Marxman
Encyclopedia
Marxman were a four-piece Marxist
hip-hop
group
with two MCs formed in London
in 1989.
Their lyrics expounded socialism
and an end to economic and social injustice. They are one of only a few groups that combine hip-hop with traditional Irish compositions.
, inspired by Hip-Hop, Motown
soul
and traditional Irish music. Their debut 1992 single "Sad Affair" which borrowed lyrics from the Irish rebel song
"Irish Ways and Irish Laws" and included the IRA
slogan "Tiocfaidh ár lá
" was banned by the BBC
. The bands later single, "All About Eve" peaked at number 28 in the UK Singles Chart
, resulting in a performance on the BBC's flagship music programme Top of the Pops
. Their controversial influences stemmed more from their militant socialism than traditional nationalism.
Their initial releases were on the Talkin' Loud
record label and the group built a significant fanbase prior to the release of their debut single. Their debut album came the following year, when they released 33 Revolutions per Minute
in the UK, before launching themselves to the American market in 1994. However the album failed to generate significant interest, and Marxman left Talkin' Loud for the More Rockers label. They released their second and final album in 1996, Time Capsule
which was significantly more conservative then their debut release before disbanding later in the same year.
with their 1993 single "All About Eve", and comparing the African slave trade and the colonisation of Ireland
to modern wage slavery
in "Ship Ahoy".
of The Pogues
and having Sinéad O'Connor
as guest vocalist on the single "Ship Ahoy". They also supported U2
and Depeche Mode
on their respective Zoo TV
and Devotional
tours. They are however considered to have been forerunners of the trip hop
genre alongside bands such as Massive Attack
and Portishead, and contributed to the establishment of the "Bristol sound
".
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
with two MCs formed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1989.
Their lyrics expounded socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and an end to economic and social injustice. They are one of only a few groups that combine hip-hop with traditional Irish compositions.
History
The band was formed by college friends Hollis Byrne and Stephen Brown, who also enlisted the help of Byrne's childhood friend from Ireland, Oisin Lunny and scratch mixer DJ K One. Together they developed an overt political message in a scene dominated by Gangsta rapGangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
, inspired by Hip-Hop, Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and traditional Irish music. Their debut 1992 single "Sad Affair" which borrowed lyrics from the Irish rebel song
Irish rebel music
Irish rebel music is a subgenre of Irish folk music, with much the same instrumentation, but with lyrics predominantly concerned with Irish republicanism.-History:...
"Irish Ways and Irish Laws" and included the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
slogan "Tiocfaidh ár lá
Tiocfaidh ár lá
Tiocfaidh ár lá is an Irish language phrase which translates as "our day will come", the hoped-for day being that of a united Ireland. It became a popular slogan with militant Irish republicans in the 1980s.-Origins:...
" was banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. The bands later single, "All About Eve" peaked at number 28 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, resulting in a performance on the BBC's flagship music programme Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. Their controversial influences stemmed more from their militant socialism than traditional nationalism.
Their initial releases were on the Talkin' Loud
Talkin' Loud
Talkin' Loud is a record label started by Gilles Peterson at Phonogram in 1990 after he left Acid Jazz Records. The label name is based on Peterson's club night "Talkin' Loud And Sayin' Something", itself a reference to James Brown and Bobby Byrd's "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing".The first...
record label and the group built a significant fanbase prior to the release of their debut single. Their debut album came the following year, when they released 33 Revolutions per Minute
33 Revolutions per Minute
33 Revolutions per Minute is Marxman's debut album, released in the United Kingdom on April 1, 1993, with a slightly modified version being released in the United States the following year...
in the UK, before launching themselves to the American market in 1994. However the album failed to generate significant interest, and Marxman left Talkin' Loud for the More Rockers label. They released their second and final album in 1996, Time Capsule
Time Capsule (Marxman album)
Time Capsule is Marxman's second and final album, released in the United Kingdom on November 4, 1996. It is considered to be angrier, but musically more conservative than their debut album, 33 Revolutions per Minute...
which was significantly more conservative then their debut release before disbanding later in the same year.
Subject Matter
Whilst the Irish Republican themes in "Sad Affair" are well publicised, Marxman lyrics also considered themes such as domestic violenceDomestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
with their 1993 single "All About Eve", and comparing the African slave trade and the colonisation of Ireland
Plantations of Ireland
Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland were the confiscation of land by the English crown and the colonisation of this land with settlers from England and the Scottish Lowlands....
to modern wage slavery
Wage slavery
Wage slavery refers to a situation where a person's livelihood depends on wages, especially when the dependence is total and immediate. It is a negatively connoted term used to draw an analogy between slavery and wage labor, and to highlight similarities between owning and employing a person...
in "Ship Ahoy".
Legacy
Although once touted as the Anglo-Irish answer to Public Enemy, the group met with little commercial success, despite working with a number of high-profile musicians, collaborating with James McNallyJames McNally (musician)
James McNally is a musician, composer and Grammy nominated producer of the band Afro Celt Sound System. He was previously a member of the The Pogues, Storm , and Dingle Spike.James was born in London to Irish Parents...
of The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
and having Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
as guest vocalist on the single "Ship Ahoy". They also supported U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
and Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
on their respective Zoo TV
Zoo TV Tour
The Zoo TV Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album Achtung Baby, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 through 1993...
and Devotional
Devotional Tour
Devotional Tour was a 1993 concert tour by English electronic band Depeche Mode in support of the group's eighth studio album, Songs of Faith and Devotion, which was released in March 1993....
tours. They are however considered to have been forerunners of the trip hop
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
genre alongside bands such as Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
and Portishead, and contributed to the establishment of the "Bristol sound
Bristol underground scene
The Bristol underground scene is a term used to describe the culture surrounding trip hop, drum and bass, and graffiti art that has existed in Bristol from the early 1990s to the present....
".
Discography
| Albums | Year |
|---|---|
| 33 Revolutions per Minute 33 Revolutions per Minute 33 Revolutions per Minute is Marxman's debut album, released in the United Kingdom on April 1, 1993, with a slightly modified version being released in the United States the following year... |
1993 |
| Time Capsule Time Capsule (Marxman album) Time Capsule is Marxman's second and final album, released in the United Kingdom on November 4, 1996. It is considered to be angrier, but musically more conservative than their debut album, 33 Revolutions per Minute... |
1996 |
| Singles & EPs | Year |
|---|---|
| Sad Affair/Dark are the Days | 1992 |
| Ship Ahoy | 1992 |
| All About Eve | 1993 |
| Dark are the Days (12") | 1993 |
| The Cynic EP | 1994 |
| Time Capsule | 1996 |
| Backs Against the Wall (12") | 1996 |
See also
- Beltaine's FireBeltaine's FireBeltaine's Fire is a five-member Hip Hop/Folk-Rock/Celtic Fusion collective from the San Francisco Bay Area in California fronted by Emcee Lynx. Their music has evolved considerably over the years...
- Black 47Black 47Black 47 are a New York City based celtic rock band with Irish Republican sympathies, whose music also shows influence from reggae, hip hop, folk and jazz...
- Chris ByrneChris ByrneChris Byrne co-founded the band Black 47 with Larry Kirwan in 1989. Before and for some years after forming the band, Byrne was a New York City Police officer. While still with the band, he created a side project - the "celtic hip-hop" band Seanchai & the Unity Squad. "Seanchai" is Byrne's hip-hop...
- Emcee LynxEmcee LynxLynx, or Emcee Lynx is an anarchist hip hop artist in Vallejo, California who has achieved significant popularity and name-recognition in the West Coast hip hop and underground hip hop scenes and among anarchists and other radicals around the world...
- House of PainHouse of PainHouse of Pain is an American hip hop group who released three albums in the 1990s before lead rapper Everlast left to pursue his solo career again. The group's name is a reference to the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr...
- Manau