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By the early 1980s, punk had been declared dead, and two of its most notorious figures went looking for what came next. Lords of the New Church brought together Stiv Bators of Cleveland’s Dead Boys and Brian James of London’s The Damned. The result was a dark, swaggering mix of punk, glam and gothic rock that still sounds unlike anything else from the era.
Lords of the New Church at a glance
Formed
1981
Classic lineup
Stiv Bators (vocals), Brian James (guitar), Dave Tregunna (bass), Nick Turner (drums)
Genres
Post-punk, gothic rock, punk
Debut album
The Lords of the New Church (1982)
Active
1981–1989
A punk supergroup
Each member came with history. Bators had fronted the Dead Boys, one of the wildest bands of the original CBGB scene. Brian James wrote and played on The Damned’s “New Rose,” widely called the first British punk single. Bassist Dave Tregunna had played with Sham 69, and drummer Nick Turner with The Barracudas. Signed to Miles Copeland’s I.R.S. Records, the label behind R.E.M. and The Go-Go’s, the band set out to make punk darker and more theatrical.
The albums
The Lords of the New Church (1982)
Thunderous drums, booming bass and James’ searing guitar under Bators’ sneering vocals. “New Church,” “Open Your Eyes,” “Livin’ on Livin'” and “Russian Roulette” are the essentials. The album’s mix of punk energy and gothic atmosphere has been compared to Killing Joke and early Cult.
Is Nothing Sacred? (1983)
Glossier and more melodic, with “Dance with Me,” whose video earned MTV airplay, and “Live for Today.”
The Method to Our Madness (1984)
Their final studio album, featuring “Murder Style” and “Method to My Madness.”
The live album Live at the Spit (1988) captures their reputation on stage. The band broke up in 1989. Stiv Bators died in Paris in 1990 after being struck by a car.
Why they matter
Lords of the New Church bridged first-wave punk and the gothic and post-punk scenes of the 1980s. Their dramatic sound and image influenced gothic rock and dark alternative bands, and they remain a cult favorite among fans of Clan of Xymox, Siouxsie and the Banshees and early Cure. Our alternative rock timeline places them in that wider story.
Songs to start with
Open Your Eyes
New Church
Dance with Me
Russian Roulette
Livin’ on Livin’
Live for Today
Holy War
Method to My Madness
If you like Lords of the New Church, try
The Damned, Dead Boys, The Cult, Killing Joke, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Clan of Xymox.
Frequently asked questions
Who were the members of Lords of the New Church?
Stiv Bators, Brian James, Dave Tregunna and Nick Turner.
What is their best-known song?
“Open Your Eyes” and “Dance with Me” are their most recognized songs.
Are Lords of the New Church still active?
No. The band split in 1989, and Stiv Bators died in 1990.
About this article: Written and fact-checked by The Alternative One editorial team, the programmers and music writers behind the station’s on-air shows. Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Read our editorial standards or tell us about a correction.
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