Biography
These Immortal Souls existed only briefly yet carved out a lasting niche through Rowland S. Howard’s slashing guitar lines and intense songwriting. Earlier bands such as the Birthday Party and Crime & the City Solution had already showcased his instrumental prowess; These Immortal Souls gave him the first opportunity to front a group and display his own darkly atmospheric compositions alongside his urgent vocals. Across one EP and two albums the quartet often summoned the atmosphere of Southern Gothic literature, both through their murky, explosive sound and their twisted, mythic narratives. The 1992 release I’m Never Gonna Die Again matches the caliber of any project Howard joined before or after, serving simultaneously as a powerful summation of his artistic vision, a showcase for Epic Soundtracks’ drumming brilliance, and one of the era’s standout recordings.
Born in Australia, Howard first gained attention as lead guitarist for the Birthday Party. He later co-founded Crime & the City Solution, whose lineup eventually included his brother Harry Howard on bass and drummer Epic Soundtracks, formerly of Swell Maps and the Jacobites. In 1987 Soundtracks and the Howard siblings departed to create These Immortal Souls, a vehicle centered on Rowland’s songs and singing. Keyboardist Genevieve McGuckin, who had already co-written material with Rowland during his Birthday Party years and appeared on the Lydia Lunch collaboration Honeymoon in Red, completed the initial roster. The group secured a contract with the influential American independent label SST and issued the debut EP Marry Me (Lie! Lie!) in early 1987, prior to any live performances. Before the year ended—an interval that also saw Rowland working with Jeremy Gluck and Nikki Sudden—SST released the first full-length These Immortal Souls album, Get Lost (Don’t Lie!). The band then embarked on an extensive 1988 tour to promote the record.
Upon returning home the quartet fell quiet for several years, largely because Rowland struggled with severe writer’s block. He nevertheless remained active alongside Lydia Lunch, and the pair issued the album Shotgun Wedding in 1991. These Immortal Souls resurfaced in late 1992 with the Mute single “King of Kalifornia.” Both that track and the follow-up album I’m Never Gonna Die Again displayed a tighter, more restrained intensity that heightened the dramatic impact of the songs. Soundtracks exited before the album appeared, pursuing a solo path; Chris Hughes assumed drum duties for live dates. The group relocated to Melbourne, Australia, and adopted a revised lineup featuring Craig Williamson on drums and Beasts of Bourbon guitarist Spencer P. Jones. This configuration contributed a cover of the Tom Waits composition “You Can’t Unring a Bell” to the 1994 tribute collection Step Right Up and continued performing locally while developing fresh material. The band disbanded in mid-1988, after which its members pursued separate endeavors; Rowland occasionally worked alone, including a 2009 reunion with McGuckin on Teenage Snuff Film. Although the catalog received digital distribution in the years immediately after the split, comprehensive reissues did not arrive until 2024, when Mute issued remastered editions of both albums together with EXTRA, a compilation containing selections from the Marry Me (Lie! Lie!) EP, a previously unreleased version of Alice Cooper’s “Luny Tune,” and recordings from a fiery concert performance.
Born in Australia, Howard first gained attention as lead guitarist for the Birthday Party. He later co-founded Crime & the City Solution, whose lineup eventually included his brother Harry Howard on bass and drummer Epic Soundtracks, formerly of Swell Maps and the Jacobites. In 1987 Soundtracks and the Howard siblings departed to create These Immortal Souls, a vehicle centered on Rowland’s songs and singing. Keyboardist Genevieve McGuckin, who had already co-written material with Rowland during his Birthday Party years and appeared on the Lydia Lunch collaboration Honeymoon in Red, completed the initial roster. The group secured a contract with the influential American independent label SST and issued the debut EP Marry Me (Lie! Lie!) in early 1987, prior to any live performances. Before the year ended—an interval that also saw Rowland working with Jeremy Gluck and Nikki Sudden—SST released the first full-length These Immortal Souls album, Get Lost (Don’t Lie!). The band then embarked on an extensive 1988 tour to promote the record.
Upon returning home the quartet fell quiet for several years, largely because Rowland struggled with severe writer’s block. He nevertheless remained active alongside Lydia Lunch, and the pair issued the album Shotgun Wedding in 1991. These Immortal Souls resurfaced in late 1992 with the Mute single “King of Kalifornia.” Both that track and the follow-up album I’m Never Gonna Die Again displayed a tighter, more restrained intensity that heightened the dramatic impact of the songs. Soundtracks exited before the album appeared, pursuing a solo path; Chris Hughes assumed drum duties for live dates. The group relocated to Melbourne, Australia, and adopted a revised lineup featuring Craig Williamson on drums and Beasts of Bourbon guitarist Spencer P. Jones. This configuration contributed a cover of the Tom Waits composition “You Can’t Unring a Bell” to the 1994 tribute collection Step Right Up and continued performing locally while developing fresh material. The band disbanded in mid-1988, after which its members pursued separate endeavors; Rowland occasionally worked alone, including a 2009 reunion with McGuckin on Teenage Snuff Film. Although the catalog received digital distribution in the years immediately after the split, comprehensive reissues did not arrive until 2024, when Mute issued remastered editions of both albums together with EXTRA, a compilation containing selections from the Marry Me (Lie! Lie!) EP, a previously unreleased version of Alice Cooper’s “Luny Tune,” and recordings from a fiery concert performance.
Albums
Singles
