/gen/faqnorm/faqnorm.htm):

What happened to the 1991 truce with East West which involved Sisters records retaining WEA distribution in America (to satisfy Time Warner) and coming out via Mute (to satisfy the band - and Mute)?

We had to get away from Elektra, but we weren't allowed to move outside the Warner family. Mute was the only Warner-distributed label to have any interest in the band, and we liked them. We were getting on fine until the first Sisters/Mute record was due to come out.

Mute sent a fax to London, telling East West that East West's poor scheduling would damage the band in America. Nothing unusual (in our case) about the fax or its content. Unfortunately Mute sent a copy to Andrew, whereupon East West terminated the deal.

Since then the Sisters have had no representation in America. Having been on Elektra, we haven't really noticed the difference.

Posted: **29 Jan 2011, 21:24**

Thanks mh. Pity it never worked out, Mute and the Sisters would have been a perfect combination.

Posted: **30 Jan 2011, 11:41**

We were getting on fine until the first Sisters/Mute record was due to come out.

Doesn't that kind of sound like a record was finished?

I'm aware that the odds of there being a fully finished but never released Sister record sitting in the vaults are pretty remote. It just seems like the quote above is remarkable unambiguous for information about a potential Sisters record.

Anyone know how far the Mute thing went before being canned?

Posted: **30 Jan 2011, 22:27**

Further than the Cleopatra deal went, which I was sure would happen. In 97 Cleopatra was scooping up every band they could get their hands on. But after the unflattering comments made by Von in Philly we found out that was not a viable option.

Posted: **30 Jan 2011, 22:36**

Let's see; if the truce was 1991 and UTG came out in 1993, then the projected Sisters/Mute record would have been somewhere in-between. Funny to wonder what it might have been - UTG perhaps?

Of course there's the usual few grains of salt you gotta take any nuggets of Sisters history with!

Posted: **31 Jan 2011, 03:01**

mh wrote:Let's see; if the truce was 1991 and UTG came out in 1993, then the projected Sisters/Mute record would have been somewhere in-between. Funny to wonder what it might have been - UTG perhaps?

Of course there's the usual few grains of salt you gotta take any nuggets of Sisters history with!

It probably would have been an album that was more personal lyrically, retraced notatation of previous Sisters songs as a form of musical reference,
played upon themes that were hinted at in Under The Gun and had an album cover with a color-scheme that matched the UTG artwork. It also would have coincided closely with both SGWBM and ASCOOB.

I'm sure the demos of the entire album survived, unfortunately he probably would be embarrassed of the rough production, and hence never acknowledge them as Sisters Songs Proper.

Perhaps they exist out there, far beyond the black horizon, or event horizon, at the end of the rainbow, a curve that I don't know?

Posted: **02 Feb 2011, 14:29**

Does this suggest that there's a potential albums worth of material out there - that may have never been drawn on - or that UTG could have been a potential toe in the water?
Or perhaps - considering Mute strong electronic background - it could have been the SSV album... with added drums!!! Mercy me!

Posted: **02 Feb 2011, 17:39**

It's just another missed opportunity.

Posted: **03 Feb 2011, 13:27**

sultan2075 wrote:It's just another missed opportunity.

Number 4624 in an ongoing series from The Sisters.

Posted: **03 Feb 2011, 17:31**

Unless I am remembering something wrong (again), Andreas did not recall anything other than Come Together which had been composed but not released.

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 00:31**

bangles wrote:Does this suggest that there's a potential albums worth of material out there - that may have never been drawn on - or that UTG could have been a potential toe in the water?
Or perhaps - considering Mute strong electronic background - it could have been the SSV album... with added drums!!! Mercy me!

I wouldn't go so far as to suppose that the first Sisters/Mute release was an LP; coulda been a single.

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 03:08**

sultan2075 wrote:It's just another missed opportunity.

... only question is, on who's part (again) ...

...

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 04:22**

Von's.

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 06:58**

mh wrote:According to the official website (http://www.the-sisters-of-mercy.com/gen/faqnorm/faqnorm.htm):
What happened to the 1991 truce with East West which involved Sisters records retaining WEA distribution in America (to satisfy Time Warner) and coming out via Mute (to satisfy the band - and Mute)?

We had to get away from Elektra, but we weren't allowed to move outside the Warner family. Mute was the only Warner-distributed label to have any interest in the band, and we liked them. We were getting on fine until the first Sisters/Mute record was due to come out.

Mute sent a fax to London, telling East West that East West's poor scheduling would damage the band in America. Nothing unusual (in our case) about the fax or its content. Unfortunately Mute sent a copy to Andrew, whereupon East West terminated the deal ...

Can't see where this has been fault on part of the Sisters, sultan2075 ... maybe I'm just too blind to comprehend ...

If so, then please have pity on a dumbling like me and explain ...

...

Heaven knows what person was responsible for The Sisters at EastWest ... I tend to imagine
they felt not f**ked properly by Von and thought it appropriate to gain at least a small feeling
of possession by taking revenge on the business level ...

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 09:24**

Mute seem a somewhat appropriate label choice given recent recorded output

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 14:56**

Being645 wrote:
mh wrote:According to the official website (http://www.the-sisters-of-mercy.com/gen/faqnorm/faqnorm.htm):
What happened to the 1991 truce with East West which involved Sisters records retaining WEA distribution in America (to satisfy Time Warner) and coming out via Mute (to satisfy the band - and Mute)?

We had to get away from Elektra, but we weren't allowed to move outside the Warner family. Mute was the only Warner-distributed label to have any interest in the band, and we liked them. We were getting on fine until the first Sisters/Mute record was due to come out.

Mute sent a fax to London, telling East West that East West's poor scheduling would damage the band in America. Nothing unusual (in our case) about the fax or its content. Unfortunately Mute sent a copy to Andrew, whereupon East West terminated the deal ...
Can't see where this has been fault on part of the Sisters, sultan2075 ... maybe I'm just too blind to comprehend ...

If so, then please have pity on a dumbling like me and explain ... ...

Heaven knows what person was responsible for The Sisters at EastWest ... I tend to imagine
they felt not f**ked properly by Von and thought it appropriate to gain at least a small feeling
of possession by taking revenge on the business level ...

Sending a copy of a fax about scheduling to the schedule-ee shouldn't have mattered. I rather suspect that something is missing there, such as Von's reaction to the fax. EW wouldn't just terminate the deal unless they had reason to think it would no longer be profitable to remain in it. I suppose it's possible that the record company was more interested in emotional tantrums than profits, in which case it could be there fault. Seems unlikely, though. The point is: Von's account conveniently leaves out his own response to the fax, which seems a far more likely culprit. But really, we're all trying to read tea-leaves and place blame for the lack of new product. If he/they put out a new record, I'd buy 10 copies. I don't see it happening, though.

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 20:55**

sultan2075 wrote: ... But really, we're all trying to read tea-leaves and place blame for the lack of new product. If he/they put out a new record, I'd buy 10 copies. I don't see it happening, though.

To this, I agree ... for the rest, hell, no, it's all tedious speculation ...
but I'm somewhat convinced it's not been all that much Von's fault ...
most probably, we will never know ...

and for your 10 copies ... I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hope for the best ...

...

Posted: **04 Feb 2011, 21:20**

Sorry B. but You're giving to much trust in

s words.
If he ever wanted to do this we would get by now at least 3 albums. Even this theory (in what i believed) about only-in-studio-to-get-pedantic-perfectionism-ideal-sound is not a excuse these days.

Posted: **05 Feb 2011, 01:26**

sultan2075 wrote:
Being645 wrote:Sending a copy of a fax about scheduling to the schedule-ee shouldn't have mattered. I rather suspect that something is missing there, such as Von's reaction to the fax. EW wouldn't just terminate the deal unless they had reason to think it would no longer be profitable to remain in it. I suppose it's possible that the record company was more interested in emotional tantrums than profits, in which case it could be there fault. Seems unlikely, though. The point is: Von's account conveniently leaves out his own response to the fax, which seems a far more likely culprit. But really, we're all trying to read tea-leaves and place blame for the lack of new product. If he/they put out a new record, I'd buy 10 copies. I don't see it happening, though.
I think the point is more that Mute took EW to task over something and told the details to Von. Rightly or wrongly, EW felt that it should have remained private between themselves and Mute. Presumably they were already fed up of clashes with Von and this was the final straw so they dropped him because they felt he was more trouble than he was worth.

Posted: **05 Feb 2011, 13:31**

stufarq wrote:
sultan2075 wrote:Sending a copy of a fax about scheduling to the schedule-ee shouldn't have mattered. I rather suspect that something is missing there, such as Von's reaction to the fax. EW wouldn't just terminate the deal unless they had reason to think it would no longer be profitable to remain in it. I suppose it's possible that the record company was more interested in emotional tantrums than profits, in which case it could be there fault. Seems unlikely, though. The point is: Von's account conveniently leaves out his own response to the fax, which seems a far more likely culprit. But really, we're all trying to read tea-leaves and place blame for the lack of new product. If he/they put out a new record, I'd buy 10 copies. I don't see it happening, though.
I think the point is more that Mute took EW to task over something and told the details to Von. Rightly or wrongly, EW felt that it should have remained private between themselves and Mute. Presumably they were already fed up of clashes with Von and this was the final straw so they dropped him because they felt he was more trouble than he was worth.

You say it, stufarq ... EW had imagined to keep control underneath, I guess ...
but the people at Mute wouldn't comply with these hopes ...
and rather than having to watch him get his will and possibly even gain success,
they decided to pulled the rug out from under his feet ... bad losers as they were ...
does not seem entirely unlikely to me ... but, hell, I'dont know, it's all imagination ...
gossip so to say ...

@ Bartek
I see no reason not to give trust in

' s words. Or, as he took it in the latest interview: "Our singer had a ridiculous five-year-plan ..."
I'm sure that's exactly it, basically, nice'n short ...

Posted: **05 Feb 2011, 23:42**

Being645 wrote:You say it, stufarq ... EW had imagined to keep control underneath, I guess ...
but the people at Mute wouldn't comply with these hopes ...
and rather than having to watch him get his will and possibly even gain success,
they decided to pulled the rug out from under his feet ... bad losers as they were ...

Well, that's not necessarily what I'm saying. I think there's a strong argument that Eldritch's behaviour (the strike, SSV) gave them more than enough justification to be relieved to have him out of their hair.

Posted: **06 Feb 2011, 00:13**

I'm sure that if Von wanted to release a CD or even a single we'd have had something a long time ago as Bartek said.

Is he still contracted to a record label?

New Model Army release albums only through record companies / distributors who want to work wiht them and this seems to benefit both parties. NMA still keep their integrity & record distrubuters make lots of money.

I'm sure Von could have the same arrangement if he wanted it.

Posted: **06 Feb 2011, 07:49**

stufarq wrote:
Being645 wrote:You say it, stufarq ... EW had imagined to keep control underneath, I guess ...
but the people at Mute wouldn't comply with these hopes ...
and rather than having to watch him get his will and possibly even gain success,
they decided to pulled the rug out from under his feet ... bad losers as they were ...
Well, that's not necessarily what I'm saying. I think there's a strong argument that Eldritch's behaviour (the strike, SSV) gave them more than enough justification to be relieved to have him out of their hair.

Right, stufarq ... sorry I didn't intend to give the impression that what I wrote were your opinion, of course not ...

As to "Eldritch's behaviour" ...
I always get very sceptical when people use anyone's "behaviour" as an argument ...
there is always two sides to whatever "behaviour" ...

And if people decide to go on strike (or even decide to say, sabotage other people's pretty plans for them)
they usually have their reasons, and mostly well-founded ones as they do take a risk by doing so ...

@ originalgoth ... life does not give the same means to everybody ... so what?
I see no reason to complain. Instead, the fact that The Sisters still exist is reason enough for a lovely birthday party ...
Furthermore, I'm glad the past years are - past. Maybe there is a way for some new release from The Sisters of Mercy
by now and in future. It had not been so far. Otherwise, I'm convinced, there had been a new release already.

Posted: **06 Feb 2011, 18:17**

Being645 wrote:Right, stufarq ... sorry I didn't intend to give the impression that what I wrote were your opinion, of course not ...

No, don't worry. I just thought you'd misunderstood me.

Being645 wrote:As to "Eldritch's behaviour" ...
I always get very sceptical when people use anyone's "behaviour" as an argument ...
there is always two sides to whatever "behaviour" ...

True, although there seems to be a lot of two-sided behaviour in Von's case...

Heartland

The new album deal with MUTE RECORDS that never happened?

The new album deal with MUTE RECORDS that never happened?