|
|
| By the
time the band released their next single,
Just Thirteen
in early 1979, they were playing to crowds of up to 1500, and what should
have been a prestigious and celebratory show headlining at London's Lyceum
Ballroom turned sour after a series of fights broke out. They then headed
over to the States to record that difficult second album.
To try and expand
the audience beyond the confines of punk, the band flew to Muscle Shoals,
USA in March to record their second album with producer Phillip Jarrell
whose previous experience had been with 'Motown' acts. Unfortunately the
liaison was fraught with personality clashes and not helped by the Lurkers,
who did like a pint, discovering that Alabama was a dry state! Frequent 3
hour drives across the state line to replenish supplies were required to
solve that particular problem.
|
|
| |
|
 |
Again a single,
Out In The Dark, presaged the release on the album,
God's Lonely Men.
Far less frenetic than its predecessor, the album leant towards more
traditional, hard rocking and highlighted Pete Stride's maturing songwriting.
Following their
'Killer' UK tour the group were becoming disenchanted with the musical
limitations of their live sound, so decided to add a second guitarist,
harmony vocalist and drinking partner, 'Honest' John Plain who had been
playing with The Boys. They recorded demos of some new songs and another
single, New
Guitar In Town,
promoting the release with a return to the clubs, performing four shows at
the Marquee.
|
| |
|
| But
at the end of the decade the scene had completely changed from three years
earlier. Punk had fragmented into the hardcore 'Oi' and
more politicised factions, the spirit of '76 was long dead and the band
had become an anachronism. Without a positive future, and heavily in debt
to the record company, The Lurkers lost direction and drifted apart.
Various members have ever since reformed versions of the band to both tour
and record. |
Back
To Top
|