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Lovers of Today were a new wave band formed in Belfast in 1979 by Michael Vance (vocals / guitar), Martin Williamson (guitar), and Michael Williamson (bass) with drummer Jeremy Bell, soon replaced by Gary Hunter.
Named after the debut single by The Only Ones, Lovers of Today, also known as LoT, began by playing North West venues such as Portrush and Portstewart[1] while developing their sound. After adding Ronan Maguire (formerly of Pig) on piano and vocals, they played more than 30 gigs in a 12-month period at venues north and south of the border on bills alongside Xdreamysts, The Atrix, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Katmandu (Irish band) | Katmandu]] and, teamed with fellow Belfast band Shock Treatment, two Irish tours, Maximum Beat and Evenings and Weekends during 1979-80. With vocalist Michael Vance, departed, Ronan Maguire moved from piano to guitar and lead vocals and the band added Mark Bradley (ex Reflex Action) on drums.[2]
Although never reaching a recording studio, the band had always distributed their demo and rehearsal tapes and some of these were, much later, published on Myspace in 2006-7, during a general revival of interest from collectors in Northern Ireland's punk and new wave. With brothers Michael and Martin Williamson departing Northern Ireland in 1980 (Martin Williamson later joining Psychedelic Furs as guitarist), the remaining members, Mark Bradley and Ronan Maguire reconvened with LoT founder Michael Vance to form Guilty Achievements which covered many of the songs written by Lovers of Today during a brief but prolific existence.