ANDREW ELDRITCH
Andrew Eldritch (born Andrew William Harvey Taylor; 15 May 1959) is the English frontman, singer, songwriter and only remaining original member of The Sisters of Mercy, a band that emerged from the British post-punk scene, transformed into a gothic rock band and, in later years, flirted with hard rock. Formerly a drummer, Eldritch also programs the tracks for The Sisters of Mercy’s drum machine (known as “Doktor Avalanche”) and plays guitars and keyboards in its studio recordings but uses live shows to focus solely on his vocal performance. He is well known for his deep distinctive bass-baritone voice. (More from Wikipedia)
The Sisters of Mercy (named for a well-known Irish religious order) was one of my favorite bands of the 1980’s alternative rock explosion, particularly their video of “This Corrosion” that I saw numerous times on the late-night MTV alternative rock showcase 120 Minutes. (The extended version of “This Corrosion” on their album Floodland was not nearly so effective). Andrew Eldritch is the only continuous member of the band (along with a drum machine called Doktor Avalanche that really is something special), though the grim visage of Patricia Morrison on the video for “This Corrosion” is at least as memorable as his own.
(October 2014)
