The March Violets

The March Violets are an English post-punk/gothic rock 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).

History

The March Violets formed in December 1981, meeting at Leeds University. The original band members were guitarist Tom Ashton, bassist Laurence "Loz" Elliot, male vocalist Simon "Detroit" Denbigh and female vocalist Rosie Garland. Percussion was provided by a drum machine, nicknamed "Dr. Rhythm", a feature they had in common with many of the bands in the Leeds scene at the time. 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. "Snake Dance", issued in December 1983. The song was a club hit, and is considered a classic of the gothic rock genre. Garland left after "Snake Dance", prior to the band's first American tour in March 1985. 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,

The band then signed to major label London Records, adding drummer Andy Tolson to the lineup. They broke up later that year.

Other projects

Before the band's split, Ashton had guested as live guitarist for The Sisters of Mercy and the Danse Society. In 1991, he joined Clan of Xymox for their Phoenix US tour, and relocated there.

Murray briefly fronted the band Lovecraft in the early 1990s, releasing two 1993 singles, "Hungry" and "Medicine". Following several poetry collections, Garland's debut novel, The Palace of Curiosities, was published by HarperCollins in 2013, earning several awards and a longlisting for the Desmond Elliott Prize. Although the show was a success, plans for further shows were put on hold whilst Garland was ill with throat cancer in 2009.

On 16 July 2021, the band released a limited edition double vinyl album, Big Soul Kiss: The BBC Recordings via Jungle Records. This was a special for Record Store Day in the UK and also available as a standard release in other territories. It sold out within three weeks of release. A repressing was made in 2022, alongside a new compilation Play Loud Play Purple and a five-CD box set that included two CDs of unreleased material, The Palace of Infinite Darkness

On 7 October 2022, the band announced on a new website that they were having a reunion for tours and new recordings in 2023/24. The reunion lineup is Rosie Garland, Tom Ashton, William Faith, all survivors from their previous live activity in 2015. In January 2024 it was announced on Facebook that William Faith had left the band and was replaced by Mat Thorpe on bass and vocals.

Discography

Studio albums

Made Glorious (2013), self-released
Mortality (2015), self-released
Crocodile Promises (2024), Metropolis Records

Compilation albums

Natural History (1984), Rebirth (UK Indie number 3)

! <small>UK Indie</small>

! Label

| 1982

| style="font-weight:bold; font-style:italic;" | March Violets (EP)