The Slaughtermen - Live Naturally

"The Slaughtermen were, and still are, one of the most original
bands ever to see the light of day in Australia."
Mathew W. McPherson, Rolling Stone Australia

Meandering from Steven Cummings via Australia's greatest
guitarist Andrew Pendlebury, we come to the legendary
Slaughtermen. As my late but never less inspired Easter post.

Australian's only post-punk southern gospel group began
in Melbourne in 1984.
The band's first single, "God's Not Dead" b/w
"Jesus Saves White Trash",
was released on the Au Go Go label in 1986.
This was followed with 1987's Still Lovin' You LP on the
Cleopatra Records label,
and 1988's Melbourne, Memphis and the Mansion in the Sky
LP on the Agape label.
Founder members were Ian Stephen (vocals and keyboards),
Mark Ferrie (bass guitar and vocals),
Andrew Pendlebury (lead guitar and vocals),
Terry Doolan (rhythm guitar and vocals),
Des Hefner (drums and vocals).
The Slaughtermen gained a following playing revved up versions of
southern gospel songs and barroom country classics at inner city
rock venues in Sydney and Melbourne between 1985 and 1988.

The band enjoyed a years residency at the Rising Sun Hotel
in Melbourne which built a fairly even following of believers
and skeptics.
Singer Ian Stephen, only added to the mystique and/or confusion
by purchasing a twenty five dollar Reverendship from a religious
organization from out of the back pages of the National Enquirer.
A nationally broadcast hour long live concert on Australia's
ABC TV, cemented their unique place to this day, as Australia's
first and only southern gospel group, albeit twelve thousand miles
from the original source of the inspiration, America's Deep South.

After a lack luster Sydney tour in 1988 the band ceased performing.
In 1995 the Slaughtermen returned to the stage with the original
line-up at a well received one-off concert in Melbourne,
to coincide with the release of a CD Gospel Gold on the Massive label.
This 20 track disc featured live recordings of their gospel material
culled from the Live Naturally album and various sound board
recordings. In 1994, 1997 and 2007, the original members
reformed for one-off concerts in Melbourne, Australia.

Tracklist
01 - Beautiful Day
02 - Luxury Liner
03 - Jesus Is Your Ticket
04 - She thinks I Still Care
05 - When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
06 - Satan has No Claim On Me
07 - Lonely Too Early
08 - The Yellow Rose Of Texas
09 - That Day Is Almost Here
10 - Jesus Saves White Trash
11 - Gods Not Dead
12 - Streets Of Gold

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