Spear of Destiny special with Kirk Brandon in conversation with David Eastaugh
Formed in 1983, the band's original line-up consisted of Kirk Brandon, Stan Stammers, Chris Bell and Lascelles James. In late 1983, this line-up was superseded by Dolphin Taylor on drums, Alan St Clair on guitar, John Lennard on sax and Neil Pyzer on keyboards and additional saxophone. In 1984, John Lennard was replaced by Mickey Donnelly on saxophone.
Spear of Destiny recorded one session for John Peel (recorded 22 November 1982, transmitted on BBC Radio 1 on 29 November 1982).
"The band played a punk-influenced form of power rock, which often had an anthemic feel."
Their second album, One Eyed Jacks was released in 1984. It reached No. 22 in the UK Albums Chart[4] Spear of Destiny’s reputation in the mid-1980s depended to a greater extent on their live performances.[citation needed]
In 1985, their album, World Service reached the UK Top 20. Founder member Stan Stammers left in 1986. In the wake of the release of the fourth album, Outland (1987) and its Top 15 hit "Never Take Me Alive", the band began achieving some chart success and staging sell-out concerts, including a support slot to U2 at Wembley Stadium. However, ill fortune struck on the eve of the band’s appearance at the Reading Festival, as Brandon developed reactive arthritis which obliged the band to put all their plans on hold for nearly a year.
In addition to Brandon and Stammers, past members of the band in the 1980s included former Gillan drummer Pete Barnacle, former JoBoxers bassist Chris Bostock, former Adam and the Ants guitarist Marco Pirroni, and former Tom Robinson Band and Stiff Little Fingers drummer Dolphin Taylor.
Brandon is also a member of the supergroup, Dead Men Walking.
Simon "Ding" Archer - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Fall, PJ Harvey, The Pixies, AAAK, 1919,
Louise Rutkowski - This Mortel Coil, Rutkowski Sisters, Sunset Gun, The Florentines, The Kindness Of Strangers
Anita Gabrielle Tedder - Zenana
Simon Reynold - Futuromania: Electronic Dreams, Desiring Machines and Tomorrow’s Music Today
David 'Taffy' Hughes - Hurrah! & The Girl with the Replaceable Head
David Wolfenden - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
The Children - Michael Wiener & Jim Coleman
Danny Kroha - The Gories, Demolition Doll Rods, Rocket 455, The Readies
Muz Murray
Linda Smith
The Housemartins - Stan Cullimore
Ausgang - Max
Alan Lee Shaw - The Damned, The Rings, Maniacs & Physicals
Chris Cuffaro - Photographer
Ron Ward - Speedball Baby, Blood Oranges & Five Dollar Priest
Kim Richey
Ira A Robbins - Zip It Up!: The Best of Trouser Press Magazine 1974 - 1984
Graeme Thomson - John Martyn
Justine Armatage - Gretschen Hofner, The Cesarians & Miranda Sex Garden
Herman De Tollenaere
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