Kirk Brandon
Spear of Destiny re-record their One Eyed Jacks album and promote it with a UK tour and Getintothis’ Banjo looks back at a great alternative 80s band.
Spear of Destiny have gone the extra mile. In an age where we are used to bands touring their classic albums, Spear of Destiny have gone to the trouble of actually rerecording their own classic album, One Eyed Jacks.
Despite One Eyed Jacks being their most acclaimed album, Spear of Destiny frontman and mainstay Kirk Brandon has often voiced his unhappiness with the recording of the album, blaming interference from a record company that did not know how best to market the band, aiming for a poppier sound that Brandon believes compromised his music.
To fix matters, the current Spear of Destiny lineup of Brandon, along with Crag Adams (The Mission/Sisters of Mercy, Adrian Portas (New Model Army/Sex Gang Children) and Phil Martini have recreated One Eyed Jacks from scratch. Brandon’s other band, Theatre of Hate, have supplied sax player Clive Osbourne to complete the sound.
To celebrate this, Spear of Destiny will embark on a nationwide tour in September, including a date at the newly opened Jimmy’s in Liverpool.
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Brandon, with both Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny, was an important part of the 80s alternative scene.
Theatre of Hate particularly were hugely influential on the emerging Goth scene and their gigs became a rallying point for the nation’s youth.
When they split, losing guitarist Billy Duffy to Ian Astbury as he formed Death Cult, later shortening the name to The Cult and finding huge success, Brandon formed Spear of Destiny without missing a beat.
Spear took Theatre of Hate’s promise to the overground, becoming hugely popular, appearing on Top of the Pops, playing Wembley Stadium with U2 and taking their albums top 20.
Illness forced Brandon out of action for a year in the mid 80s and all seemed over for Spear of Destiny.
Since then, he has reactivated both Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny and tours with both frequently.
The September dates will consist of the whole of the One Eyed Jacks album and it’s attendant b sides, along with an encore of other Spear classics.
Support on all dates comes from Feather Trade, ahead of the release of their debut album The Sound of Broken Worlds. Feather Trade are described as described as ‘like seeing Bauhaus playing a set of Pixies covers’. And if that doesn’t intrigue you, I don’t know what will.
Full tour dates are:
Wednesday September 4 Colchester Arts Centre
Thursday September 5 Glasgow Oran Mor
Friday September 6 Stoke Underground
Saturday September 7 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
Sunday September 8 Norwich Waterfront
Wednesday September 11 Southampton The 1865
Thursday September 12 Bristol Fleece
Friday September 13 Woking Undercover Festival
Saturday September 14 Bedford Esquires
Sunday September 15 Liverpool Jimmy’s
Wednesday September 18 Exeter Phoenix Arts Centre
Thursday September 19 Birmingham Hare & Hounds
Friday September 20 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Saturday September 21 Manchester Gorilla
Sunday 2 September 2 Hull Polar Bear
Tuesday September 24 Swindon Level III
Wednesday September 25 Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach
Thursday September 2 Newcastle The Cluny
Friday September 27 Brighton Boat (Outdoor)
Saturday September 28 London Under The Bridge
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