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 In late 1983, this line-up was superseded by Dolphin Taylor on drums, Alan St Clair on guitar, John Lennard on sax and Neil Pyzer on keyboards and additional saxophone.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.
Rebecca Pidgeon
The Higsons with Simon Charterton
Omega Tribe with Hugh Vivian
Peppy Castro - Blues Magoos
Jeff Drake - The Joneses
Paul Roessler - The Screamers, Nervous Gender & 45 Grave
Vashti Bunyan
The Bolshoi - Trevor Tanner
Five Thirty with Tara Milton
Ivan Julian
Make Me Famous - Edward Brezinski with Brian Vincent & Heather Spore
Modern English - Michael Conroy
Mark Reeder
Daved Hild - The Girls, The Wooden Birds & The Pale Orchestra
Arturo Bassick - 999 & The Lurkers
Penny Arcade
Hugo Race - Nick Cave, The Wreckery & DirtMusic
The Bolshoi with Nick Chown
Marco Porsia - Rema Rema
James Elliott - Filigree & Shadow
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
Immediately Kinfolk
Turned On
Resident by Hernan Cattaneo
Markus Schulz presents Global DJ Broadcast