At one point in my life I started to go to underground clubs, but not the club kids type of thing more on the industrial border line goth stuff. Most places would play decent punk and industrial stuff from Dickies and Ramones to Nine Inch Nails (Pretty Hate Machine days) and Ministry. It was good stuff to get roughed up to.

The group of folks I headed out with played a band religiously as we went into town, the singer wasn't over melodic, the drums sounded like a drum machine, but it was sonically excellent and really got us going for the night. That singer Andrew Eldritch fronted the band The Sisters of Mercy one of the best industrial/goth bands ever.

The Sisters of Mercy fronted by the ever so gravel voiced Andrew Eldritch with Doktor Avalanche on drums (Doc Avalanche was a drum machine by the way, kinda of an inside band joke) Gary Marx on guitar and Craig Adams on bass, later Wayne Hussey joins the band as The Sisters reach their first peak releasing the album First Last and Always. Over the years as with many bands that mature they grow apart, Craig and Wayne left in 1985 under much controversy with Wayne wanting to capitalise on The Sisters of Mercy new found European peak by forming a band called "Sisterhood". Eldritch needing to protect his name and interest quickly made an album called Giving Ground using the band name of Sisterhood before Wayne and his band mates were able to release theirs, thus securing the name and rights to it. It was quite an interesting story that runs pretty deep in the end, even further then the small blip written on the Sisters web page.

The Sisters of Mercy are probably one of Europe's most bootlegged band, and they have a plethora of live shows available just waiting to be found. Tid bit (as if most people care) my Blog name was derived from a bootlegged Sisters album, if I remember the album name came from an outburst Andrew had during the show where he blurted out "enjoy the puppet show".

Though The Sisters never received any huge critical acclaim in the states until the mid to late 1990's and are still a relatively obscure band in the states, I do remember listening to a local "Rock" station and the DJ had gotten his hands on a copy of The Sisters doing "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones. He playing it during the ever so popular "smash or trash" days... though gruff and downright depressing when compared to the Stones original, it was still awesome. (Wondering how the local listeners rated it... do I have to answer that, seriously?) The Sisters have had quite the time doing song covers, covering many genres, with songs including The Rolling Stones -Gimme Shelter, Dolly Parton's - Jolene, Hot Chocolate's - Emma, and Pink Floyds - Comfortably Numb.

So here I present to you The Sisters of Mercy, probably one of the most influential bands on my early 90's youth.

Gimme Shelter - The Sisters of Mercy - Some Girls Wander by Mistake

Temple of Love (extended version) - The Sisters of Mercy - Some Girls Wander by Mistake

Buy The Sisters of Mercy stuff