For those not in the know, Leslie Bohem and David Kendrick met in the late ‘70s when David saw Les’ band Bates Motel. Kendrick joined as the band’s drummer.

They 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 Russel 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.

Their debut, Songs Of The Spires, was released in 1981 and the song, Are You Ready For The Sex Girls was a radio hit and MTV staple, even being featured in the films Revenge Of The Nerds and The Last American Virgin.

Still on tour as members of Sparks, Bohem and Kendrick added Bates Motel guitarist Bob Haag and Sparks keyboardist Jimbo Goodwin to the line-up.

The new four member version of Gleaming Spires recorded Walk On Well Lighted Streets which appeared in 1983. They once again worked with Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys, New Order, O. M. D.) as their producer and contributor.

This new, expanded edition of Walk On Well Lighted Streets is produced for release by Kendrick, Chaim O’Brien-Blumenthal, and Grammy®-winner Cheryl Pawelski features the original album, the Party EP produced by Greg Penny (k.d. lang, Elton John), two tracks from Revenge Of The Nerds, and their contribution to the film Bad Manners — which gets its first official release here.

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
11. FUNK FOR CHILDREN [Bonus Track]
12. DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW? [Bonus Track]
13. CHRISTINE [Bonus Track]
14. BRAIN BUTTON [Bonus Track]
15. FUNK FOR CHILDREN (Part II) [Bonus Track]
16. BRAIN BUTTON (Part II) [Bonus Track]
17. IT’S KINDA LIKE THE MOVIES* [Bonus Track]
18. ARE YOU READY FOR THE SEX GIRLS? (Full Band Version) [Bonus Track]
19. ALL NIGHT PARTY [Bonus Track]

* Previously unissued

This wondrously eclectic debut album opens on the AOR of MINING and the lush, early ’80s, mellow synth work within YOU’RE RIGHT and then we get brought forth the pop-tastic beats of BIG SURPRISE, the wonderful, sax-led title track WALK ON WELL LIGHTED STREETS, and then we get the gently frenetic, gentle punk-imbibed of FUN TYPE.

Next up is the drum-led, twinkling synth-rock orchestrations of A CHRISTIAN GIRL’S PROBLEM which is itself backed by the Split Enz-esque HAPPY BOY, the original album rounding out with the synth-pop urgency of AT TOGETHER, coming to a close on the shimmering THE MAKING LOVE PROJECT and the totally rocking YES I CAN.

The rash of bonus tracks here is a joyous delight, and now includes the Party EP, two tracks from Revenge Of The Nerds, and their contribution to the film Bad Manners, such as the Escape Club-esque FUNK FOR CHILDREN, a quite breathtaking cover of ABBA’s DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW? and the synth hipsway of the previously unissued IT’S KINDA LIKE THE MOVIES.

Packaging features expanded artwork, lyrics, photos, an essay from O’Brien-Blumenthal, plus interviews and track by track commentary from Bohem and Kendrick.

Official Purchase Link

www.omnivorerecordings.com