Gleaming Spires

About

Gleaming Spires was an American new wave pop group in the 1980s. Performing as Bates Motel, they were enlisted by brothers Ron and Russell Mael to be a part of the 1981–85 incarnation of their band, Sparks. After completing demos with neophyte producer Stephen Hague, principal members Leslie Bohem and David Kendrick (later of Devo) recruited fellow Sparks members Jim Goodwin and Bob Haag to form Gleaming Spires with the blessing of the Mael brothers. Following promotional materials by graphic artist Kevin J. Walker, they were signed to Posh Boy Records on the strength of what had been intended by the group as a non-LP B-side, "Are You Ready for the Sex Girls". "Sex Girls" became a hit on Los Angeles' KROQ-FM radio station and was later featured in the films The Last American Virgin and Revenge of the Nerds. On September 17, 2021, the band's three studio albums were reissued on CD by Omnivore Recordings, each containing bonus tracks, including the Life Out on the Lawn and Party EPs.