While The Lords retained a punk rebellion, their music was darker, more melodic and (frankly) better-produced. Their talents alienated the die-hard punk audience, while bringing them a wider, more diverse following.
The Lords concept began in 1980 when Bator and James renewed an acquaintance that began when the Dead Boys opened for the Damned on several CBGB dates and an English tour. After splitting with their previous bands, Bator and James briefly enlisted ex-Generation X bassist Tony James and ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes. Later in 1980, Damned drummer Rat Scabies, and Tregunna replaced Tony and Terry for a single gig billed as the "Dead Damned Sham Band." By the time The Lords recorded their self-titled I.R.S. release in 1982, Turner had replaced Scabies and this more or less became the permanent lineup retained throughout the band's most productive years.
Though the debut was well-received, The Lords became more notorious for their live shows. A devotee of Iggy Pop, Bator had developed a fearless reputation in his Dead Boys days and continued such antics with The Lords. The most famous being the time he reportedly hanged himself during a show. Bator's stunt had went awry. He was pronounced clinically dead for several minutes. Nonetheless, Bator survived and The Lords recorded two more successful albums for I.R.S., IS NOTHING SACRED? and THE METHOD TO OUR MADNESS.
In 1985, The Lords slowly began to disintegrate. They recorded a mockingly rich single of Madonna's "Like A Virgin" for the IRS' "Best Of" Collection, KILLER LORDS. Around this time Tregunna left, replaced briefly by Grant Flemming, before returning to the band a short time later. A second guitarist, Alistair Simmons, was also added but later canned. Eventually Turner quit to be with his singer/actress wife, Hillary Shepard (of IRS stablemate American Girls with whom he had started a family) and was replaced by Danny Fury on the drums. Bator injured his back in 1988, forcing James to advertise for a replacement singer. When Bator found out, he played the encore of his last show donning a T-shirt with James' newspaper ad printed across the front. He then proceeded to fire the remaining members on-stage.
Bator died in 1990 of injuries sustained when he was reportedly struck by a car in Paris, quashing all possibilities of his return or a reunion of the original band.
In 2001, surviving members Brian James and Dave Tregunna announced a reformed Lords of the New Church featuring Floridian LordsoftheNewChurch.com webmaster Steven Blankfield Marque on vocals. After a few more change ups on drums and guitar, The LustKillers Adam Becvare was chosen to guest on guitar and vocals as it was learned Marque was unable to sing the band's classic material.
The Lords 2003 were finally laid to rest in June of that year after recording and touring Europe for their self released "Hang On" Cd.
James and Tregunna continue on as The Brian James Gang. Becvare continues with The LustKillers and Vancouver's Black Halos.
(taken from Wikipedia)
Russian Roulette
Lords Of The New Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm on a helicopter ride through Vietnam. I'm the Leicester Square
Kid I'm superman. I'm putting weight for the Oscar. Man gonna
Get through anyway I can. Everywhere everyone is red and green.
I gotta lust for glory and a tape machine. I'm living out Frank
Coppola's dreams. Outta my mind I'm feelin' mean. I'm Nuremberg
Stepper blowin' wets away. I gotta headful of Hendrix, I'm feelin'
OK. I'm a late night thriller, I'm miss La Ray. Outta my mind
Hey hey hey we're in the movie. I feel up and I feel groovy.
Let's go out and get some of that. Gimme gimme gimme some Russian
Roulette. La la la.... I said hey.
The lyrics to Lords of the New Church's "Russian Roulette" are a stream-of-consciousness outpouring of an adrenaline-fueled, drug-addled mind. The singer is on a helicopter ride through Vietnam, but he's not just any ordinary person – he's the "Leicester Square Kid" (a reference to a popular London hangout spot) and "Superman." He's "putting weight for the Oscar" (presumably trying to bulk up for a movie role) and he's going to "get through anyway I can." The colors "red and green" seem to be everywhere and he has a "lust for glory and a tape machine," suggesting a desire for fame and recording technology.
The singer references filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola's dreams, which could be a nod to the Vietnam War film "Apocalypse Now," which Coppola directed. The singer also mentions Hendrix and Miss La Ray, which could be references to Jimi Hendrix and a fictional character. The lyrics are full of violence and aggression, with the singer being a "Nuremberg Stepper blowin' wets away" (Nuremberg was the site of Nazi war crime trials, while "wets" is British slang for weak or cowardly people) and "outta my mind." The chorus's refrain of "Let's go out and get some of that. Gimme gimme gimme some Russian Roulette" reinforces the dangerous, reckless mindset of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm on a helicopter ride through Vietnam.
I am experiencing a high-speed journey through Vietnam on a chopper.
I'm the Leicester Square Kid I'm superman.
I am a confident individual, known as the Leicester Square Kid, and I feel invincible like the comic book superhero, Superman.
I'm putting weight for the Oscar. Man gonna Get through anyway I can.
I am taking measures to enhance my chances of winning the Oscar, even if it means resorting to unfair means.
Everywhere everyone is red and green.
The surroundings are dominated by red and green colors, indicating either a festive mood or a state of war.
I gotta lust for glory and a tape machine.
I have an insatiable desire for fame and success, along with the tools to capture and record it all.
I'm living out Frank Coppola's dreams.
I am fulfilling the unrealized aspirations of legendary film director Francis Ford Coppola.
Outta my mind I'm feelin' mean.
I am in a state of insanity and cruelty, feeling vicious and aggressive.
I'm Nuremberg Stepper blowin' wets away.
I am violating human rights like the Nazi officials during the Nuremberg Trials and eliminating opposition by force.
I gotta headful of Hendrix, I'm feelin' OK.
My mind is full of the music of Jimi Hendrix, but I am not disturbed because his music helps me cope with life.
I'm a late night thriller, I'm miss La Ray.
I am an exciting person who enjoys the night-life and has an interest in a mysterious woman called La Ray.
Outta my mind Can I come to play?
Am I still sane enough to participate in normal social activities?
Hey hey hey we're in the movie.
We are the artists in a grand cinematic drama that is being played out in reality.
I feel up and I feel groovy.
I feel sexually aroused and in a good mood.
Let's go out and get some of that.
Let's go out and enjoy the pleasures of life.
Gimme gimme gimme some Russian Roulette.
I want to experience the thrill of playing the dangerous game of Russian Roulette.
La la la.... I said hey.
I am lost in my own world of music and my emotions are expressed through meaningless but catchy sounds.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-he4qc8db8y
I'm on a helicopter ride through Vietnam
I'm the Leicester Square kid, I'm Superman
I'm putting on weight for the Oscar
Man, gonna get through, anyway I can
Hey, hey, hey, we're in the movie
I feel up and I feel groovy
Let's go out and get some of that
Gimme, gimme, gimme, some Russian Roulette
Everywhere, everyone is red and green
I gotta lust for glory and a tape machine
I'm living out Frank Coppola's dreams
Outta my mind, I'm feelin' mean
Hey, hey, hey, we're in the movie
I feel up and I feel groovy
Let's go out and get some of that
Gimme, gimme, gimme, some Russian Roulette
I'm a Nuremberg stepper blowin' wets away
I gotta headful of Hendrix, I'm feelin' okay
I'm a late night thriller, I'm Miss La Ray
Outta my mind, can I come to play?
Hey, hey, hey, we're in the movie
I feel up and I feel groovy
Let's go out and get some of that
Gimme, gimme, gimme, some Russian Roulette
Gimme, gimme, gimme, some Russian Roulette
@TheBsoxfan34
This song would’ve been perfect for Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
@madnux
They can't get the rights of this song, because this song has legal problems.
@rmick5173
Listening to these guys since 82 and still have the cassettes. Awesome and very underrated.
@meelsie143
Apparently this is the only song James Gunn wanted to use in the guardians of the galaxy franchise but couldn’t get the rights to
@dookjade3238
Literally how i found out about this song and band.
@QTCutes
I can see why he wanted it. Too bad he never got his wish.
@O_Leo
Eu vim aqui ouvir essa música só por isso kkk
@jonatanguardia9222
La queria incluir pero no que sea la unica ..guardianes no seria guardianes sin el repertorio musical que conlleva
@mikethespike056
@@jonatanguardia9222 la única que NO pudo conseguir
@photoshoott2022
Love this song. The first time I heard it, was in the 80s when a friend of ours introduced our entire group to this band and this song. We loved it right away. I even played it for my daughter about a year ago and she was taken back how good it is. Great music is timeless and ageless. Love all the 80s music, this is one of them.