Theatre of Hate



Theatre of Hate are a British post-punk band formed in Britain in 1980.

Led by singer-songwriter Kirk Brandon (formerly of the Pack), the original group also consisted of guitarist Steve Guthrie, bassist Stan Stammers (formerly of the Straps and the Epileptics), saxophonist John "Boy" Lennard and drummer Luke Rendle (formerly of Crisis and the Straps).

The Pack
The Pack were a British punk rock band formed in 1978, comprising Kirk Brandon on vocals and guitar, Simon Werner (died 26 Nov 2010) on guitar, Jonathan Werner on bass, and Rab Fae Beith (later of UK Subs) on drums. Beith was eventually replaced by Jim Walker. The band released two singles in 1979, ""Heathen" and "King of Kings", and the Kirk Brandon & The Pack of Lies EP in 1980, before splitting. Their posthumous releases were the Long Live the Past EP (1982); The Pack 1982 live album, recorded in 1979 and released on cassette only on Walker's Donut Records label; and the collection Dead Ronin (2001).

Live albums

 * The Pack (1982, Donut Records)

Compilation albums

 * Dead Ronin (2001, Yeaah!)

Theatre of Hate
In 1980, the Pack ended and Theatre of Hate were formed, with Luke Rendle on drums, Stan Stammers joining on bass, Steve Guthrie on guitar and John "Boy" Lennard on sax (the Werner brothers joined the Straps, who Stammers had previously played for). Inspired by Antonin Artaud's book Theatre and its DoubleThe band took its name from the concept of the Theatre of Cruelty: "Artaud called for the emotional involvement of the audience. Singer Brandon borrowed the thespian term because he was trying to do the same." The first Theatre of Hate release was the "Original Sin" single in November 1980, which reached No. 5 on the UK Indie Chart. " It was followed by "Rebel Without a Brain" in April 1981, and "Nero" in July. They garnered much early attention as a live act and made their full-length debut in 1981 with the live album He Who Dares Wins (Live at the Warehouse Leeds), released on vinyl on their own Burning Rome label. Guthrie left the band shortly after the album's release. Another live recording followed, Live at the Lyceum, issued on cassette, also in 1981.

In August 1981, Theatre of Hate entered the studio with producer Mick Jones of the Clash to record their first non-live album, Westworld, released on 19 February 1982 by Burning Rome. Shortly after the album was recorded, new guitarist Billy Duffy (formerly of the Nosebleeds) joined the band, and soon after that, drummer Rendle was replaced by Nigel Preston. The album reached No. 17 in the UK Albums Chart, and also spawned the Top 40 single "Do You Believe in the West World".

Also in February 1982, in an effort to combat bootlegging of their concerts, Theatre of Hate released another live album, He Who Dares Wins, recorded in September 1981 in Berlin.

Theatre of Hate released a new single, "The Hop", in May 1982, followed by the "Eastworld" single on 28 August. The band split in 1983. Revolution, a posthumous 1983 compilation album, spent three weeks in the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No. 67.

Other projects
Brandon went on to front Spear of Destiny with bassist Stammers. Brandon also was a founding member of the punk supergroup Dead Men Walking, while Stammers formed Plastic Eaters in 1996.

Preston played with Sex Gang Children before joining former bandmate Duffy as drummer for the Cult on their 1984 album Dreamtime. Preston later played with the Baby Snakes and the Gun Club before his death in 1992.

Reformation
Theatre of Hate reformed in 1991 for the Return to 8 tour, which included original band members Brandon, Stammers and Lennard, with the addition of three Spear of Destiny members, guitarist Mark Thwaite (also formerly of the Mission), drummer Pete Barnacle and keyboard player Volker Janssen. A live recording of the London Astoria show featuring this lineup was later included in the Act 4 compilation.

Theatre of Hate's unreleased second studio album, recorded in 1982, was released as Ten Years After in 1993.

In 1994, a lineup of Brandon, Stammers, guitarist John McNutt and drummer Art Smith went into Mix-O-Lydian Studio in Boonton, New Jersey with producer Brad Morrison to record a new album under the Theatre of Hate banner. As Stone in the Rain, it was released by Anagram Records in 1995, credited to Kirk Brandon's 10:51; it was released in the U.S. a year later as a Theatre of Hate album, retitled Retribution.

A 1996 tour featuring a lineup of Brandon, McNutt, Smith and new bassist Knut Knutson resulted in the live album Retribution Over the Westworld, issued that year by Receiver Records. Another album of 1982 material recorded with Jones, Aria of the Devil, was released in 1998 by Snapper Music, while Live at the Lyceum was reissued as Love Is a Ghost in 2000.

To coincide with Westworld's 25th anniversary, Theatre of Hate reformed for a week-long tour culminating at the Carling Academy Islington on 29 April 2007. Of the original lineup, only Stammers was unavailable, due to conflicting schedules and family commitments in the U.S. where he now lives. Replacing him was Craig Adams (former bassist for numerous bands including the Sisters of Mercy, the Mission, the Cult, the Alarm and Spear of Destiny), joining Brandon, Guthrie, Lennard and Rendle for the reunion.

In May 2012, Theatre of Hate, with a lineup of Brandon, Stammers and Lennard, augmented by Adrian Portas (New Model Army, Sex Gang Children, Spear of Destiny) on guitar and Mike Kelly on drums, reunited again for three Westworld 30th anniversary concerts, held in Bristol, London and Crewe. A 2013 concert with this lineup was self-released as Live - Birmingham Institute - 14th December 2013.

After Kelly was replaced by Danny Ferrani, Theatre of Hate recorded a new four-song EP, Slave, self-released in 2014,. The band issued a free single, "Day of the Dog", in 2015.

In 2016, Theatre of Hate announced the forthcoming album Kinshi, self-released via PledgeMusic.

Studio albums

 * Westworld (1982, Burning Rome Records) (UK No. 17)
 * Ten Years After (1993, Mau Mau Records)
 * Retribution (1996, Dojo Records)
 * Aria of the Devil (1998, Snapper Music)
 * Kinshi (2016, self-released)

Live albums

 * He Who Dares Wins (Live at the Warehouse Leeds) (1981, Burning Rome Records) (UK Indie No. 1)
 * Live at the Lyceum (1981, Straight Music)
 * He Who Dares Wins (1982, Burning Rome Records) (UK Indie No. 3)
 * Original Sin · Live (1985, Dojo Records) (UK Indie No. 12)
 * Retribution Over the Westworld (1996, Receiver Records)
 * He Who Dares Wins/He Who Dares Wins II (1996, Dojo Records)
 * Love Is a Ghost (2000, Receiver Records)
 * Live at the Astoria 91 (2006, Easterstone)
 * Live in 82 (2006, Easterstone)
 * Live in Sweden (2006, Easterstone)
 * Live - Birmingham Institute - 14th December 2013 (2014, self-released)

Compilation albums

 * Revolution (1983, Burning Rome Records) (UK No. 67, UK Indie No. 1)
 * The Complete Singles Collection (1995, Anagram Records)
 * The Best Of (1996, Dojo Records)
 * Act 1 (Revolution and Live in Sweden 81) (1998, Eastworld Recordings)
 * Act 2 (Ten Years After and He Who Dares Wins 1) (1998, Eastworld Recordings)
 * Act 3 (Retribution and Live at Bingley Hall 82) (1998, Eastworld Recordings)
 * Act 4 (T.O.H the Sessions and Live at the Astoria 91) (1998, Eastworld Recordings)
 * Act 5 (The Singles and He Who Dares 2) (1998, Eastworld Recordings)
 * The Best of Theatre of Hate (2000, Recall2cd)
 * ''The Singles' (2001, Neon)
 * Hits from the Westworld (2001, Dressed to Kill)
 * Propaganda - The Best of Theatre of Hate (2001, Music Club)
 * The Singles Collection (2002, Yeaah!)
 * The Sessions (2006, Easterstone)
 *  Artificial Sunlight with Spear of Destiny (2011, Easterstone)
 * Westworld 30th Anniversary (2014, Eastersnow Recording Company)

Reference work

 * Record Collector No. 102 (February 1988)
 * Chart runs in the UK Singles Chart since 1952