Vision Thing (album)

Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: 22 October 1990 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Floodland1987Some Girls Wander by Mistake1992studioVision ThingThe Sisters of Mercy - Vision Thing cover.jpgthe Sisters of Mercy22 October 19901990Puk Recording Studios (Gjerlev, Denmark)* Gothic rock<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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• industrial metal<ref name="am"/>42:35* Merciful Release
• East West* Andrew Eldritch
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Vision Thing is the third studio album by English gothic rock band the Sisters of Mercy. It was released on 22 October 1990 through Merciful Release and East West Records,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with Elektra Records handling the US release. As of 2025, it remains the band's most recent studio album.

Recording

Soon after the release of the band's previous album, Floodland, Eldritch approached guitarist John Perry to join them on writing a new album. After Perry turned down the offer to become a full-time member, the band began to search for a new guitarist through their record label. Eventually, Eldritch was forwarded a demo tape by young and unknown Andreas Bruhn. Bruhn was called to audition a week after turning in his tape.<ref name="myheartland1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As the band—now composed of Eldritch, Bruhn and bassist Patricia Morrison—was about to enter the studio, Morrison was abruptly replaced by the former Sigue Sigue Sputnik member Tony James. As Perry recalls, "When I first heard the Vision Thing material, Patricia was there; when I did the album, she wasn't."<ref name="autogenerated2007">Template:Cite magazine</ref> While details on Morrison parting ways with the band have never been fully disclosed, she herself was allegedly hired by Eldritch on the day her predecessor, Craig Adams, resigned.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Morrison later confirmed to have worked with Eldritch up until December 1989. She would go on to say her resignation was linked to her monthly salary of £300, and that she had her doubts on the band's musical direction. "I wasn't too thrilled with the direction the record was going in. There were elements I didn't like that could have gone either way, and now that Tony James is in I want nothing to do with it. It seems obvious what's going on – it's scam time..."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

While Morrison's recording input on Floodland has been contested, Perry raised doubts whether either she or James play on Vision Thing. "By the time of the recording, Tony James was in, but I'm not sure either [he or Patricia] actually played any bass on the record – sounds sequenced to me."<ref name="autogenerated2007"/> James has later admitted his parts took some twenty minutes in total to record.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ultimately, the band spent nine months in the Danish recording facilities, with guitarist Tim Bricheno recruited during the final two weeks.<ref name="myheartland1"/> Then-manager Boyd Steemson followed suit at one point to observe the progress. "I remember flying out to the [Puk] studio when they were making Vision Thing, and Tony [James] spoke to me and said: 'Well, I guess it's going to be a five-song album.' And I said, 'No, it will not be a five-song album.' Two days later they had seven-and-a-half songs. It was a very painful process."<ref name="autogenerated2007"/>

According to the official website of the band, the final mixes were not the ones worked on the most. "'Vision Thing' is a stripped-down affair. Half of the finished mixes for the album are shelved in favour of rough mixes from earlier stages of the recording session, 'monitor mixes' which retain the immediate feel of the songs."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Content

The album was designed by songwriter and singer Andrew Eldritch as an attack on the policies of the George H. W. Bush administration (the title comes from an oft-cited quote by Bush).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to Eldritch, the album's artwork features a barely visible image of Detroit's inner-city. The area had been heavily economically impacted during this period.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Legacy

Described by Andrew Eldritch as "a fine album",<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> it was included by Q magazine on their "Fifty Best Albums of 1990" list. In 1999, Ned Raggett ranked the album at number 69 on his list of "The Top 136 or So Albums of the Nineties".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song "More" was later included in the movie, There's Something Wrong With The Children, in 2023.

Track listing

All songs produced by Eldritch, except "More", produced by Eldritch and Jim Steinman, and "When You Don't See Me", produced by Chris Tsangarides.

2006 reissue

Along with the group's previous two releases, Vision Thing was reissued in November 2006 with bonus tracks.

Personnel

• Andrew Eldritch – vocals, guitars, keyboards
• Tim Bricheno – guitars
• Andreas Bruhn – guitars
• Tony James – bass
• Doktor Avalanche (drum machine) – drums

Guest musicians

• John Perry – guitars, slide guitar on "Detonation Boulevard"
• Maggie Reilly – backing vocals on "Vision Thing", "More", "Detonation Boulevard", "Something Fast" and "Doctor Jeep"

Charts

Weekly charts

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Weekly chart performance for Vision Thing

Chart (1990–1991)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite Ryan</ref>	73
European Albums (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	34
US Billboard 200<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	136

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for Vision Thing

Chart (1991)	Position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	52