STIV BATORS

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

Music and film career

Personal life

Trivia

Discography

With The Dead Boys

With Lords of the New Church

With the Wanderers

Solo

References

External links

Music and film career

In the course of his career, Bators was involved with a variety of bands, including Rocket From The Tombs, 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. In 1977, Bators and the Dead Boys were featured in the independent punk rock film ''Crash 'n' Burn'' by Ross McLaren. 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 his wake, he recorded several singles (many of which were unreleased) and a fine LP, ''Disconnected'', which was released in 1980. A retrospective album released in 1994, ''L.A. L.A.'' documented Bators' efforts as a pop singer.
One all-night recording session at Bomp in January 1980 probably led to an introduction to Sham 69 singer Jimmy Pursey. Afer Sham 69 broke up, Bators formed the Wanderers with other members of the band by the end of the year. This under-appreciated band came up with an anomaly for punk rock, a concept album ''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. The Lords became 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 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 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.
The Lords of the New Church broke up in 1988 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.

Personal life

In the late 1970s, Bators became romantically involved with model / singer Bebe Buell; mother of the, then infant, Liv Tyler and temporarily set up home with the pair in Bangor, Maine. He subsequently moved to England and established the ''Wanderers'', whose core members were originally with the band Sham 69 and was influenced by Peter Beter.^[2]
Bators remained an expatriate for the duration of his life. He married an English woman, divorced her, and relocated to Paris, France. There he remained until his untimely death. In 1990, a reportedly intoxicated Bators was struck by a laundry truck on a street in Paris. He was brought to a hospital but was reportedly sent home by the attending physician. Reports indicate that he died in his sleep as the result of a concussion. Unsubstantiated rumors suggest that Bators, a fan of rock legend Jim Morrison, had earlier requested that his ashes be spread over Morrison's Paris grave. Other sources say he had also requested to be snorted by his close friends.

Trivia

★ Demolition 23 dedicated a song titled "Dead Time Stories" (written by Michael Monroe 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.

Discography

With The Dead Boys

★ LP's

★
★ ''Young, Loud and Snotty'' - Sire Records 1977

★
★ ''We Have Come for Your Children'' - Sire Records 1978

★ Later Releases

★
★ Night of the Living Dead Boys - Bomp! Records 1981

★
★ The Return of the Living Dead Boys - Revenge 1987 (Import/France)

★
★ Liver Than You'll Ever Be - Various Labels 1988 (Import/Various)

★
★ Younger, Louder and Snottier - Bomp! 1997

★
★ Twistin' on the Devil's Fork - Hell Yeah / Bacchus 1998

★
★ All This and More - Bomp! 1998

★
★ 3rd Generation Nation - Bad Boy Production 1999

★ 7" Singles

★
★ Sonic Reducer - Sire Records 1977

★
★ Tell Me - Sire Records 1977

★
★ Search and Destroy - Revenge 1977 (Import/France)

★
★ Buried Gems - Cold Front 2000

★
★ Paul Sherry goes Back - The Paul Sherry Sessions 2007

With Lords of the New Church

★ Studio albums

★
★ The Lords of the New Church'' (1982)

★
★ Is Nothing Sacred?'' (1983)

★
★ The Method to Our Madness'' (1984)

★ Live albums

★
★ Scene of the Crime'' (1988)

★
★ Live at the Spit'' (1988)

★
★ Second Coming'' (1989)

★
★ The Lord's Prayer II'' (2003)

★ Compilation albums

★
★ Killer Lords'' (1985)

★
★ The Lord's Prayer I'' (2002)

★ Singles

★
★ Live for Today'' 12"'' (1983)

★
★ Psycho Sex 12"'' (?)

★
★ Like a Virgin 12"'' (1985)

★
★ Dance With Me 12"'' (1987)

With the Wanderers

★ Studio Albums

★
★ ''Only Lovers Left Alive'' (Polydor Records; #POLS 1028); rel. May 1981

★
★ ''Only Lovers Left Alive'' (Captain Oi Records reissue on CD; #AHOY CD 141) rel. 2000

★ Singles

★
★ "Ready to Snap" b/w "Beyond the Law" (Polydor Records; #POSP 239); rel. March 1981

★
★ "The Times They Are A-Changin'" b/w "It's a Little Bit Frightening" (Polydor Records; #POSP 284); re. July 1981

Solo

★ Albums

★
★ 1980 - ''Disconnected''

★
★ 198? - ''The Lord and the New Creatures''

★
★ 1988 - ''Live at the Limelight''

★
★ 1992 - ''I Wanna Be a Dead Boy...''

★
★ 1994 - ''L.A. L.A.''

★
★ 1994 - ''Sonic Reducer - Les Genies Du Rock''

★
★ 1996 - ''The Last Race''

★
★ 2004 - ''L.A. Confidential''

★ Singles

★
★ "The Last Year" b/w "It’s Cold Outside" (Bomp Records 7"; #45-125); rel. May 1979

★
★ "Circumstantial Evidence" b/w "Not That Way Anymore" (Bomp Records 7"; #45-128); rel. Jan. 1980

★
★ "Too Much To Dream" (12"); rel. 1980

★
★ "Story In Your Eyes" b/w "Have Love Will Travel" (Bomp Records 12"; #45-12136); rel. fall 1986

★
★ "Here’s A Heart" (12"), ''by Lyres with Stiv''; rel. 1988

★
★ "King of the Brats" (7"); rel. 1994

References

1. Liner notes, L.A. L.A. CD.
2. allmusic: ''Wanderers'', Dave Thompson; also mentioned in Answers.com: ''Wanderers''

External links

★ Stiv Bators

★ Lords of the New Church Band Site

★ Stiv Bators Discography