The End of Love...

...and Rockets? From AllStar Daily News:

Love and Rockets Disband

Another day, another rock and roll casualty. One day after the Verve called it quits (allstar, April 28), another prolific British band, Love and Rockets, have pulled the plug as well.

In a statement released to the press on Thursday, singer/ guitarist Daniel Ash offered up his condolences for the band, which originated out of the ashes of longtime cult icons Bauhaus. "It's been great working with Kev [Haskins] and Dave [J.] over the last 20 years," said Ash. "The Love and Rockets triangle has always been very special." The band has announced they will perform two farewell shows at the Roxy in Los Angeles on May 9-10.

Ash, J. and Haskins, along with Peter Murphy, formed Bauhaus in Northhampton, England in 1979 and quickly became goth rock's founding fathers. The group disbanded in 1983, shortly after the release of their last studio album, Burning from the Inside -- a preview of the sound that would eventually define Love and Rockets.

Murphy joined Japan's Mick Karn in a little-known band called Dali's Car, while Ash and Haskins, along with a Bauhuas roadie, continued with a Bauhaus side project called Tones on Tail, who quickly disbanded themselves in 1984. That same year, J. joined the Jazz Butcher for one album, A Scandal in Bohemia.

After an idea for a Bauhaus reunion in 1985 fizzled at the hands of Murphy, the three remaining members formed Love and Rockets and released their U.K. debut, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven, later that year. The band's first U.S. album, Express, surfaced in 1986, but it wasn't until 1987's Earth Sun Moon that the band scored a minor alternative radio hit in "No New Tail to Tell."

Then, with their 1989 self-titled release, the band went full-on mainstream when their biggest hit, "So Alive," hit No. 3 on the U.S. charts. Five years passed, however, before anyone heard from the trio again. 1994's Hot Trip to Heaven," as well as 1996's Sweet F.A., never lived up to the potential hinted at on previous efforts.

The band reunited with Murphy in 1998 for a full-scale Bauhaus reunion tour (allstar, July 16, 1998) and that same year saw the release of Lift, which will now be their curtain call and seventh album overall.

As for future plans, Ash is reportedly working on film scores, J. on a solo album, and Haskins on various audio-visual composing, remixing, and programming projects.

"Thanks to everyone who has supported us and shared
our journey, the path has forked," summarized J.
"Here's to the future, new century, new horizons,
new vision, new music."

• Kevin Raub

For more information on:

Love and Rockets at:
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