The March Violets
A Leeds-based band started in 1981 by (among others) Simon Denbigh,
long-time Nurse to The Sisters' Doktor Avalanche.
Today they describe themselves as:
Original Post Punk Drum Machine Band From Leeds.
Started at the Beginning, Imploded, Reborn for the 21st Century.
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.
The March Violets today
The March Violets now are:
- Simon Denbigh - vocals
- Rosie Garland - vocals
- Tom Ashton - guitars
- Jo Violet - bass
Only a short time after their 2007 reunion, the next hit was not so far ... but read everything about it here ...
- The March Violets Interview in Terrorizer/Dominion July 2011 - Part 1
- The March Violets Interview in Terrorizer/Dominion July 2011 - Part 2
Further Interviews and Stuff
- 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
Latest Events
In November 2010, The March Violets decided to undertake the project of their first full album along Pledge Music.
Over 600 fans pledged their support and had The March Violets raise 196% of the money required. In the course of
this pledge project, the band provided funds to charity for Friends of the Earth, Cloth Cat, Leeds Music Charity,
In mid-2011, the limited edition EP Love Will Kill You was issued for sale at the gigs
and offered for free as a pre-release to people who had pledged toward the new album.
Check this link for an audio stream of "Road Of Bones", the first track of the EP.
A promo-video of the song "Dandelion King!" from the 5-track EP was also produced
and can be watched here on YT.
In between recording and production in 2012, The March Violets played a short tour of the UK,
some festival gigs at the WGT in Leipzig, Germany and at the DV8 Fest in York as well as
a support act with the Psychedelic Furs in Leeds.
In April 2013 the new album Made Glorious was finally ready for release and made
available to the pledgers for a live listening party at The March Violets' Facebook page
on April 7, 2013.
Meanwhile all pledgers have received their items and a Made Glorious Tour is announced
to start on October 26th and end on November 23rd, 2013.
Touring ...
So far, the following gigs have been confirmed for autumn 2013:
Saturday, 26 October 2013 - Hebden Bridge - The Trades Club - Ted Hughes Festival
Tickets are on sale now:
https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/get-dates/rid/VZ7SR44K/eid/181253/language/en/format/html
Supports TBC
Sunday, 27 October - Preston - The Continental - John Peel Week
along with Flesh For Lulu, John Hyatt from the Three Johns, and The Inca Babies
There is a page for this event on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/events/406821436094484/
Tickets are on sale direct at: https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/get-dates/rid/VZ7SR44K/eid/181252/language/en/format/html
or here: http://www.seetickets.com/event/the-march-violets-flesh-for-lulu-inca-babies/the-continental/729851
Friday, 01 November 2013
Further details to be announced soon...
Sunday, 03 November 2013 - Whitby - The Coliseum
Special Guests: Partly Faithful, Luxury Stranger
Tickets are on sale now at: https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/get-dates/rid/VZ7SR44K/eid/181235/language/en/format/html
Sunday 10th November - Newcastle - Trillians
The first gig here for The March Violets since the early 1980s!
Special Guests: Berlin Black, Anxiety Of Love
First tickets are available now, see http://www.allgigs.co.uk/view/event/594964/The_March_Violets_Trillians_NewcastleuponTyne_10_November_2013.html
and now also at: https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/get-dates/rid/VZ7SR44K/eid/181255/language/en/format/html
Friday 22nd November - London - Islington - O2 Academy 2
Tickets are available at http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/the-march-violets-tickets/74427
and now also at: https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/get-dates/rid/VZ7SR44K/eid/181259/language/en/format/html
Supports TBC
and finally back home to ...
Saturday, 23 November 2013 - Leeds - Brudenell Social Club
Double headline, Very Special Guests: Chameleons Vox + Witch Hunt + Free Aftershow
Yes indeed.
Tickets are on sale now, see https://shop.ticketscript.com/channel/web2/start-order/rid/VZ7SR44K/language/en
We recommend you keep an eye on The March Violets' Official Website and/or The March Violets' Tour Page on Facebook.
External Links
For various further information, please see any of the pages listed here below
