Marmalade are a Scottish pop rock band originating from the east end of Glasgow, originally formed in 1961 as the Gaylords, and then later billed as Dean Ford and the Gaylords, recording four singles for Columbia (EMI). In 1966, they changed the band's name to the Marmalade and were credited as such on all of their subsequent recorded releases with CBS Records and Decca Records until 1972. Their greatest chart success was between 1968 and 1972, placing ten songs on the UK Singles Chart, and many overseas territories, including international hits "Reflections of My Life", which reached No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart and No. 3 on the UK chart in January 1970, and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", which topped the UK chart in January 1969,

The original members began to drift away in the early 1970s, resulting in the band departing Decca in 1972.

In 1973, the first evolved line up of the band rejoined EMI Records and with their first record release became known simply as Marmalade. The Columbia releases, although uncredited, were all produced by Bob Barratt, EMI staff producer, with Norrie Paramor as executive. Paramor played the celesta on "What's The Matter With Me"; the B-side of "Twenty Miles". In 1965, they played a long stint in Germany at the Storyville in Cologne and also in Duisburg. By this time the Gaylords had attained status as one of the top groups in Scotland, borne out in music poll results, but were ambitious, and so on their return from Germany to London in early 1965, they decided to try for success in the UK as a whole, and remained in London, where they changed management and agency representation, as Billy Grainger wished to remain in Glasgow. The Golliwog character used to be on Alan Whitehead's bass drum. Unusually, they now had two bass players, Knight on four-string and Fairley on six-string (Fairley having dropped the standard rhythm guitar normally associated with rock groups of the early 1960s).

With their EMI Columbia contract at an end, Walsh, with the help of John Salter, Walsh's booking agent, was successful in signing the band to CBS Records with producer Mike Smith, who was having great success with the Tremeloes, now their agency stablemates. But their first few CBS singles also failed to chart in the UK.

Drummer Ray Duffy (who later played with Matthews Southern Comfort and Gallagher and Lyle and also on Campbell's later solo recordings), decided to leave in 1966 to return to Scotland to get married just after their first CBS release, "Its All Leading up to Saturday Night". The band then placed adverts in the New Musical Express and Melody Maker, and after various auditions, former postman Alan Whitehead ex member of London outfit the Loose Ends became their new drummer, debuting on their next single, "Can't Stop Now", which failed to sell despite the group's performing it on a TV play, The Fantasist, written by Alun Owen, for the BBC Two Theatre 625 series.

Their third CBS single, the self penned "I See the Rain", written by Campbell and Ford, was praised by Jimi Hendrix as the "best cut of 1967". Two weeks later, on 3 February, they supported the Action. After that, they never supported anyone again at the Marquee and on 16 March 1967 they began a long residency which carried through to the autumn of the following year, building a reputation and following, This was covered by the Grass Roots in the US in 1969, using virtually the same arrangement. Marmalade's debut album, There's a Lot of It About, featured a mix of some of their singles and cover versions of current popular tunes, and was released in 1968.

Marmalade made a cameo appearance on the big screen in the film Subterfuge that year.

After a lesser hit with their follow-up single "Wait for Me Mary-Anne" (written by Alan Blaikley and Ken Howard), which made No. 30, they enjoyed their biggest UK success with their cover of the Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", which topped the UK chart in January 1969, This was followed by further success with "Baby Make It Soon" (written by Tony Macaulay), which reached No. 9 in the summer of 1969. and featured a "backwards" (backmasking) guitar solo by Campbell. "Reflections of My Life" has recorded over two million sales, and the writers were awarded a Special Citation of Achievement in 1998 by BMI in attaining radio broadcast performances in excess of one million in the US alone.

Other UK hits for Decca included "Rainbow" (UK No. 3 and US No. 51) and "My Little One" (UK No. 15)., they began a series of line-up changes, including the loss of drummer Whitehead. They signed a deal with Tony Macaulay's Target Records and in 1976, had what turned out to be their final Top 10 hit with the ominously entitled, Macaulay penned song, "Falling Apart at the Seams". The song also reached the easy listening charts in the U.S. and made the Top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group's last charting single on the U.S. charts. Subsequent singles failed to chart.

Whitehead continues in artist management and can be seen reviewing the Onyx range of tuned sports cars on the Together TV programme "Rock 'N' Roll Cars" (he also provides the voice-over for this show, which features pop acts such as Go West and Tony Hadley talking about their motoring history).

Knight retired from Marmalade in September 2010.

Campbell became a solo recording artist, songwriter, television and film composer, record producer and music arranger, and lives in Sussex. He continues to oversee all of the master rights to the original band recordings on behalf of the whole band, which they retain, and also their publishing rights.

Members

Current members

  • Sandy Newman – lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards <small>(1975–present)</small>
  • Alan Holmes – vocals, acoustic/electric guitar, keyboards <small>(1980–present)</small>
  • John James Newman – vocals, acoustic guitar <small>(2011–present)</small>
  • Jan S. Robinson – vocals, bass <small>(2015–present)</small>
  • Chris North – drums, percussion <small>(2015–present)</small>

Classic lineup

  • Dean Ford – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica <small>(1966–1975; died 2018)</small>
  • William "Junior" Campbell – vocals, guitars, keyboards <small>(1966–1971)</small>
  • Patrick Fairley – vocals, six string bass/rhythm guitars <small>(1966–1972; died 2020)</small>
  • Graham Knight – vocals, bass <small>(1966–1973, 1975–2010)</small>
  • Alan Whitehead – drums <small>(1966–1971, 1975–1978)</small>

Further members

  • Dougie Henderson – drums <small>(1971–1975)</small>
  • Hugh Nicholson – vocals, guitars <small>(1971–1973)</small>
  • Joe Breen – vocals, bass <small>(1973–1975)</small>
  • Mike Japp – vocals, guitars <small>(1973–1975; died 2012)</small>
  • Charlie Smith – vocals, guitar <small>(1975–1977; drums 1980–1982 and 1989–1998)</small>
  • Garth Watt-Roy – vocals, keyboards <small>(1977–1978)</small>
  • Ian Withington – vocals, guitar <small>(1978–1980)</small>
  • Stu Williamson – drums <small>(1978–1980)</small>
  • Glenn Taylor – drums <small>(1982–1989; 1998–2010)</small>
  • Damon Sawyer – drums <small>(2010–2015)</small>
  • Mike Steed – vocals, bass <small>(2010–2015)</small>

Gaylords members

  • Patrick Fairley <small>(1961–1966)</small>
  • William Junior Campbell <small>(1961–1966)</small>
  • Bill Irving – bass <small>(1961–1964)</small>
  • Tommy Frew – drums <small>(1961–1963)</small>
  • Tommy Scott – vocals <small>(1961–1963)</small>
  • Billy Johnston – bass <small>(1961)</small>
  • Wattie Rodgers (Dunlop) – vocals <small>(1961)</small>
  • Pat McGovern – lead guitars <small>(1961)</small>
  • Billy Reid – vocals <small>(1961)</small>
  • Dean Ford <small>(1963–1966)</small>
  • Raymond Duffy <small>(1963–1966)</small>
  • Davey Hunter – organ <small>(1963)</small>
  • Graham Knight <small>(1965–1966)</small>

Unofficial members

  • Dave Dee – vocals <small>(occasional guest appearances, 1987–2009; died 2009)</small>

Timeline

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Discography

Studio albums

  • There's a Lot of It About (1968)
  • Reflections of the Marmalade (1970)
  • Songs (1971)
  • Our House Is Rocking (1974)
  • The Only Light on My Horizon Now (1977)
  • Doing It All for You (1978)
  • Heavens Above (1979)
  • Marmalade (1980)
  • Heartbreaker (1982)
  • Penultimate (2013)

See also

  • List of bands from Glasgow
  • List of Scottish musicians

References

Sources

  • Info sourced from liner notes, including those by band members on:
  • 1992 Decca Records (Deram) 820 562-2 Reflections of The Marmalade
  • 1996 Castle CD CCSCD436; The Marmalade – The Definitive Collection
  • 1998 Castle CD CCSCD825 Marmalade – The Definitive Collection
  • 2000 Castle – Sequel NEECD 335 Rainbow: The Decca Years
  • 2004 Sanctuary CMOCD 940 The Marmalade – BBC Sessions
  • 2005 Sanctuary SMETD 182 Marmalade – The Ultimate Collection
  • 2011 Union Square Music – Salvo SALVOMDCD26 Fine Cuts: The Best Of Marmalade
  • Marmalade at "Rockingscots"
  • [ Marmalade biography at AllMusic]
  • Current official website
  • Marmalade feature in German
  • Marquee Club Calendar – 1967
  • Official Facebook for former Marmalade lead singer Dean Ford