Andrew Eldritch's vehicle that delivered a fan reverence that translated into hard album sales. THE SISTERS OF MERCY, engineered by a series of seemingly ruthless line-up culls and a mystique enhanced by imagery and obtuse lyrics, managed to retain their cult status in spite of mainstream success.

Always frontrunners in the Gothic Rock field the band actually plied hard driving Rock lent a sombre edge by Eldritch's maudlin vocal Since the early 90s the band has been locked into an unyielding dispute with the record label making THE SISTERS OF MERCY's standing as a major act even more remarkable.

THE SISTERS OF MERCY had been formulated in Leeds during the late 70s with an initial line up of Andrew 'Eldritch' Taylor on vocals, guitarist Gary Marx and a drum machine (credited as 'Dr. Avalanche'). In this guise the band issued the 1980 'Damage Done' single, having just 1,000 copies pressed up on their own Merciful Release imprint. Craig Adams, previously with THE EXPELAIRES, got involved on bass which helped define their by now unique sound. THE SISTERS OF MERCY put in their first live appearance in February of 1981 and shortly after second guitarist Ben Gunn augmented the band roster.

A series of single releases throughout 1982 and 1983, with 'Body Electric' being voted 'Single of the week' by the influential Melody Maker magazine, rapidly built up an underground following. A tour of the UK as opening act to THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS paved the way for the single 'Alice'. Despite being hailed by the Gothic Rock crowd as almost messiah like the band continued to inject both a sense of humour and traditional Rock n' Roll spirit into their live performances peppering live sets with oblique cover versions of HOT CHOCOLATE's 'Emma' and DOLLY PARTON's 'Jolene'. The 'Alice' single was granted a North American release in 12" format and the group duly crossed the Atlantic for their first US shows.

The band put out the atmospheric 'The Reptile House' EP in May of 1983 after which Wayne Hussey, already a veteran of THE WALKIE TALKIES, DEAD OR ALIVE and HAMBI & THE DANCE, supplanted Gunn. Hussey's enrollment in April of 1984 brought a new element of acoustic based songwriting into the band.

With this version of the band Eldritch first made an impression on the national charts, the June 1984 single 'Body And Soul' making it to no 46, albeit oddly billed at this juncture simply as THE SISTERS. The group had struck a distribution deal with the major WEA label for this and future outings. Internationally their star would be rising too. THE SISTERS OF MERCY travelled to New York for two sell out gigs before launching into their 'Black October' tour of the UK and Europe.

'Walk Away' followed its predecessor into the lower reaches of the singles charts paving the way for the debut album, 'First And Last And Always', launched in March of 1985 and making the top twenty. Although the band held solid for a UK headline tour dubbed as the 'Tune In, Turn On, Burn Out' dates Marx quit upon the eve of the album release. Much to fans consternation THE SISTERS OF MERCY then split, bowing out unexpectedly and without warning with a show at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Marx founded GHOST DANCE whilst Hussey and Adams forged THE SISTERHOOD, this band's title was also the name of THE SISTERS OF MERCY fan club. A bitter war of words between Eldritch and Hussey erupted in the Rock media. To counter Hussey's plans Eldritch, now based in Berlin, quickly formulated his own band billed as THE SISTERHOOD, rush releasing a Dance based single and issuing the 1986 album 'The Gift'. Many at the time missed the significance of the political machinations behind the scenes, Eldritch blatantly detailing the sum of an RCA publishing advance in song lyrics and cleverly lending his album with a double barrelled meaning, 'Gift' being German for 'Poison'. Hussey and Adams re-titled their act THE MISSION and subsequently built a career to rival Eldritch's own.

A new look THE SISTERS OF MERCY comprised guitarist James Ray, erstwhile GUN CLUB and FUR BIBLE bassist Patricia Morrison, ex-SUICIDE keyboard player Alan Vega and drummer Lucas Fox.

When the dust had settled Eldritch legally owned THE SISTERS OF MERCY title but by now had whittled the official line up down to just himself, Morrison and a drum machine. Nevertheless the next THE SISTERS OF MERCY album 'Floodland' proved a major album, going top ten in the UK boosted by the hit single 'This Corrosion'. Both 'Dominion', featuring the massed vocals of the New York choral society and backed by a lavish video shot in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra, and 'Lucretia My Reflection' also had a significant impression, this forward momentum prompting the enlistment of a fresh band unit in early 1990.

Dispensing with Morrison's services the SISTERS OF MERCY duly enlisted SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK and GENERATION X bass player Tony James in her stead. Guitars came courtesy of Andreas Bruhn and ALL ABOUT EVE's Tim Bricheno. The media would have a field day when Morrison and Eldritch started trading bitter jibes with Eldritch claiming Morrison did not actually perform on 'Floodland'. The ousted bassist issued an album 'Reflect On This' with her own PATRICIA MORRISON BAND then joined Punk veterans THE DAMNED.

October 1990's 'Vision Thing' built upon the progress of 'Floodland', once again engendering a healthy crop of hit singles with the epic 'More' and 'Doctor Jeep'. Overall THE SISTERS OF MERCY had developed a Hard Rock edge to their sound for this release which many critics viewed as an attempt to crack the North American market. What had actually transpired in the studio was that finished, finely polished mixes, had been scrapped in favour of initial rough recordings to give the album its abrasive tone. MAGGIE REILLY would add her distinctive tones on backing vocals.

By now the band was big enough to play two consecutive shows at Wembley Arena, warming up for these gigs with dates in Brazil. In March of 1991 THE SISTERS OF MERCY embarked upon North American gigs commencing in Canada. The world tour would then wend its way through the former Eastern Bloc territories before a massive arena tour of Germany where the band was now of superstar status. A return to America had the band headlining an eclectic package bill comprising GANG OF FOUR, WARRIOR SOUL and Rappers PUBLIC ENEMY. A series of festival events, such as the huge German 'Rock Am Ring' show and the UK's prestigious 'Reading' Festival wrapped up live work.

1992's retrospective album 'Some Girls Wander By Mistake' charted even higher, reaching no. 5 in the UK. The single 'Temple Of Love', re-recorded with the late Ofra Haza on vocals, also fared well peaking at no. 3. More European summer festivals ensued as well as a mammoth show at the Birmingham NEC. On a less grander scale, but probably more awe inspiring, a fan club member got to witness the band perform in their living room as a warm up gig in Oberhausen. As the band entered 1993 they would hook up with another set of alternative heroes, DEPECHE MODE, for a further rash of European mainland gigs.

The 'Greatest Hits Volume 1- A Slight Case Of Overbombing' album would signal a new recording 'Under The Gun', cut with new guitarist Adam Pearson and with vocal embellishment from TERRI NUNN of BERLIN fame. Pearson, having contributed to acts such as 3000 REVS, HEARTS ON FIRE, JOHNNY THUNDERS and RED LORRY, YELLOW LORRY would add a degree of much need stability to the band and would retain his position until the present day. A return to Germany found THE RAMONES as support act. A spate of British gigs in London and at the Birmingham NEC once again closed the year.

1994 would be taken up by behind the scenes manouevering between the band and their label, a situation which would continue for many years to come. Eldritch would also embroil himself in remixing tracks for German Industrialists DIE KRUPPS.

Second guitarist Chris Sheehan, a New Zealander who cited prior experience with BABYLON ZOO and had a parallel solo career as CHRIS STARLING, enrolled in 1996 and one 'Ravey Davey' was assigned to look after the Dr. Avalanche drum computer. That year the group performed an unannounced club gig in Leeds during June under the handle NEAR METH EXPERIENCE. With the band's self imposed ban on activity now reaching the three year marker fans would be relieved to learn that THE SISTERS OF MERCY were scheduled to act as special guests to the reformed SEX PISTOLS 'Helter Skelter' festival tour of Germany. Three gigs were scheduled but only two took place.

To fulfil contractual obligation Eldritch would apparently give East West a Techno album credited to SSV-NSMABAAOTWMODAACOTIATW, an abbreviation what should stand for 'Screw Shareholder Value - Not So Much A Band As Another Opportunity To Waste Money On Drugs And Ammunition, Courtesy Of The Idiots At Time Warner', an album still as yet unreleased.

THE SISTERS OF MERCY live line up for 1997's 'Distance Over Time' tour, pre-empted by a further Leeds NEAR METH EXPERIENCE gig, had the Yugoslavian Mike Varjak taking Sheehan's role as the latter was undertaking tour duties with Australian Pop act THE MUTTON BIRDS. Another addition would be Simon 'Sigh' Denbigh, previously with the BATFISH BOYS, MARCH VIOLETS and D-ROK. These dates officially kicked off in Eastern Germany at the 'Woodhenge' festival. A Philadelphia gig soon became famous in the fans folklore for Eldritch's onstage quip that THE SISTERS OF MERCY were "A Rock n' Roll band". On a more serious note reports stated that Eldritch had vetoed three support bands originally scheduled to perform, apparently because of their 'Gothic' associations.

1998 had the band industrious on the live front with sell out gigs in the UK, Europe and North America dubbed the 'Event Horizon' tour. The band would re-visit the USA the following year on the 'To The Planet Edge' dates.

THE SISTERS OF MERCY were active in 2000, bringing back Chris Sheehan and Simon Denbigh for their 'Trip The Light Fantastic' gigs. Advance promotion for this run of dates notably used the truncated band name SISTERS. Varjak meantime was busy with his project JACKIE ON ASSID.

2001 had the band out on the road on the 'Exxile In Euphoria' tour celebrating the ten year anniversary of their last studio album. German gigs saw PARADISE LOST as special guests.

In 2002 THE SISTERS OF MERCY were still operational, headlining a number of German festivals with Adam Pearson back in the ranks. Guitarist Chris Sheehan issued a solo album 'Planet Painkiller'. Leading Brazilian ProgMetal band SHAMAN covered 'More' in January 2005.

THE SISTERS OF MERCY were back on the touring circuit throughout 2006. Newly installed on guitar would be former AKO guitarist Ben Christo. With Adam Pearson having joined the DKT/MC5, Chris Catalyst took over his guitar duties. Gigs in February and March witnessed events across the USA and Mexico, dubbed "Vegas to Rio - Sisters Bite The Silver Bullet", upfront of April European dates including France for the first time, the UK in May then closing in Brazil. Further European and Scandinavian festivals ensued that summer. Christo also made time to formulate a side project fronted by Ania Blomberg of BATALION D'AMOUR and DANCE ON GLASS.

Wes Borland's BLACK LIGHT BURNS tackled a rendition of 'Lucretia My Reflection' on their August 2008 album 'Cover Your Heart And The Anvil Pants Odyssey'.