Kiss The Carpet / Alice / Anaconda / Valentine / Burn / Jolene
Heartland / Andrenochrome / Floorshow / Gimme Shelter / Emma / Body Electric
A Sisters Of Mercy concert around the time of the release of their finest record (in my opinion) ‘The Reptile House’ EP, which was slow and doomy, just how I liked it at the time!
Before 1983 was over, the band lost (or got rid of) original member Benn Gunn, replacing him with Wayne Hussey. Merciful Release Records, The Sisters Of Mercy own label, released the ‘Temple Of Love’ 12″, the last record with Benn Gunn contributing on which catapulted them into a major record deal with WEA (the band were allowed to keep the moniker Merciful Release through the WEA contract).
After completing a large UK tour in 1984 playing in much larger venues than before, and releasing a hugely succesful LP ‘First And Last And Always’ in 1985, the rest as they say is history.
John Serpico
April 25, 2008 at 9:51 amI was never into Sisters of Mercy at all but I was interested in hearing their versions of Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’, Hot Chocolate’s ‘Emma’ and The Rolling Stones’ ‘Gimme Shelter’. I cycled home from work here in Amsterdam listening to this on my iPod (as you do) and I must say it turned out to be a total dirge. Their version of ‘Jolene’ is quite rubbish, Strawberry Switchblade did it much better. ‘Emma’ is good but the studio version would be far better, and ‘Gimme Shelter’ is just bad. The best version I’ve ever heard of ‘Gimme Shelter’ actually was by Impulse Manslaughter. If you get the chance, check it out, it’s quite brilliant.
I’m ploughing my way through this site and you should know already I guess but it’s all prety wonderful – apart from Sisters of Mercy…