Gleaming Spires catalog to receive expanded reissue treatment in September

Here's an interesting batch of Eighties reissues on the way from Omnivore Recordings. Get the lowdown courtesy of Conqueroo PR...

If you listened to L.A.’s World Famous KROQ or the many KROQ-inspired radio stations throughout the nation in the 1980s, you’ve probably heard Gleaming Spires. Their song “Are You Ready for the Sex Girls?” was hard to avoid. On September 17, 2021, Omnivore Recordings will reissue the duo’s three albums, Songs of the Spires, Walk on Well Lighted Streets, and Welcoming a New Ice Age, in expanded editions with bonus tracks, and track-by-track commentary by the band members.

Leslie Bohem and David Kendrick met in the late ’70s when David went to check out Les’ band Bates Motel. Kendrick joined as the band’s drummer. Bates Motel soon entered the studio with musician/producer Andrew Gold, to capture their repertoire on tape. They garnered a regional following and played gigs up and down the West Coast, but a record contract eluded them.

They met Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks in 1980 and invited them to come see the band. But instead of the brothers producing them, they asked Leslie and David to join Sparks. While performing with Sparks, the two began to create music as Gleaming Spires.

Gleaming Spires’ debut album, Songs of the Spires, was issued in 1981 and the follow-up, Walk on Well Lighted Streets, in 1983. Both were produced by Stephen Hague (New Order, Pet Shop Boys, OMD). Prior to recording their second album, the Spires grew to a quartet with the addition of Bob Haag (Bates Motel, Sparks) and Jim Goodwin (John Cale, Sparks). The band enlisted Greg Penny (k.d. lang, Elton John) to produce their well-received 1984 Party EP and their 1985 album Welcoming a New Ice Age. They even had time to write songs for — and appear in — the film School Spirit (made for Roger Corman’s production company).

Post-Spires, Bohem and Kendrick continued to work together, adding Paul Cutler (45 Grave, The Dream Syndicate) on guitar. Calling themselves Eleven Blue Men, they only recorded two tracks; a band wasn’t meant to be as Bohem became a screenwriter (Dante’s Peak, The Alamo) and Kendrick went to work with Bob and Mark Mothersbaugh — eventually joining Devo as their drummer.

These new, expanded editions are produced for release by Kendrick, Chaim O’Brien-Blumenthal, and Grammy®-winner Cheryl Pawelski. Packaging for all features expanded artwork, lyrics, photos, an essay from producer O’Brien-Blumenthal, plus interviews and track-by-track commentary by Bohem and Kendrick.

All include the original album tracks plus:

Songs of the Spires Adds a rare B-side, the Life Out on the Lawn EP, and six previously unissued Bates Motel tracks including three from their sessions with Andrew Gold.

Walk on Well Lighted Streets Adds the Party EP, two tracks from Revenge of the Nerds, and the band’s contribution to the film Bad Manners — which gets its first official release here.

Welcoming A New Ice Age Adds four tracks from School Spirit, which, along with the tracks from the Eleven Blue Men sessions, receive their first official release here.

Gleaming Spires' "Are You Ready for the Sex Girls" video named among 40 Best Videos of 1981 by Billboard magazine. Article here.

Track listings:

Songs of the Spires-

1. Going Hey Hey
2. Are You Ready For The Sex Girls?
3. While We Can
4. When Love Goes Under Glass
5. The End Of All Good Things
6. Watch Your Blood Beat
7. How To Get Girls Thru Hypnotism
8. Talking In The Dark
9. Big Hotels

Bonus Tracks:

10. The Way Marlena Moves - Bates Motel
11. Real Time - Bates Motel
12. Only The Young Die Young - Bates Motel
13. Dedication - Bates Motel
14. Unexpected Overnighters - Bates Motel
15. Real Love - Bates Motel
16. Life Out On The Lawn
17. Somewhere
18. Passion Pit
19. Walk Right

Walk on Well-Lighted Streets

1. Mining
2. You’re Right
3. Big Surprise
4. Walk On Well Lighted Streets 5. Fun Type
6. A Christian Girl’s Problem
7. Happy Boy
8. At Together
9. The Making Love Project
10. Yes I Can

Bonus Tracks:

11. Funk For Children
12. Does Your Mother Know?
13. Christine
14. Brain Button
15. Funk For Children (Part II)
16. Brain Button (Part II)
17. Kinda Like The Movies ]
18. Are You Ready For The Sex Girls? (Full Band Version)
19. All Night Party

Welcoming a New Ice Age

1. Mercy
2. Welcoming A New Ice Age
3. Tearaway
4. No One Coming Over
5. Your Secret Room
6. Bigger Than Life
7. Things I Have Done To Our Love
8. Blowing Up My Life 9. What’s Coming Next 10. Unprotected
11. Harm

Bonus Tracks:

12. It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding
13. Crumbling
14. Here Comes Mr. Funhog
15. Dedication
16. I Want More
17. A Boy And A Girl
18. Suspicious Minds
19. That’s It, Forget It