The band recorded three studio albums and one live album in their career together. Bators ended the band on stage after a concert on May 2, 1989, at the London Astoria.
The first album was the selftitled The Lords of the New Church that came out in 1982. The following album came in 1983 and was called Is Nothing Sacred?In 2003, founders Brian James and Dave Tregunna recruited Adam Becvare of The LustKillers to front a series of recordings and European Tour. Becvare again fronted the band in 2007 and continues to work with the band at their request.
In March 2008 a new double CD was released by Easy Action records with brand new album cover artwork by original Lords album cover designer Graham Humphries and liner notes by Brian James. This 2 CD album called Rockers is one CD of tracks selected from across all three albums completely remixed by founder member Brian James. Mixes were made from original Multi track masters at Abbey Rd. The second CD contains an unreleased live show from the groups first world tour of 1982.
Affectionately called simply "The Lords" by their most devoted fans, the band's image blurred the lines of batcave rockers and glam punks such as Hanoi Rocks. (vocalist Michael Monroe actually guested on one of the Lords albums using the saxophone - can anyone verify this?) - Saxophone on the original albums was played by Rudi Thomson and Simon Lloyd. Todd Rundgren produced & recorded the song Live for Today that is found on Is Nothing Sacred?
Despite releasing numerous singles in the new wave/gothic rock genre, The Lords were one of the few bands that could also pull off pure-punk rock anthems such as "S, F, & T (Sucked, F*cked, & Tattooed)" and the title track "Method to My Madness" of their third album The Method To Our Madness.
Holy War
The Lords Of The New Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've got it twisted in this lucid dream
Baptized in boundaries, schooled in sin
Divided by difference, sexuality and skin
Oh, so we can hate each other and fear each other
We can build these walls between each other
Baby, blow by blow and brick by brick
Yeah, we can hate each other and fear each other
We can build these walls between each other
Baby, blow by blow and brick by brick
Keep yourself locked in, yourself locked
Oh, maybe we should love somebody
Oh, maybe we could care a little more
So maybe we should love somebody
Instead of polishing the bombs of holy war
What if sex was holy and war was obscene
And it wasn't twisted, what a wonderful dream
Living for love, unafraid of the end
Forgiveness is the only real revenge
Oh, so we can heal each other and fill each other
We can break these walls between each other
Baby, blow by blow and brick by brick
Keep yourself open, yourself open
Yeah, we can heal each other and fill each other
We can break these walls between each other
Baby, blow by blow and brick by brick
Keep yourself open, you're open
So maybe we should love somebody
Maybe we could care a little more
So maybe we should love somebody
Instead of polishing the bombs of holy war
What if love is holy and hate obscene
We should give life to this beautiful dream
'Cause peace and love ain't so far
If we nurse our wounds before they scar
Nurse our wounds before they scar
The song Holy War by The Lords of the New Church delves into the paradoxical nature of human behavior - how we claim to worship love and peace, but often indulge in violence and hatred instead. The opening lines of the song suggest that we have reversed the concept of what is pure and what is profane, what is holy and what is obscene. The world we live in is a lucid dream that is twisted out of shape. We are baptized in rigid boundaries that separate and divide us - by race, gender, sexuality, religion, and other markers of identity - and schooled in sin that encourages us to hate and fear difference.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "blow by blow and brick by brick" to drive home the point that the walls we build between ourselves are not metaphorical but real, tangible barriers that keep us "locked in." The song suggests that if we continue to hate and fear each other, we will only be perpetuating the cycle of violence and war. Instead, there is a need to love and care for each other, to break down the walls that divide us, and to keep ourselves open to healing and forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
If war is holy and sex is obscene
The world is twisted if war is considered holy and sex is considered obscene
We've got it twisted in this lucid dream
The world is twisted in this seemingly clear dream-like state
Baptized in boundaries, schooled in sin
We are limited by societal boundaries and taught to sin
Divided by difference, sexuality and skin
We are divided by our differences, sexuality, and skin color
Oh, so we can hate each other and fear each other
We have the option of hating and fearing each other
We can build these walls between each other
We build walls between each other that separate us
Baby, blow by blow and brick by brick
Slowly and steadily, we build walls between each other
Keep yourself locked in, yourself locked in
We isolate ourselves from each other
Oh, maybe we should love somebody
Perhaps we should consider loving somebody
Oh, maybe we could care a little more
Perhaps we should consider caring a little bit more
So maybe we should love somebody
So we should love somebody
Instead of polishing the bombs of holy war
Rather than preparing for war, we should consider spreading love
What if sex was holy and war was obscene
What if sex was considered holy and war was considered obscene?
And it wasn't twisted, what a wonderful dream
If this wasn't considered twisted, it would be a wonderful dream
Living for love, unafraid of the end
Living for love and not fearing the end
Forgiveness is the only real revenge
Forgiveness is the ultimate form of revenge
Oh, so we can heal each other and fill each other
We have the power to heal and fill each other
We can break these walls between each other
We can break down the barriers that separate us
Keep yourself open, yourself open
Be open and not closed off from others
Yeah, we can heal each other and fill each other
We have the power to heal and fill each other
Keep yourself open, you're open
Stay open-minded to others
So maybe we should love somebody
We should love somebody
Maybe we could care a little more
We could perhaps consider caring a little bit more
Instead of polishing the bombs of holy war
Rather than preparing for war, we should consider spreading love
What if love is holy and hate obscene
What if love is considered holy and hate is considered obscene?
We should give life to this beautiful dream
We should strive for this beautiful dream to become a reality
'Cause peace and love ain't so far
Peace and love are not far away
If we nurse our wounds before they scar
If we address our issues before they become permanent
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carlo Montagnese, Alicia Augello-Cook, Billy Walsh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Mathie
Lords of the new church's 1982 a masterpiece of post Punk and what a band they were
marko ahonen
This band was so good,this song is something ❤️
cath salazar
Awesome Stiv great version !!❤️👍☮️🔥
CEDRIC HERRERA
It's Alternative '80s and that music never gets old. MTV 120 Minutes...
TEXAS N8V
the Lords forever!!! stiv was always ahead of the game in this false society
Paul Savage
You know how to play the game of society well. It's not a game when everything is about money and not humanity.
ScottyFox
Fake is the new real.
Clifton Slay
Great song !!!
Marcus Saint
Never be afraid to speak out.
Let your voices be heard.
Joey P4099
Did he get whacked?