The March Violets

Biography

from http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=march_violets

The March Violets began in 1981 as one of Leeds' four famous drum machine bands, alongside the Sisters of Mercy, Three Johns and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry. The Violets favoured stark, primitive rhythm-box beats (as did the others), overlaid by Loz Elliott's heavy bass throb and Tom Ashton's inventively droning guitar (reminiscent of Magazine's John McGeoch). What set this quartet apart was the unique interplay (a la X or the Airplane) between the two complementary lead vocalists - big, bearded Simon Denbigh and enigmatic Rosie Garland. His dark, commanding intonations intertwined with her eerie soprano wailing, imbuing the simplistic material with a strident, almost dissonant mystery.

Before a schism with Andrew Eldritch led the Violets to start their own Rebirth label, they were on the Sisters' label, Merciful Release, starting with Religious as Hell, an establishing 7-inch. Natural History collects the band's early work, including the EP (save for the odd "Bon Bon Babies"), three follow-up 45s (the brilliant Grooving In Green, "Crow Baby" and the insistent '84 dancefloor hit, "Snake Dance") and such rarities as the searing "Radiant Boys" (copping the riff from the Cure's "Object") and mesmerizing "Undertow." Though not a discrete album, Natural History flows magnificently.

By "Snake Dance," Garland had departed, replaced by the more upbeat Cleo Murray. The lineup held for the subsequent "Walk into the Sun" but, as 1985 dawned, Denbigh was squeezed out of the band (he immediately formed Batfish Boys). The first post-Denbigh 45 (the misnamed "Deep") laid bare the Violets' weakened condition. Electric Shades, the band's second compilation album, assembles the entire contents of the three later singles: "Snake Dance," "Walk into the Sun" and "Deep." With the dissipation of the band's intensity, Cleo's thin, pretty lead vocals simply don't carry the new material. The Violets continued to surrender to conventionality, obtaining a real drummer and crassly exploiting Cleo's beauty. After contributing two items (including an amazingly catchy rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Miss Amanda Jones") to 1987's Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack, the March Violets faded away ...

... until their eventual reunion and the issue of their limited edition Trinity EP (1000) on 8th December 2007.

Limited Edition CD Front

Limited Edition CD Back

Flyer 2007 Reunion

The March Violets today

The March Violets now are:

Simon Denbigh - vocals
Rosie Garland - vocals
Tom Ashton - guitars
Jo Violet - bass

However, only shortly after their 2007 reunion, the next hit was not so far ... but read everything about it here ...

Further Interviews and Stuff

History Lesson: The March Violets and The Batfish Boys

an extensive interview with Simon Denbigh and Rosie Garland from November 3rd, 2010

shortly before The March Violets' gig at O2 Academy, London

Gig reviews of the entire event are in the March Violets Newsflash on Heartland Forum
Video footage of that gig can be found in this YouTube Playlist

Love Will Kill You - EP Cover

Latest Events:
The March Violets produced a new EP, titled Love Will Kill You along Pledge Music.

A video of the song Dandelion King has also been produced and can be watched here on YT.

For further news, please go to any of the March Violets' pages listed below

External Links: