The Lords Of The New Church: Heaven Stepped Down
The Lords Of The New Church
Heaven Stepped Down
Lords Records
A friend of mine recently called attention to the fact that someone claiming to be “The Lords Of The New Church” had a profile on the Friendster-alike site Myspace, and being a fairly big fan of both the late Stiv Bators and his band the Lords, I checked it out. Upon first seeing that Lords members Brian James (also late of The Damned) and Dave Tregunna were “getting the band back together” so to speak, I was initially furious. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but hadn’t they tried this once and failed while Stiv was still alive? I cooled down after a bit and thought about things from a slightly more objective point of view. What if they were somehow able to deliver the goods? After all, while they haven’t played any of their new songs publicly yet, The Doors managed to shock the hell out of me with Ian Astbury on vocals. They were fantastic this past summer (and the subject of another review that I will get to eventually), so there had to be at least some hope for The Lords too, right? I went on this logic and contacted The Lords for a review copy of their new CD single, noting in my correspondence that I was a bit apprehensive toward their endeavor, but willing to hear them out.
Sadly, upon listening to the CD, my worst fears were confirmed. Rather than moving on and trying to create an entirely new chapter in Lords history (something that the aforementioned Doors, even at their best, haven’t done yet either), all three songs rely heavily on the band’s two vocalists borrowing heavily from, if not outright copying both of Stiv’s unique, distinct vocal styles (the snotty, obnoxious shouting of the Dead Boys and his rowdier material both solo and with The Lords, and the more melancholy crooner of his later years…). I’m not sure I understand why they went this route; people new to the Lords won’t understand why the singers are singing like this (to put it mildly, there’s really no one else quite like Stiv vocally, especially these days…), and people who are longtime fans may be pissed and insulted that they have these guys impersonating Stiv.
The lyrical approach used here, particularly their use of pop culture references, is also heavily derivative of the earlier Lords material. Musically, the band sounds like a drunker version of the old Lords band…more chaotic, less reliant on rhythm than on past releases. Guitarist Brian James seems to have made a concerted effort to recapture the jaggedness of his sound circa “Damned Damned Damned”, but while I found it sonically interesting at first, it eventually made a nuisance of itself, and stuck out of the mix like a sore thumb. The unit hits their high point during the frenetic outro of “Baby Babylon”, but even that’s heavily lacking in the magic that was the stock and trade of Stiv and co. back in the 1980’s.
Someone who wanted to dissect this review could argue along these lines: “Well, according to you, they’ve got vocals that sound somewhat like the original singer’s, they’re writing lyrics in a similar vein to the ones they used to, and their lead guitarist/main songwriter’s recaptured his signature guitar sound. What’s the problem?” The problem is that it all rings empty. It seems like a reasonable amount of effort went into making this a Lords Of The New Church record, but that could be it in a nutshell; the personalities of the original band members, particularly Stiv, who was truly one of a kind and is perhaps irreplacable, made it sound and feel like these records just HAPPENED (not being privy to the recording process, this is purely speculative; it might’ve been hell to do a Lords record back then…), and this sounds forced.
As I said earlier, The Lords Of The New Church, even when they were goofing on Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” or doing a bubblegummy cover of CCR’s “Hey Tonight”, had a magic to them, a perfect chemistry, that indescribable energy that a band has when everything falls into place despite itself. On this single, The Lords are just a mere shadow of their former selves, no matter how much they, I, or anyone else wishes they’d be more. It could just be that they’re trying too hard to recapture an energy that once came naturally. Or it could be that without Stiv and with too much time past, that energy’s out of their reach no matter what approach they take or who they have singing in what style. Here’s hoping that The Lords find what they’re looking for, if they continue to release music.
April 8th, 2004 at 8:43 pm
Steven Marqe calls himself the lead singer of THE LORDS now but what he does is not singing and how does one become lead singer when he vocals only appear in 2/7 of the vocal lines?
September 28th, 2004 at 11:35 pm
Anyone familiar with the legendary Deadboy STIV BATORS may still be confused as to how his band LORDS of the NEW CHURCH could have possible reunited without the late BATORS in 2002.
Now it can be learned.
The story of how a wealthy 38 yr old yuppie from Jacksonville, FLA hijacked THE LORDS of the NEW CHURCH band trademarks and logo in an attempt to seek his own instant celebrity and play “Gothstar.”
A simple Trademark search reveals one STEVEN BLANKFIELD “MARQUE” as having ownership to the name and licensing official LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH merchandise for his own personal gain.
Although founding members Brian James (of the Damned) and Dave Tregunna (of Sham69) attempted to salvage the hijacking, STEVEN MARQUE’s well financed legal strategies and grave lack of talent effortlessly drove the last nail into BATOR’s sad legacy.
Exhibit A - One under produced and unsigned LORDS “Hang On” 2003 CD in which MARQUE’s vocal tracks are poorly dubbed over the band making an honest run at it with LUSTKILLERS vocalist Adam Becvare.
Why two singers appear on the CD is not as much a question as why Steven MARQUE’s vocals appear at all.
The answer is MARQUE’s ownership of that which was never his, THE LORDS infamous Dagger logo and band trademarks.
It all began in 2001 when MARQUE approached Brian James with the offer of posting an official LORDS of the NEW CHURCH website.MARQUE quickly learned the trademarks to be used were no longer protected due to laws of abandoment and ceased the moment to make them his own.
Despite endless scathing reviews of MARQUE’s live European appearances with THE LORDS, he continues to police and license THE LORDS and merchandise as his own cutting founders James and Tregunna clearly out of any said profits.
see
http://www.infin1.com/band_categories.asp?flt=1632&cat=119&prd=44712
Currently, James and Tregunna have chosen to carry on as BRIAN JAMES GANG with 2nd vocalist and lustkiller, Adam Becvare. ( Becvare performed the Stiv material in the live set through Europe)
Marque continues to book autograph appearances as thee LORD of the NEW CHURCH in attempts to peddle his own solo career.
Playing on a Halloween near you.
IS NOTHING SACRED?
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:ATQxPUl2xR0J:wave-party.de/gaestebuch.php%3Ft%3D1+%22steven+marque%22++trademark&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
DONT BE SUSSED!
“80s Music: Why have you chosen now to reform?
StevenMarque: Pure fate - the synchronicity of the universe and the primal, overarching need to rock. I had been doing my band “Syndrome” for a while - the sound and vision was totally Lords derivative. I considered myself to be, arguably the biggest LNC fan. I had a view to writing a biography of The Lords and was introduced to Brian by his manager. After becoming mates and talking at length about the appropriateness, and more importantly the real need for The Lords resurgence for the benefit of the world’s new bewildered youth, we decided to go for it. Our song writing chemistry was shocking from the beginning. If we had not been so extremely compelled by our early efforts we would not have made it real - The Lords legacy is not something we treat recklessly. The fact is, the new songs and gang, are formidable in a whole new way. It’s really less a reformation, and much more a new chapter in the Book of the Lords. We have maintained all of the dark sensibilities and humor - we also have retained The Lords trademark, blowtorch illuminations of this modern mortal coil.”
from http://www.stevenmarque.net/home.htm and
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:_92oV4yOUcoJ:80music.about.com/library/weekly/aa081001c.htm+%22stevenmarque%22++trademark&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
see also http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:G8oYMZEvTo4J:www.lostinthesupermarket.com/aisle2/news/news.html+%22steven+marque%22++trademark&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
7.1.03 Lords of the New Chrch (like the misspelling-thats so steve cant sue me) message board has been pulled because Lord Adam politely requested I do so because asshole (my personal opinion) Steven Marque the guy who sings the new material and sound like a sick frog gurgling while attempting to avoid choking has been pressuring him to have me do so. Steven Marque the jerk (my personal opinion) who apparently believes in biting the hand that feeds him (meaning: gets off on treatng fans like dirt) sent me several emails to pull the postings, I ignored them until Adam said to take down, Steve Marque the creep even went so far as to threaten a lawsuit-I am so sorry for ever being a fan, what was I thinking. Apparently, he thinks he is above the First Amendment, yeah, I know what you all are thinking, I am a jerk for caving in-I am , however, Adam is my friend and I would rather keep the peace than not feel like a jerk-oh wait, you were actually thinking-Lords of the New Chrch didnt the singer die, whay are they back together and who cares…right, I gotcha.
here is the last email i received from Lord Fozzy the gurgling frog, the one liner less bear:
To Whom It May Concern:
It has come to our attention that you are using the the private and secured
U.S. Trademark and Copyright name, LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH on your web site in
conjunction with a number of unauthorized comments. You do not have written
permission to use this name and/or any affiliated marks or devices for any
reason from the owner. After discovery, the site in question,
lostinthesupermarket.com also uses the name THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH in the
context of alleged events which reflect negatively on the trademark, copyright
and associated brand and cause harm in the view of the owner.
As you have identified yourself as the responsible party for this web site, we
submit to you this demand that you cease using the trademark and copyrighted
name THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH on your site immediately. This email will
serve as your only notice, but may be followed by certified letter if you remit
your mailing address to this email address within two weeks of this notice. If
the name THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH is not removed from your site within the
prescribed two weeks from this notice, we will not hesitate to to submit the
matter for further action and/or reparation to authorities and council. We
also request that you make no further reference to THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH
and on this web site.
Thank you, we look forward to your prompt attention and cooperation.
The Lords of the New Church
http://www.lordsofthenewchurch.com
-Way to go dude. Way to win friends and influence people. I think tomorrow I will work on my aisle one Steven Marq UNOFFICIAL fan page. BITE ME.
and
also
http://www.ear.fm/Encyclopedia%20L/Lords_Of_The_New_Church.htm
November 6th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
whoops- apologize if i sent too soon. Do you know of *anywhere* that I can find a downloadable copy, full price, russian priced, legal, illegal, free, expensive ANYTHING of the original version of “Kiss of Death” from “Method to our Madness”? I’ve spent about 2 hours combing the web w/out success. Thanks for any leads:
e_bone9@yahoo.com