SPEAR OF DESTINY : NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE [10 RECORDS - UK 1987] 12”

Spear Of Destiny  "Never Take Me Alive"  maxi 12"

(10 Records)  1987  made in UK

cat. num. TENT 162

#synth pop    #alternative

Spear of Destiny was formed by Kirk Brandon and Stan Stammers from the wreckage of Theatre of Hate, and named, with characteristic grandeur, for the weapon with which the Roman centurion Longinus pierced the body of the crucified Christ. Much of the group's debut album was already in place before Lasette Ames and Chris Bell joined; released on the band's own Burning Rome label, The Grapes of Wrath echoed Theatre of Hate's final demos with astonishing precision. 

Spear of Destiny vanished for much in 1987, and when the band did return, it was with a completely new lineup of Brandon, bassist Chris Bostock, drummer Pete Barnacle, former Adam & the Ants guitarist Marco Pirroni, and keyboardist Volker Janssen. Ironically, it was now that Spear finally achieved the destiny which had evaded them for so long. Released on Virgin's 10 subsidiary, Outland spawned Spear of Destiny's biggest hits yet, "Stranger in Our Town," "Never Take Me Alive," "Was That You," and "The Traveller." The group also toured with U2, an outing which culminated at Wembley Stadium in June, 1987. But before the group could capitalize on their sudden success, tragedy struck. Literally on the eve of an appearance at the Reading Festival, Brandon was diagnosed with Reiter's Syndrome and ordered to bed. He spent a year flat on his back, barely able to move at a time when Spear of Destiny's commercial stock had never been higher. Outland was their biggest seller yet; their first tour of America was beckoning... and the brightest spot on the horizon was the possibility that Brandon might be able to learn to walk again.