The March Violets I-Beam San Francisco 4th March 1985

 

This is a band that through a mate were on my radar in the mid-1980's. The March Violets in the '83-'85 period were pretty active as a live band and my mate regularly saw them in London and a couple of times in Brighton. I'm not sure which he was more into, the band or vocalist Cleo Murray... he was certainly smitten with her, that I do recall. Stupidly, I never took him up on the offer to go along with him and see them.

The March Violets formed in Leeds in 1981 and released their first two singles on Andrew Eldrich's, a fellow student at Leeds University, label Merciful Release. The original line up of the band consited of Tom Ashton (Guitar), Laurence Elliot (Bass) and Simon Denbigh (Vocals)and Rosie Garland (Vocals). The vocals were suplemented with the addition of Cleo Murray. In short time, Rosie Garland stepped back leaving Cleo as the sole female vocalist for the remainder of the band's first incarnation. The band initially split in 1987.

Over the last 17 years, the band have reformed with various line ups. In 2024 they have been particularly active with a line up with original members Rosie Garland and Tom Ashton. A recent London apperance would have been my first chance to see them, but just days before I landed myself in Harlow Hospital. Next time!

Thanks to the original uploader for this one.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-jLEhvz8kbA

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-dZSa2cRGnC

Here's a review of the band's gig at the Escape Club in Brighton that appeared in the 22nd March 1986 issue of Record Mirror. This would have been one of the gigs I declined!