Marseille (band)
Encyclopedia
Marseille are a British heavy metal
band from Liverpool
, England
.
(guitar), Andy Charters (guitar), Keith Knowles (drums) and Steve Dinwoodie (bass). Marseille were the first band to win "UK Battle of the Bands" with the finals judged by Brian May and Rger Taylor of Queen at Wembley Arena on October 31st 1977.
Marseille gathered a small fanbase while promoting their first album as support for other groups such as Judas Priest
, Nazareth
, Whitesnake
and UFO.
Their debut album had very raunchy lyrics but suffered somewhat from lack in promotion and limitation of release For the single, Kiss Like Rock 'n' Roll the band were produced by Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton.
Their second album release, the eponymous Marseille, received radio airplay, extending their fanbase in the UK. Several tracks off this album featured in the "Alternative Top 20 Charts" published in Sounds (magazine)
with other emerging New Wave of British Heavy Metal
bands such as Saxon, Def Leppard
and Iron Maiden
. Marseille were the first NWOBHM band to tour and have an album released in the USA on RCA Records
. The band promoted their "Marseille" album on tour in the USA with Nazareth
and Blackfoot (band)
, during the summer of 1980. Unfortunately the band arrived back in the UK to witness the demise of "Mountain", their record and management company. With all their equipment still stranded in the USA the band were forced off the road and into a two year legal battle with liquidators which precluded them pursuing another recording contract. During this time Paul Dale, Andy Charters and Neil Buchanan
left the band. Andy moved to the USA and Neil began a successful career in TV. The two remaining members, Keith Knowles and Steve Dinwoodie later recruited vocalist Sav Pearse and guitarist Marc Railton to complete a third album Touch The Night on the "Ultra Noise" label in 1984. However industry disinterest in the band caused this iteration of Marseille to split-up soon after.
In 2003 a two-disc CD called "Rock You Tonight - Marseille The Anthology" was released by the Castle Communications
subsidiary of Sanctuary Records Group. The album, containing material from all three of Marseille's previous albums, garnered some critical acclaim being called "the best box set of 2003" by George Smith of Village Voice magazine the USA.
The original line up reunited for a handful of gigs in 2008, however Paul Dale soon left the band and was replaced in February 2009 by Nigel Roberts. The band recorded an EP FourPlay which was released on the Gas Station Music label in 2009. In 2010 Keith Knowles and Steve Dinwoodie stepped down to be replaced by Gareth Webb (drums) and Lee Andrews (bass). The band recorded their first full album in 25 years "Unfinished Business" in early 2010. The album was unveiled at the band's appearance at the Hard Rock Hell
festival in December 2010. A full UK tour supported by Exit State
followed.
In April 2011 Gareth Webb stepped down and was replaced by Ace Finchum (ex Tigertailz
) on drums. The band continued a heavy gig schedule throughout 2011 and are currently working on new material for an upcoming release in 2012. Festival appearances are already on the schedule for 2012 to promote this release in the UK and Europe.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Marseille formed in Liverpool in early 1976, and released their debut album, Red, White and Slightly Blue on the Mountain Records label in 1978. Original members were Paul Dale (vocals), Neil BuchananNeil Buchanan
Neil Buchanan is an English television presenter best known for his work on the CITV programme Art Attack, a television programme that he presented during its run from 1990 to 2007...
(guitar), Andy Charters (guitar), Keith Knowles (drums) and Steve Dinwoodie (bass). Marseille were the first band to win "UK Battle of the Bands" with the finals judged by Brian May and Rger Taylor of Queen at Wembley Arena on October 31st 1977.
Marseille gathered a small fanbase while promoting their first album as support for other groups such as Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Nazareth
Nazareth (band)
Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band, founded in 1968, that had several hits in the UK in the early 1970s, and established an international audience with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog. Perhaps their best-known hit single was a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts", in 1975...
, Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
and UFO.
Their debut album had very raunchy lyrics but suffered somewhat from lack in promotion and limitation of release For the single, Kiss Like Rock 'n' Roll the band were produced by Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton.
Their second album release, the eponymous Marseille, received radio airplay, extending their fanbase in the UK. Several tracks off this album featured in the "Alternative Top 20 Charts" published in Sounds (magazine)
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
with other emerging New Wave of British Heavy Metal
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
bands such as Saxon, Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
. Marseille were the first NWOBHM band to tour and have an album released in the USA on RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. The band promoted their "Marseille" album on tour in the USA with Nazareth
Nazareth (band)
Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band, founded in 1968, that had several hits in the UK in the early 1970s, and established an international audience with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog. Perhaps their best-known hit single was a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts", in 1975...
and Blackfoot (band)
Blackfoot (band)
Blackfoot is a Southern rock musical ensemble from Jacksonville, Florida organized during 1970. Though they are primarily a Southern rock band, they were known also as a hard rock act....
, during the summer of 1980. Unfortunately the band arrived back in the UK to witness the demise of "Mountain", their record and management company. With all their equipment still stranded in the USA the band were forced off the road and into a two year legal battle with liquidators which precluded them pursuing another recording contract. During this time Paul Dale, Andy Charters and Neil Buchanan
Neil Buchanan
Neil Buchanan is an English television presenter best known for his work on the CITV programme Art Attack, a television programme that he presented during its run from 1990 to 2007...
left the band. Andy moved to the USA and Neil began a successful career in TV. The two remaining members, Keith Knowles and Steve Dinwoodie later recruited vocalist Sav Pearse and guitarist Marc Railton to complete a third album Touch The Night on the "Ultra Noise" label in 1984. However industry disinterest in the band caused this iteration of Marseille to split-up soon after.
In 2003 a two-disc CD called "Rock You Tonight - Marseille The Anthology" was released by the Castle Communications
Castle Communications
Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group...
subsidiary of Sanctuary Records Group. The album, containing material from all three of Marseille's previous albums, garnered some critical acclaim being called "the best box set of 2003" by George Smith of Village Voice magazine the USA.
The original line up reunited for a handful of gigs in 2008, however Paul Dale soon left the band and was replaced in February 2009 by Nigel Roberts. The band recorded an EP FourPlay which was released on the Gas Station Music label in 2009. In 2010 Keith Knowles and Steve Dinwoodie stepped down to be replaced by Gareth Webb (drums) and Lee Andrews (bass). The band recorded their first full album in 25 years "Unfinished Business" in early 2010. The album was unveiled at the band's appearance at the Hard Rock Hell
Hard Rock Hell
Hard Rock Hell is a three day music festival currently held at Pontin's Holiday Village, Prestatyn, Wales. The idea of holding the festival at in a holiday camp gives the organisers pre-built venues and stages and because of the on-site accommodation allows them to hold a multi day festival over...
festival in December 2010. A full UK tour supported by Exit State
Exit State
Exit State are a British rock band. Formed in 2005 by Roy Bright, its current lineup has been active since 2008. They have released two EP's and two studio albums.-History:...
followed.
In April 2011 Gareth Webb stepped down and was replaced by Ace Finchum (ex Tigertailz
Tigertailz
Tigertailz are a glam metal band hailing from Cardiff, Wales. They are most famous for their 1990 album, Bezerk, which made the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, and spawned a couple of successful singles...
) on drums. The band continued a heavy gig schedule throughout 2011 and are currently working on new material for an upcoming release in 2012. Festival appearances are already on the schedule for 2012 to promote this release in the UK and Europe.
Band members
- Neil BuchananNeil BuchananNeil Buchanan is an English television presenter best known for his work on the CITV programme Art Attack, a television programme that he presented during its run from 1990 to 2007...
- Lead Guitar & Backing vocals
- Andy Charters - Rhythm Guitar & Backing vocals
- Nigel Roberts - Vocals
- Ace Finchum - Drums
- Lee Andrews- Bass & Backing vocals
Albums
- Red White and Slightly Blue (1978) - Mountain
- Marseille (1979) - Mountain
- Touch The Night (1984) - Ultranoise
- Unfinished Business (2010) - Gas Station Music
7" Singles
- "The French Way" (1978) - Mountain
- "Over and Over" (1979) - Mountain
- "Bring on the Dancing Girls" (1979) - Mountain
- "Kiss Like Rock 'n Roll" (1979) - Mountain
- "Kites" (1980) - Mountain
- "Walking on a Highwire" (1984) - Ultranoise