The March Violets – When Music in the 80s got broody and dark
The March Violets tonight. One of the Post-Punk bands from Leeds in the UK who pioneered Goth and were closely associated to another Goth/Post-Punk band, Sisters Of Mercy, via critics as well as being signed to their label Merciful Release, and also as friends from school.
Comparisons between the two bands were often drawn. But Sisters Of Mercy had a commercial breakthrough, and sadly The March Violets didn’t.
After an initial seven year run (1980-1987) releasing some 6 singles and eps as well as releasing two albums before breaking up, The March Violets were well regarded, not only by the audience but by critics. They had formed their own label, Rebirth, and their debut single on that label, Crow Baby did well on the UK Indie charts. But by the time they released their second single on Rebirth, Snake Dance, the band had drifted away from Goth and Post-Punk and were heading in a more commercial direction.
And it was around this time that they were picked up by a major label, London Records and their subsequent releases were released by Rebirth, but as a London subsidiary. They issued Turn To The Sky and their second album Electric Shades, which was regarded as a commercial and critical failure, even though it was featured in the film Some Kind Of Wonderful. The band broke up in this first incarnation, in 1987.
They reunited in October of 2007 and were preparing new material and a tour, but singer Rosie Garland was diagnosed with Throat Cancer and it forced the band to put everything on hold while Garland underwent treatment and finally, a full recovery by 2010, where they picked up and are continuing to this day.
This session, their third for John Peel, was recorded around the time of their debut album Natural History and was recorded on June 12th 1984 and broadcast on the 19th of that month.
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