In an era of post-punk in the early ‘80s came the duo of Robert Henry Adams and Louis Bravos who would moniker themselves as Sport of Kings. Their catalog of four releases demonstrated a fusion of rhythmic new wave, industrial dance and art rock.
The story of Sport of Kings is one of individuality and independence. Interestingly, while they were musicians, they didn’t want to be rock stars. At the time Adams was an art dealer and Bravos was a delivery driver. Neither had ever played a gig live.
Then there was the music. The duo started recording. Needing a drummer, they enlisted a friend of Adams wife Paul Petraitis. Although not a drummer by trade, he stepped in.
“We started rehearsing and it sounded real good,” recalls Petraitis. “We had a bunch of fans hanging out at the Thai church where we jammed.”
Even though they weren’t part of the live music club culture, they were known in those circles. “Al Jorgensen (who would go on to form Ministry) was DJing at the time and wanted to join us,” says Petraitis. “Rob and Lou said no I said sure why not.” Then, “Wax Trax was going to start a record label and asked us to be their first release…You guessed it…theysaid ‘We don’t wanna be on anyone’s label we’ll do it ourselves!’
Independence.
Adams and Bravos would head out to suburban Schaumburg to Hedden West Studios. There engineer Iain Burgess had established a reputation for being able to help cultivate and shape the music alternative bands were bringing in. Various musicians, often friends, would be called in to supplement their sessions.
When they started recording their album Sing Mary Sing in 1982, drummer Mike Arturi was in the fold. Joining the sessions, Arturi quickly realized that Adams and Bravos had a specific vision of what they wanted, and what they wanted their music to represent. “Working with them was totally different,” says Arturi, who at the time was doing jingles and playing rock and roll. “This was a project.”
Individuality.
After a couple self-released records, the debut album Sing Mary Sing was issued on the Thermidor label which was a subsidiary of the west coast based Subterranean Records. The label was owned by Steve Tupper, who ran it out of his house in California. While he was able to get some distribution of the record, not enough ears were able to hear the music for Sport of Kings to establish any momentum. But it didn’t seem the duo really cared. It was all about “their” music.
Beyond these releases, nothing more was heard of from Adams or Bravos. Adams has since died, succumbing to cancer. The whereabouts of Bravos is unknown.
Discography
1981 Every Night b/w The Same Breath (SOK 11131)
1981 On a Tall Building (SOK 411)
Four song 12” 45 rpm EP with “On a Tall Building” “There is Some Progress,” “Air Moves By
Slowly” and “This City in Darkness.”
“On a Tall Building” https://youtu.be/Gz4oN2fqj5A
“This City in Darkness” https://youtu.be/hZAMB-TOyE0
1982 Sing Mary Sing (TermidorThermidorT-14)
“Sing Mary Sing” https://youtu.be/eR1mVdqSSxQ
“So Easy” https://youtu.be/Of8VN_I2D7c
1983 Parade (Press P2008)
Four song 12” EP with “Parade,” “A Fire is Burning (Oligarchic Mix),” “A Fire is Burning” and “Tell Me Dance.”
“A Fire is Burning” https://youtu.be/E3r8VKFEGIk