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The March Violets are an English post-punk/gothic rock[1] band formed in 1981 in Leeds, incorporating male and female singers, drum machine rhythms and echo-laden electric guitar, much in the style of fellow Leeds band the Sisters of Mercy. Seven March Violets singles reached the UK Indie Chart; the Natural History collection also was an indie hit (hitting number 3 in 1984).The March Violets formed in December 1981,[3] meeting at Leeds University.[4][5] The original band members were guitarist Tom Ashton, bassist Laurence "Loz" Elliot, male vocalist Simon "Detroit" Denbigh and female vocalist Rosie Garland.[6] Percussion was provided by a drum machine, nicknamed "Dr. Rhythm",[7] a feature they had in common with many of the bands in the Leeds scene at the time.[8] Fellow student Andrew Eldritch, lead singer of the Sisters of Mercy, released the band's debut 7", the four-track "Religious as Hell" EP, on his Merciful Release label on 28 August 1982.[6] A second single on Merciful Release, "Grooving in Green", followed on 27 November 1982.The band then established their own Rebirth record label,[6] releasing the "Crow Baby" single on 30 April 1983. Cleo Murray joined as second female vocalist for the next single,[9] "Snake Dance", issued in December 1983. The song was a club hit, and is considered a classic of the gothic rock genre.[10] Garland left after "Snake Dance",[7] and Murray took over as sole female singer for "Walk Into the Sun",[6] issued 4 August 1984. That October, the band released their first compilation album, Natural History, which collected the first four singles plus two tracks from a 1983 BBC Peel Session.[11][6]
The March Violets shifted towards a more pop-oriented sound,[9] and Denbigh left the band in early February 1985,[12] prior to the band's first American tour in March 1985.[13] Denbigh did appear on the next single, "Deep", released 11 May 1985 but recorded prior to his departure. A second compilation album, Electric Shades, was issued in the US by Relativity Records that year; it collected the contents of the "Snake Dance", "Walk Into the Sun" and "Deep" singles,[6] including a piano-laden remix of "Snake Dance".[14]
The band then signed to major label London Records, adding drummer Andy Tolson to the lineup.[6] The "Turn to the Sky" single was released 24 February 1986 on London, although still bearing the Rebirth imprint. The song (and their cover of "Miss Amanda Jones" by the Rolling Stones) was featured on the soundtrack to the 1987 film Some Kind of Wonderful,[6] which included a live performance by the band of "Turn to the Sky."[15] They broke up later that year.[9]
In 1993, the band's first CD compilation, The Botanic Verses, was released by Jungle Records in the UK and Cleopatra Records in the US;[6] it covered their entire 1982-1984 catalogue.
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The Black Prince, Northampton, United Kingdom
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