| Stiv Bators | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Steven John Bator |
| Born | October 22, 1949 Youngstown, Ohio |
| Died | June 2, 1990 (aged 40) Paris, France |
| Genres | Punk rock Gothic rock Post-punk |
| Occupations | Singer, composer, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1974–1990 |
| Labels | Bomp!, Sire |
| Associated acts | The Dead Boys The Lords of the New Church |
Steven John Bator, known as Stiv Bators (October 22, 1949 – June 2, 1990), was an American rock and roll and punk rock vocalist and guitarist from Youngstown, Ohio. He is best remembered for his bands, The Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church.
Contents |
In the course of his career, Bators was involved with a variety of bands beyond those for which he was best known. These short-term bands included Rocket From The Tombs with Craig Bell of the Saucers, Hormones with Dennis Comeau and Andre Siva, Frankenstein, The Wanderers and The Whores of Babylon (with Dee Dee Ramone and Johnny Thunders). He also recorded as a solo artist with Bomp! Records.
It was as the lead singer and driving force of the Dead Boys, however, that Bators helped pioneer the punk rock sound, look and attitude. Bators and the Dead Boys were featured in the independent punk rock films Punking Out (1978), Live at CBGB's (1977) and Crash 'n' Burn (1977). Around the same time, the band became a popular staple at CBGB's, the now-legendary music club in New York City's East Village.
Following the demise of the Dead Boys in 1979, Bators began a tumultuous relationship with Bomp! Records and its president, Greg Shaw. According to Shaw: "[W]hat he craved most was to escape the fetters of his Dead Boy image and win respect as a singer of contemporary pop rock. . . . In other words, he wanted to be 'the thinking punk's Eric Carmen.'"[1] To this end, and usually with first-wave punk rock veterans in tow, he recorded several singles (many of which were unreleased) and an LP, Disconnected, which was released in 1980. A retrospective album released in 1994, L.A. L.A. documented Bators' efforts as a pop-punk singer.
After England's Sham 69 broke up, Bators, now re-located in London, formed the Wanderers with members of the band by the end of the year. This under-appreciated band came up with a concept album, called Only Lovers Left Alive (released in May 1981), along with two singles.
Bators formed The Lords of the New Church later in 1981 with Brian James of The Damned and Dave Tregunna of Sham 69. (Bators and Tregunna had also been in the Wanderers together). The Lords became notorious for their live shows. A devotee of Iggy Pop, Bators 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 went awry and he was pronounced clinically dead for several minutes. Nonetheless, Bator survived and The Lords recorded two more successful albums.
Later, the punk vocalist gained additional exposure through more mainstream film. In 1981, Bators co-starred in the satirical John Waters film, Polyester. Seven years later, Bators made a memorable cameo appearance as "Dick Slammer", lead singer of "The Blender Children", in the offbeat comedy, Tapeheads, starring John Cusack and Tim Robbins.
In December 1985 Bators flew to New York with his best friend Michael Monroe to work Artists United Against Apartheid music video.[1]
The Lords of the New Church broke up in 1989 when Bators injured his back and guitarist Brian James secretly began advertising for a replacement singer. When Bators found out he played the encore of the band's final show donning a T-shirt with James' newspaper ad printed across the front, he then proceeded to fire the remaining members on-stage.[citation needed]
In the late 1970s, Bators dated and lived with model / singer Bebe Buell, mother of the then infant Liv Tyler and temporarily set up home with the pair in Bangor, Maine. (A photograph of Bators and Buell is included in the package insert for the L.A. L.A. CD). He subsequently moved to England and married Anastasia Maisoneuve, who ended up leaving him for members of Hanoi Rocks. Some years after their divorce he relocated to Paris, France where he met and was living with a woman until his death.
In the summer of 1990, Bators, intoxicated, was struck by a taxi while crossing a street in Paris. He was taken to hospital but reportedly left before seeing a doctor after waiting several hours. Reports indicate that he died in his sleep as the result of a concussion. Dave Tregunna said that Bators, a fan of rock legend Jim Morrison, had earlier requested that his ashes be spread over Morrison's Paris grave and that his girlfriend complied.
However, in the director's commentary of the film "Polyester," in which Bators starred, John Waters, in relating Bators death, stated that Bator's girlfriend had snorted his ashes.
Stiv was the only one of the three "Whores of Babylon" (and fellow heroin users) who didn't die from a heroin overdose. Both Johnny Thunders and Dee Dee Ramone died of a heroin overdose; Johnny in New Orleans, less than a year after Stiv, and Dee Dee, shortly after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Demolition 23 dedicated a song titled "Dead Time Stories" (written by Michael Monroe, formerly of Hanoi Rocks and Jude Wilder) to Bators on the band's 1994 album called Demolition 23. The lyrics of the song contain several references to Bators and his music.Demolition 23 also covered 'Ain't nothin to do' from The Dead Boys album 'Young, Loud & Snotty'.
Use Your Illusion I (US & UK #2) and Use Your Illusion II (US & UK #1) by Guns N' Roses both ended their liner notes with the quote, "Ain't It Fun, - Stiv Bators". The band later released their cover version of The Dead Boys' "Ain't It Fun" as a single to promote their cover album The Spaghetti Incident?. The cover was also included on their successful Greatest Hits release.
The Bators, a band from Montreal is named in tribute of Stiv Bators, who's one of their favorite artists.
The Stivs, a band from Portland, Oregon was named in tribute of Stiv Bators.
Australian punk rock band Hard-Ons open their 2006 album Most People Are A Waste Of Time with a track entitled 'What Would Stiv Bators Do?'
Chinese punk rock band joyside's "Neptune Child" is in tribute of Stiv Bators and Johnny Thunders.
Wolff, Carlo (2006). Cleveland Rock and Roll Memories. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers. ISBN 978-1-886228-99-3
   | Lords of the New Church Band Site - The Lords of The New Church - Live For Today |
| | Answers.com: ''Wanderers'' - Wanderers: Information from Answers.com |
|
|
Wikis
Quiz
Map
Search