Timeline
Dead Men Walking are an English based rock supergroup with a multi national line-up, who have toured the UK, Ireland and the United States. From 2001 to 2006 they were led by Mike Peters of the Alarm and Kirk Brandon, of Spear of Destiny, with a varying cast of musicians. [1] Since 2015, they split into two bands, one led by Peters called the Jack Tars, [2] and another led by Brandon keeping the Dead Men Walking name. [3]
The band started in 2001, with Brandon and Peters being joined by Pete Wylie (Wah!) and Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) for the first live album. For the second album, Wylie was replaced by Billy Duffy (The Cult) and a drummer was added in Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats). For the third album, Duffy was replaced by Bruce Watson (Big Country). For the fourth and fifth albums, Watson dropped out and Matlock was replaced by Captain Sensible (The Damned) on bass. [4]
The Peters/Brandon/Sensible/Phantom line-up recorded an original album in 2008, but it was never released as there were disagreements between the band members. [2]
Eventually Peters revived the band in 2014 with Chris Cheney (The Living End) replacing Brandon. [1] This line-up produced the first album of original material by the band, Easy Piracy, the previous releases having all been live albums. [1] [5]
Brandon also formed a new version of the band, with Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) and Dave Ruffy and John "Segs" Jennings (both of Ruts DC). [6] [7] [8] [9] After a name dispute, Brandon kept the name and Peters renamed his band as the Jack Tars. [2]
Dead Men Walking are now –
The Jack Tars, are now –
Glen Matlock is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only officially released studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, although he had left the band early in the recording process, credited as bassist and backing vocalist on only one song on the album, "Anarchy in the U.K.". However, on the bootleg album Spunk, Matlock played bass on all the songs, which included earlier studio recordings of 10 of the 12 songs that later appeared on the Bollocks album.
Raymond Ian Burns, known by the stage name Captain Sensible, is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded the punk rock band the Damned in 1976, originally playing bass before switching to guitar. He is known for his distinctive appearance including a red beret and sunglasses, typically with white frames. Sensible embarked on a solo career during the 1980s, achieving a UK number one hit with his version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Happy Talk" (1982) and further hits with "Wot" (1982) and "Glad It's All Over" (1984). In 2006, Sensible founded the Blah! Party. He continues to perform in the Damned.
Craig David Adams is an English musician, bass guitarist and songwriter. Over his career he has worked with a variety of rock bands, the most notable being the Sisters of Mercy and the Mission.
The Ruts are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The band's newfound success was cut short by the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen from a heroin overdose in 1980. Despite this the band continued under a different musical style as Ruts D.C. until 1983 when they disbanded, the band later reformed in 2007.
John "Jake" Burns is a singer and guitarist, and is best known as the frontman of Stiff Little Fingers, although he has also recorded with Jake Burns and the Big Wheel, 3 Men + Black, and as a solo artist.
Spear of Destiny is a British rock band, formed in London in 1982 by lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Kirk Brandon and bassist Stan Stammers. It has had an ever-changing line-up through the years.
James McDonnell, known by the stage name Slim Jim Phantom, is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band Stray Cats. Alongside bandmates Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker, he is considered a pioneer of the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 1980s.
The Crack is the debut album by English punk rock band The Ruts, released in 1979.
Theatre of Hate are a British post-punk band formed in London, England, in 1980.
Pete Barnacle is an English rock drummer who has played for various bands including Gillan, Girl, Broken Home, Spear of Destiny, Theatre of Hate, Yngwie Malmsteen, Sheer Greed, and Soldiers of Fortune. Barnacle now lives in Japan, teaching English, and occasionally working as a drummer.
Peter James Wylie is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known as the leader of the band variously known as Wah!, Wah! Heat, Shambeko! Say Wah!, JF Wah!, The Mighty Wah! and Wah! The Mongrel.
James Stevenson is an English punk/alternative rock guitarist, at one time a member of the Alarm, Gene Loves Jezebel, Gen X, the Cult, Holy Holy, the International Swingers and Chelsea.
Michael Leslie Peters is a Welsh musician, best known as the lead singer of The Alarm. After the band split up in 1991, Peters wrote and released solo work, before reconstituting The Alarm in 2000. Additionally, he is co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation. Between 2011 and 2013, Peters was the vocalist for Big Country as well as The Alarm.
Derek Forbes is a Scottish bassist, vocalist, and occasional guitarist. He is mostly associated with the Scottish band Simple Minds, having joined in time to record their early demos in 1978 and stayed with the band during their rise to mainstream success and their first six albums, until leaving shortly after their 1985 hit "Don't You ". He has also played with Big Country, Propaganda, Oblivion Dust, Spear of Destiny, 10:51 and The Alarm, as well as leading his own projects.
Kirk Brandon is an English musician best known as the leader of the bands Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny.
One Eyed Jacks is the second studio album by Spear of Destiny, released by Burning Rome Records in 1984.
Kirk Brandon's 10:51 is the band formed during a visit by Kirk Brandon to Stan Stammers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whilst Spear of Destiny was on hiatus. Stone in the Rain is the band's only album to date, released by Anagram Records in 1995. The album was released by Dojo Records in the United States as Retribution under the Theatre of Hate banner.
Stan Stammers is an English musician best known as the bass player for the bands Theatre of Hate, Spear of Destiny and Plastic Eaters.
Imperial Prototype is the eleventh studio album by Spear of Destiny. The album was released on Brandon's own record label Eastersnow and all the songs were written just prior to recording. A blog on the official Spear of Destiny Myspace said the album would be available through SOD's own mailing list and live outlets before their new distributors Redeyeusa made it available worldwide but Despite the blog saying the album would be available on iTunes as a download it never was.
Omega Point Is the twelfth studio album by Spear of Destiny. The album was made available on Kirk Brandon's official site before the actual release date as a direct download. Unlike the last album, this one was made available on iTunes.
