After sticking a fork in the Dead Boys, Stiv explored his love of power pop and garage rock on his 1980 solo album Disconnected (still available from Bomp Records with bonus tracks).
Stiv and members of Sham 69 formed the Wanderers, who made the 1981 album Only Lovers Left Alive. Stiv and Dave Tregunna (Sham bassist) then formed Lords Of The New Church with Brian James of the Damned.
The Lords Of The New Church forged a unique blend of punk, glam, garage, and goth from 1982 until 1989, when Stiv "sacked the band live on stage" (according to the Lords' own website) after confronting them wearing a t-shirt printed with the band's ad for a new singer.
The surviving Dead Boys (Stiv, Cheetah Chrome, Johnny Blitz and Jeff Magnum) briefly reunited in 1987 to record a new single, “The Nights Are So Long”. Stiv released a final solo single in 1987 on Bomp. Stiv also appeared on a single by The Lyres, sang on the "Sun City" protest against apartheid, and acted in the films Polyester (1981) and Tapeheads (1987).
Dangerous Minds and Please Kill Me have some great articles and photos from Stiv's life and times, and this oral history of Rocket From The Tombs details how Stiv and Cheetah first met. These interviews with Brian James and Dave Tregunna explain how the Lords Of The New Church formed, and their perspectives on why they split.
Themen Aus Großen Städten has more of Stiv's music. You can also watch the 2018 documentary Stiv: No Compromise, No Regrets for free here. It includes footage of the pre-Dead Boys bands Frankenstein and Mother Goose, as well as that final Lords Of The New Church concert. Buy the soundtrack and support my local record store here.
The Hard-Ons ask the musical question, "What Would Stiv Bators Do?" The answer, one suspects, is "Whatever he damn well pleased." Once again, thanks to Stinky for another of his swell Homemade Records!
The Very Best Of Stiv Bators
ReplyDeleteAnother Stinky Production
https://tinyurl.com/y8ove7nl
Michael Monroe's tribute to Stiv, "Deadtime Stories":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qobbM8HqpM
NEW LINK: https://tinyurl.com/StivBest
DeleteIt's my pleasure to darken your door again, Jonder! - Stinky
ReplyDeleteOoooo!!! I'm really excited to check this out.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thanks for this!!! Stiv was from my hometown. Didn't think anyone still had interest in his work. I was lucky enough to see the Dead Boys in '87 & then meet him (and his parents!!) back stage at a Lords show in Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
MH77
Stinky put together an outstanding compilation of a singer (and musician) who doesn't always get his due. I think he is too often dismissed as an Iggy or Johnny Rotten wannabe, but he raised the bar on death-defying performances, and more importantly the songs hold up! A compilation of Cheetah Chrome's career would make a great companion to this one.
DeleteThat's cool that you got to see both the Dead Boys and the Lords, and met his folks! Parenting little Stevie Bator must have been... challenging. Thanks for the comment!
Stiv gave Iggy the peanut butter, for punk sake. Stiv lives. Thanks Stinky & jonder.
ReplyDeleteI remember Stiv's claim about the peanut butter, but I had forgotten that Stiv's solo album has strong ties to his home state: he made it with Frank Secich from Blue Ash (power pop band from Youngstown), and "It's Cold Outside" was a huge hit in Cleveland for The Choir. And I never knew that Stiv became the singer for Ohio band Mother Goose after Frank Secich left them to form Blue Ash.
Deletehttp://whitetrashsoul.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-frank-secich-blue-ash-stiv.html
Thanks guys!
ReplyDeleteTa for this, only just come across your blog. I came late to any real appreciation of Dead Boys, not having had any idea of what a quality band they really were until I finally listened to the albums a few years ago. Seeing Lords Of The New Church (my then girlfriend's obsession) at Reading Festival around 1987/88 didn't help...not my cup of tea to say the least...but yeah, I'm gonna listen without prejudice to the tracks you've chosen from them. Looking fwd to giving this a go, cheers!
ReplyDeleteThat's the spirit! An open minded listener. I have been listening to this one a lot since Stinky sent it to me, and the songs really hold up. Well written and performed with passion. Glad you found the blog, and thanks for your comment.
DeleteYeah, nice, enjoyed that very much. The solo stuff is cool, didn't know he'd covered The Electric Prunes. Like the Wanderers track too, and those Lords tunes actually work for me much better now in me old age! Maybe it was the overkill from my ex that put me off, haha. She was actually a huge Hanoi fan as well, and won me around too (esp Lightning Bar Blues) - no mean feat seeing as I was a grumpy old Fall fan at the time, lol - so nice to hear that Michael Monroe tribute you posted. I already watched the documentary a couple of weeks ago - excellent insight into the man I thought - probably helped draw me to this post, so there you go, thanks again, and also for the links (ツ)
DeleteI was happy that Stinky included my favorite Lords song, "Livin On Livin". Stiv and Brian James both sound great on that one. I think Michael Monroe was a friend of Stiv's, and Michael's band Demolition 23 recorded a version of "Ain't Nothing To Do". I had a friend in college who got me into Hanoi Rocks (my favorite song of theirs is "Problem Child"). And I'm a grumpy old Fall fan too! Just finished reading "Have A Bleedin Guess".
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