Picked this record up a few months back. Didn't really know the band, but it looked like some 80's club goodness so I bought it. The tracks are quintessential 80's dance club fair.About a month ago while listening to one of my favorite podcasts "Stuck In The 80's" this band came up. They came up when talking about Boy George. There was mention that the singer of the band "Spear Of Destiny" sued Boy George because Boy George claimed to have a romantic fling with him. They didn't mention the singers name, but it was Kirk Brandon who was in Culture Club briefly in the very early days before they ever recorded anything. The hosts said they didn't really know the band either, but because I had just picked up the record I actually new the band. It's funny because just a few months earlier and I would have been just in the dark as they were. Wikipedia had this to say.
In his 1995 autobiography Take It Like A Man, Boy George wrote of a romantic relationship with Brandon, prompting Brandon to begin a High Court action against George.[3] George, taking the witness stand, faced a "malicious falsehood" charge brought against him by Brandon, who was then married with an 18 month daughter. The reason Brandon brought a "malicious falsehood" charge instead of one of "slander" was that Brandon, already declared a bankrupt, could receive legal aid for the former but not the latter. Brandon denied that the pair had once enjoyed a sexual relationship but subsequently lost the case, when witnesses for the defense, including a former girlfriend, confirmed he and George had often been seen together.
After the trial, Brandon's marriage broke down; his wife returned to her homeland of Denmark with his daughter whilst Brandon became addicted to antidepressants (see below). During the trial, George claimed that Brandon had been the love of his life and that he still loved him.[4][unreliable source?] In 2010, BBC Television produced Worried About The Boy, a 90 minute dramatisation of Boy George's rise to fame in the early 1980s which included his relationship with Brandon. George was portrayed by the actor Douglas Booth and Brandon was portrayed by Richard Madden.
In January 2008, Brandon sued GlaxoSmithKline UK over personal injuries as a result of taking the anti-depressant drug Seroxat.[5] Earlier last year, Brandon was awarded the full extent of his claims.
In August 2009, Brandon had a series of heart attacks which led him to have an eight hour operation at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, East Sussex where his aortic valve was replaced with a pig's valve.
Wikipedia has some other interesting things to say about Kirk Brandon. Read more here.Allmusic also helped fill in the story of what happened to the band. Here's what they have to say.
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.
They never really recovered after that. They've continued on with various lineups and have been releasing records until as recently as 2006.
As was mentioned above "Strangers In Our Town" was a single from the album "Outland" which was released in 1987. Haven't ever listened to the album, but based on these three tracks I think I'd like to give it a try. If I ever come across it I would pick it up.
I really like "Strangers In Our Town". It starts off pretty dark, which I'm digging on. The overall song actually isn't dark though. Reminds me of INXS from this same time. The other two tracks are okay as well. "Tonight" starts off good, but I think goes on just a little too long. "The Man That Never Was" is the weakest of the three but still not too bad.
Enjoy!
This is "Strangers In Our Town" (Extended Version)
Here is "Strangers In Our Town" and "Was That You & Jackstraw) live circa 1987.
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