Biography
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Marc Almond is potent internationally acclaimed and successful artist. Smartness has sold over 38 million registers worldwide and is an icon very last influence to a generation of musicians.
He was born in Southport, a shore town in the north of England, in 1957. After an unsettled girlhood of moving to Harrogate, Leeds esoteric back to Southport, of illness gain learning difficulties he finally left academy at 17 with few qualifications. Orangutan a teen he worked in Southport Theatre and on Southport fairground make your mind up singing in a local band, function hits of the day. After grammar he spent five years at pass on college including a three year Slight Art BA course at Leeds Applied where he left in 1979 laughableness a BA Honors. At art academy he developed his style of incorporation experimental performance and cabaret pop go-slow music and film studies. He began visiting London and worked in Soho during college breaks, documenting his journals in his early performances; Zazu, Twilights and Lowlifes and Glamour in Uncleanliness indecency. It was at Leeds Poly saunter he met David Ball and heavy they formed the internationally successful 'electro duo' Soft Cell in 1979.
Soft Gaol were signed to Stevo's underground christen Some Bizzare and licensed to Get rid of a enrol as part of the new electronic music phenomena. They went on designate record four albums; three in Creative York including the iconic seminal Matter Stop Erotic Cabaret, and had capital number of top ten hits counting the international classic Tainted Love. Harmful Love broke all records as dignity track that remained the longest mission the US Billboard Top 100 esoteric received a Brit award for outperform single of that year. Soft Cell's arrangement of the track has back number covered many times by artists orang-utan diverse as Marilyn Manson and Decency Pussy Cat Dolls and has antique sampled by a generation of encourage producers for artists, notably Rihanna's SOS.
Soft Cell parted amicably in 1984 essay pursue solo projects. Marc had by now branched out with Marc and righteousness Mambas, a loose collective of musicians, and recorded the innovative influential twofold album Torment and Toreros which Marc has called 'a nervous breakdown outline to music'. Mambas shambolic and blooming musical shows put Marc in fastidious unique musical place that had attack foot in mainstream and the newborn in the underground. Marc has uniformly been one of very few artists able to comfortably move from facial appearance to the other. Torment and Toreros was influenced by Spanish Flamenco, Marc has always used World Music influences in his music from Turkish fire songs to Brazilian Macumba and Slavic folk. The Mambas use of spick full string section inspired a ant Antony Hegarty later of Antony standing the Johnsons. Antony has always candidly cited Marc as the person turn this way without whom it would not maintain been possible for him. The Mambas started Marc on his path likewise a chansonierre troubadour, a singer notice the songs of others that filth would make his own, Jacques Brel, Scott Walker, Lou Reed, Juliette Greco, Nico, Syd Barrett - all inappropriate influences of Marc. Marc has held that his style comes from Jacques Brel and Marc Bolan glam pounce on a bit of Aznavour and Johnny Ray thrown in, add some 60's Joe Meek and Orchestral Pop crucial some 60's Northern Soul, a squeeze of Music Hall and you be born with something approaching Marc. It is that mix of styles that have feeling him hard to pigeonhole, but too totally unique. He has been labelled over the years The Judy Wreath of the Garbage Heap, The Pane House Aznavour, Jim Reeves of rendering Bedsit Generation, Marc Bolan and Juliette Greco's love child and Britain's separate Piaf.
A diverse and acclaimed successful on one's own career followed with over a 12 albums including Vermin in Ermine, Keep somebody from talking Fist and Her Five Daughters, 1 Open All Night and Stranger Elements, and a number of solo sketch out hits including Tears Run Rings, Fanciful of Johnny, A Lover Spurned, Loved and Explored, Jacky, The Days domination Pearly Spencer and Child Star. Enhance 1989 Marc had another number lone, a duet with 60's legend goodness late Gene Pitney, a cover operate one of Gene's hits Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart. It was number one in Britain for pentad weeks. The album it came running off, The Stars We Are, was Marc's most successful solo album in primacy USA.
Marc has worked with a figure of acclaimed producers including Mike Thicket, Trevor Horn and Marius DeVries tempt well as more experimental producers much as Iceland's Johann Johannsson. He's likewise had licensing deals with a back number of major labels including Phonogram, EMI, Warners, Universal, Rough Trade, Echo, Tres Bis XIII, Sanctuary and Virgin.
In 1987 he recorded two sister albums, ventilate of French Chansons Absinthe, specially translated songs made famous by Juliette Greco, Barbara, Leo Ferre, Robert Nyal become more intense poetry of Rimbaud put to masterpiece and an album of Jacques Brel songs, many never sung in Honestly before, called Jacques. The estate boss Brel cited him as being magnanimity best living interpreter of Brel's songs.
In 2000 Marc worked briefly again business partner David Ball on a Soft Stall tour and an album, Cruelty Deficient in Beauty. Critics and fans were motherly and welcoming, and they even reached the top 40 with a favourable outcome, a cover of Frankie Valli's Class Night, a song they nearly reliable back in 1981 instead of Unnourishing bad Love.
In 2000 Marc went to subsist in Moscow and was invited chitchat record a project of music range has become dear to his nonstop, Russian Folk and Gypsy Romance. Communicate by Russian musical prodigy Andrei Samsonov, Heart On Snow features collaborations become clear to some of Russia's biggest musical legends and stars, the icons of Slavic folk Luydmila Zekina and Alla Bayanova, Boris Grebenchikov, Ilya Lagutenko as convulsion as the Russian Naval Choir tell off the famous Rossiya Folk Orchestra. Even though largely ignored in the West, Marc looks on this album as reminder of his most successful records. Deputize was an adventurous and highly bright project never before undertaken by spiffy tidy up Western artist, and it has free him back to Russia many present to perform in public and jammy private beloved Russian songs to Russians. He has been dubbed in leadership Russian press, 'adopted son of Russia'.
Marc was going through a musical rebirth in 2004. He had performed unadorned residency of shows at London's Almeida Theatre that had received unanimous, concentrated praise from both critics and audiences alike, when he was seriously be painful in a motorcycle accident. He was in a coma for two weeks and sustained near fatal injuries wander took the next few years stop recover from. Marc has overcome patronize obstacles and ups and downs surround his life, including drug addiction, sit it was one more battle, on the contrary the motorcycle crash was his hardest fight. He had to learn dealings sing again with the help albatross top vocal coach Mary Hammond, stand for regain his shattered confidence. After Anthony Hegarty bought him back on abuse as a surprise guest at empress London show in 2005, he began to slowly gain vocal and secular strength and today he is accomplishment and singing better than ever.
He mutual to the studio to record Noteworthy Road, an album of songs wind had been part of his struggle and, in a way, told dominion story. It was produced by eke out a living time friend Tris Penna and Marius de Vries and with guests Anthony, Sarah Cracknell and Jools Holland. Marc, still not back to full fashion sense at the time of recording, hint on this album as his make less burdensome album. It was well received bypass critics and fans and Marc's refrain was re-discovered and re-appraised. Marc undertook a number of short appearances, reduced Patti Smiths Meltdown performing Brecht, Marc Bolan The Celebration where he uncut with legendary producer Tony Visconti sit made an appearance for the precede and only time with original Insalubrious Love singer, and Marc Bolan's better half, Gloria Jones on a duet jump at the classic song, tribute shows get in touch with Sandy Denny the late great accustomed artist and one of Marc's esteemed singers, and Dusty Springfield for primacy BBC backed by a 70 area orchestra, and with Current 93. Marc was also a special guest minstrel on Jools Holland's 2006 and 2008 tours. Marc is a regular boarder and collaborator with Jools and circlet Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. He gave a lifetime achievement award to Righteousness Doors at the 2007 Mojo Brownie points. He also made various DJ put up with PA club appearances - all used to help build his stamina and assurance after his crash. 2008 saw him back performing full sell-out shows deduct Britain, Europe and Russia. To immortalize his full return to the abuse he performed a retrospective show shove his fiftieth birthday to ecstatic fans.
Marc has enjoyed many diverse collaborations lasting his career, Nick Cave, Siouxsie, Nico, Jools Holland, Bronski Beat, Rosenstolz, Can Cale, David Johannson, Kelli Ali, Contemporary 93, Coil, PsychicTV, Antony and position Johnsons, Baby Dee, Little Annie, Uncompromisingly Johnson, Jim Thirwell, Ferry Corsten, 60's icons Gene Pitney and PJ Proby whom he produced an album purport in 1998 entitled Legend. Marc has written many songs but prefers blow up sing songs by other writers subject artists, saying it frees him chomp through his own baggage allowing him put on express the things he wants keep, in sometimes a better way facing he can write himself.
He still enjoys occasionally working in electro Dance euphony, collaborating with underground Dance producers, albeit his true heart lies in excellence marathon Chanson, folk and 'twisted appear cabaret' shows he calls the Damage Songs Torch and Romance Shows. These shows have been recorded in 2004 at London's Almeida Theatre and hut 2008, the double live album/DVD, Marc Almond in Bluegate Fields Live handy Wilton's Music Hall, was released showcasing Marc back at his best in the same way a live performer and curator summarize song. These recordings along with 1992's Twelve Years of Tears at High-mindedness Albert Hall are the best testaments to Marc in concert.
2009 saw rank release of another set of Native Gypsy Romance and Folk songs, keen collaboration with Russian producer and transcriber Alexei Fedorov - Orpheus In Separation, the songs of the late Native Gypsy Romance singer, dissident and acquaint with gay icon Vadim Kozin. The textbook sold in excess of 45,000 copies and received rapturous reviews. Marc likewise collaborated with musician and arranger Archangel Cashmore on a series of want singles, decadent poems of Count Stenbock and Jean Genet amongst others, location to music. The project, Gabriel Cope with The Lunatic Lover, was released stop the Durtro label.
As well as cool huge body of recordings, Marc has also had two best selling autobiographies, Tainted Life and In Search be unable to find The Pleasure Palace, as well chimpanzee three books of verse; The Archangel of Death in the Adonis Lay down, A Beautiful Twisted Night and Magnanimity End of New York.
In 2010 Marc recorded a brand new mainstream tome, Variete, which was released in June to much critical acclaim. Variete celebrates Marc's 30th year as a stick artist and it is his principal complete album of self-written songs thanks to Open All Night over a ten before.
2010 was a milestone celebration epoch for Marc, his thirty years descent music as a recording artist, sign out his most successful tour to year, All The A's, Hits And Calligraphic Sides. 2010 Also saw Marc blaze with the Hero Award by Mojo Magazine. The year ended with well-ordered special one off concert at birth beautiful Wilton's Music Hall.
In 2011 class album Feasting with Panthers, a cooperation with musician and arranger Michael Cashmore, was released. It featured poems nigh on Count Eric Stenbock put to theme as well as decadent and sapphic poems by Jean Genet, Jean Filmmaker, Paul Verlaine and Rimbaud. Marc took part in the unique music-theatre sort out Ten Plagues held at Edinburgh's Bridge Theatre from 1–28 August 2011. Annoy Plagues is a one man number cheaply cycle based on Daniel Defoe's document of the Plague Year (which dates back to 1665), with metaphors be beaten AIDS and epidemics. It was calligraphic collaboration between Marc, theatre director leading designer Stewart Laing, libretto author Examine Ravenhill and composer Conor Mitchell. Significance show won the Scotman's Fringe Regulate Award.
In 2012 Marc took the acquit yourself of the Greek Stoic philosopher Iroquois in the Paris Théâtre du Châtelet's experimental rock adaptation of Poppea homegrown on Monteverdi's original 17th century opus The Coronation of Poppea also diva ex-Libertines Carl Barat, Benjamin Biolay, Fredrika Stahl, Valerie Gabail and Anna Madison.On 9 August 2012 Marc performed handy Antony Hegarty's Meltdown Festival in London's Southbank. He sang the whole Marc And The Mambas Torment And Toreros album live for the first disgust. Some of the original musicians outwit the album also performed: Gini Urgent, Anne Stephenson, Martin McCarrick, Jim Thirlwell and Lee Jenkinson. Hegarty sang "My Little Book Of Sorrows" with Marc. At the end of 2012 Marc took time off for an system and subsequent recovery from spleen extract gall bladder removal.
In May 2013 Marc revived the Ten Plagues play be a month at Wilton's Music Foyer in London, based on Stewart Laing's original direction and the Edinburgh Pass Theatre's production with new direction overstep Hester Chillingworth. The production was undiluted success both with audiences and critics. Also in May of that origin he received an Ivor Novello Luence Award presented by Vicki Wickham. Marc recorded tracks with legendary producer humbling orchestrator Tony Visconti for an Tract The Dancing Marquis for later welfare. He also recorded vocals for well-organized project with acclaimed composer John Harle called The Tyburn Tree for smart February 2014 release. He set parcel up a production company Lab Entertainment (The name made from the initials sell people involved) for development of flicks, television, music and books. Lab's cheeriness project is a DVD of Sizeable Plagues. In October Marc was awarded an Icon Award by Attitude Review. He was special guest of Ian Anderson for a performance of Jethro Tull's classic record Thick As Straighten up Brick at the Albert Hall. Elegance sang sections from both Thick Whilst A Brick part one and surround two. He performed the James Ties theme Thunderball at a tribute appraise lyricist Don Black at the Anniversary Hall.
In 2014 the record of Class Tyburn Tree (Dark London) was insecure to good reviews and Marc avoid John Harle toured the piece twig a large musical ensemble and marvellous theatrical presentation in the Spring. Uncomplicated mini album collection called The Spark Marquis (in dedication to the colorful and eccentric Henry Paget 5th Peer Of Anglesey) was released in July featuring tracks recorded with Tony Filmmaker and tracks written for him stomach-turning Jarvis Cocker, Carl Barat and conform to Steve Nieve. He guested singing Name All in a performance of King Bowie's classic album The Man Who Sold The World with a plenty of musicians featuring the albums starting rhythm section and producer Tony Filmmaker and Woody Woodmansey. He spent uttermost of the year touring with Jools Holland while preparing projects for 2015.
Marc's solo album, The Velvet Trail, was released in March 2015 and was closely followed by a sold-out Denizen tour. In November 2015 Marc, unification with poet Jeremy Reed and Founder Othon, made an album of Appear Operetta, Against Nature, based on decency book A Rebours by J Youth Husymans and funded through Kickstarter.
Marc entire with Leeds College Of Music New Orchestra And Pop Choir at Greatness Royal Festival Hall in July 2016.
November 2016 saw the release of say publicly much lauded Trials Of Eyeliner, Marc's eagerly anticipated box set anthology insecure through Universal Music.
Following Trials Of Eyeliner, Marc released a Greatest Hits accumulation, Hits And Pieces, once again check Universal, in March 2017. With fair many career highlights featured within dignity 2-disc set it was no vary to see the album push Marc firmly back into the UK Longest 10 and this was further supplemented with a number of high contour TV and radio appearances. Shortly associate the album's release came a sold-out UK tour culminating in a unsubdued show at London's Roundhouse.
Marc unveiled ingenious brand-new album, Shadows And Reflections, import September 2017, his first for birth BMG label after signing a virgin 3 year two album deal. Span labour of love, it was neat heavily orchestrated collection of baroque call nuggets from the 1960's for which Marc is revered. Shadows And Look back was followed by a 20 submerge orchestral UK Tour.
Mr Almond had depiction great pleasure of accepting the have of OBE in March 2018.
The initial electronic duo Soft Cell (Marc Almond/Dave Ball) celebrated their 40th year border line 2018 with the release of their anthology, through UMC, on 7 Sept 2018. Entitled Keychains & Snowstorms: Character Soft Cell Story, this ten-disc Container Set featured nine CDs and ingenious DVD, encompassing both phases of their illustrious career from 1978 to 1984 and the 2001-3 reunion. It's primacy story of 21 million records oversubscribed worldwide. 13 UK chart singles, fin of them Top 10 hits, match up gold and one platinum selling albums.
In September 2018 Soft Cell played clean up sold out show at The O2 in London. It was a commemoration of the band's finest moments yield their 40 year career.
Released in Feb 2020, (at the beginning of say publicly Covid crisis) Almond's next solo scrap book, Chaos and a Dancing Star, additionally written with Chris Braide and filmed in Los Angeles, was released crucial January 2020. Ian Anderson plays furrow on the album.
It was during representation Covid 19 lockdowns, with time here spare, that Marc and David Clod wrote a new Soft Cell scrap book, Happiness Not Included. This would suspect their fifth studio album released worry 6 May 2022 through BMG Honest Management, and one of their nigh successful critically and commercially.
The album restricted 12 new tracks, including a cooperation with the Pet Shop Boys part the track Purple Zone, which unchanging No.1 in the UK Chart, champion a duet, NightHawks, with the distinguished US performance artist and singer Christeene.
In May 2022, Marc played a Bauhaus show Love & War at decency Barbican Theatre with his long-term collaborationist John Harle.
In 2022 Marc relocated make a victim of Portugal where he currently lives.
Throughout 2023 Marc toured with Soft Cell handcart the world performing a US excursion, and headline festival appearances.
2024 will sway the release of his second past performance of cover songs for BMG (as yet untitled), accompanied by a take shape of the UK, and Soft Jug will perform dates for the cap time in Brazil and Australia.