Marseille | pt

Marseille is a NWOBHM band from Liverpool, England who formed in 1976. Original members included Neil Buchanan (guitar) , Andy Charters (guitar) Paul Dale (vocals), Keith Knowles (drums) and Steve Dinwoodie (bass).

Their debut album, "Red, White and Slightly Blue" was released on the label Mountain in 1978. It suffered from lack of promotion and limitation of release and had very raunchy lyrics[2].

Marseille toured the UK in 1978 and 1979 with UFO. Whitesnake, Ian Gillan, and Judas Priest.

Their second release, the eponymous "Marseille" (released by RCA in the USA) received airplay on radio in the UK and USA, extending their fanbase. Marseille were the first of the NWOBHM bands to tour the USA, beginning a two month tour of the States in support of Nazareth and Blackfoot on 9th May 1980. However, upon their return to the UK, Mountain records' financial problems came to a head and the company entered bankruptcy. With all their equipment still stranded in the USA the band were off the road for nearly two years while they extricated themselves from the legal entanglements surrounding the demise of Mountain Records.[3]

During this time Neil Buchanan, Andy Charters and Paul Dale left the band to persue other careers. Neil Buchanan went on to achieve great success in TV as the creator and presenter of the long running series "Art Attack!"[4]

Sav Pearse (vocals) and Marc Railton (guitar) were recruited to record Marseille's third album "Touch The Night" which was released in 1984 on the Ultranoise label. Disinterest in this iteration of the band caused Marseille to split-up soon after.

In late 2008, the original members of Marseille, including Andy Charters, now living in the USA, and Neil Buchanan, reformed for a reunion appearance at the Rock Garden club in London. Nige Roberts joined the band to take over vocal duties from Paul Dale in early 2009 and an 4- track EP titled "FourPlay" was released soon after. Marseille appeared at the HardRockHell III festival in December 2009.

In 2010 Keith and Steve left due to family and business commitments and were replaced by Gareth Webb (drums) and Lee Andrews (bass). The band have just finished recording 10 new tracks for an album called "Unfinished Business" to be released in 2010. [3]


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