David Kendrick of Bates Motel, Sparks, Gleaming Spires

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 Hauge (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.
#SparksBrothers
#Sparks
#BatesMotel
#GleamingSpires
#Omnivore

[@stevelennon2388]

Great interview!.

[@stevenkarras3490]

thanks Steve