Marion (band) - Wikipedia

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Marion (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marion are an English indie rock band, formed in 1993 in

Macclesfield, Cheshire.[1] The band's classic lineup
featured frontman Jaime Harding (born Jaime Brian
Harding),[2][3] guitarist Phil Cunningham, second guitarist
Tony Grantham, bassist Nick Gilbert and drummer Murad
Mousa.
The band released two studio album before splitting up in
1999, due to Harding's heroin addiction which saw him
stop turning up to rehearse with the band that year.[4]
In 2006, Harding and Cunningham recruited a new set of
musicians and reformed the band. They started working on
new material, having played their first live gig together as
Marion in seven years on 1 April 2006 in Bath. They
followed this up with sold-out shows in Manchester and
London in September 2006.
The original lineup of the band reformed, minus drummer
Murad Mousa who was replaced by Jack Mitchell, in
September 2011.[5] In Summer 2015, it was revealed that
Harding was continuing with the band with himself as the
sole original member of the band involved.

Contents
1 Biography
1.1 Formation - Split (199399)
1.2 Post-split (200005)
1.3 Attempted Reformations (2006present)
2 Discography
2.1 Studio albums
2.2 Live albums
2.3 Singles
2.4 EPs
3 References
4 External links

Marion

Background information
Origin

Macclesfield, Cheshire, England

Genres

Britpop, alternative rock

Years active

199399, 200608, 201112,

2014present

Labels

Rough Trade, London, Marion

Recordings (Townsend)

Associated acts Johnny Marr, New Order, Bad

Lieutenant, RYNA, Haven,
Twisted Wheel
Website

www.marionthegroup.com
(http://www.marionthegroup.com)

Members

Jaime Harding
Andrew Tarling
Andy McKerlie
Blair Murray

Past members Anthony Grantham

Phil Cunningham
Jake Evans
Murad Mousa
Damien Lawrence
Nick Gilbert
Julian Phillips
Jack Mitchell
Che Hargreaves
Johnny Regan
Wayne Ward
Nick McCall

Biography
Formation - Split (199399)
The band were formed in Macclesfield, Cheshire in 1993 by Ryles Park High School students[6] Jaime
Harding and Phil Cunningham, who had previously been in various bands together including Cloud, Push The
King and The Shags. After recruiting additional guitarist Anthony Grantham, bassist Damian Lawrence and

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drummer Murad Mousa, they recorded a demo that was sent to former Smiths manager Joe Moss who agreed
to manage the band.[7] Moss, who at the time promoted shows at The Night and Day Caf in Manchester's
Northern Quarter, allowed the band to rehearse in the cafe's basement. [8] The band replaced bassist Damian
Lawrence with Julian Phillips and rehearsed six days a week for nine months, commuting each day from
Macclesfield, before playing in London to try and gain record company attention.
After releasing debut single 'Violent Men' on Rough Trade Records, a bidding war began between the major
record labels, with Marion eventually signing to London Records and a publisihng deal with Island Music
Publishing in October 1994. In March 1995, bassist Julian Philips left the band to work with Ian McCulloch[9]
and was replaced by Nick Gilbert who featured on all other Marion recordings.
The band released debut This World & Body in February 1996, which entered the UK Top 10 Album Chart.
Constant gigging saw the band supporting the likes of Morrissey, Radiohead, Ian McCulloch of Echo & The
Bunnymen and Manic Street Preachers. The band played at Glastonbury Festival 3 times and other festivals
across the UK and Europe, also undertaking 2 tours of Japan and 4 short tours of America. The band also
appeared on TV on the likes of the BBC special 'Britpop Now' BBC television special,[10] and The Word.
After a gruelling 18 month international touring campaign for the album, the band found it difficult to write a
second album. Moss brought in Johnny Marr to co-write and produce second album The Program. The album
was released in September 1998, however Harding's heroin habit saw him become increasingly unreliable
which led to a lack of promotion. Harding later admitted that "I'd always used speed and cocaine but the
heroin really took hold round the making of The Program".[11]
The band split up the following year following a mammoth tour of the US, which saw Harding increasingly
withdrawn from the rest of the band. Cunningham stated that the band split up due to frustration and bitterness
creeping in as no one was able to get through to Harding.[1]

Post-split (200005)
Guitarist Phil Cunningham toured with Bernard Sumner's and Johnny Marr's band Electronic, and
subsequently went on to become a full-time member of Bad Lieutenant and New Order, co-writing material.
Second guitarist Tony Grantham, who left the band in 1998, formed Chalk and Ryna.
Bassist Nick Gilbert sold most of equipment and started working in graphic design.
Drummer Murad Mousa "went on a five year bender", was hospitalised several times and almost jailed for
GBH. He sold his drumkit to settle a gambling debt, which he managed to buy back when he got clean after
attending the Priory Hospital in 2004. He now works as a support officer at the hospital and also works in
property[12]
In December 1999, it was revealed the frontman Jaime Harding was working with longtime friend Wayne
Ward on new material. Although all the band's music had been written by Cunningham and Grantham, the
new material was to be released under the Marion name, with Harding stating that "the name Marion belongs
to me and only I use it". He described the material as being "more mature and less in a panic, yet I would say
more powerful than previous songs".[13] In June 2000, Harding pleaded guilty to theft charges and possession
of heroin and was put on probation for six months. He had stolen garden ornaments and sold them to an
antiques dealer to fund his heroin habit.[2] The duo reportedly continued to work through to 2005, until
Harding went to Eastern Europe for a year to try and get clean. [14] Nothing from the sessions was ever
released, with Harding later commenting that the material "wasn't something that when I played it I felt
comfortable about".[5][15]

Attempted Reformations (2006present)

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In 2006, Harding and Cunningham reformed the band with additional guitarist Jake Evans, bassist Che
Hargreaves and former Haven drummer Jack Mitchell.[1] They began working on new material, and played
their first live gig together as Marion in seven years on 1 April 2006 in Bath. Further sold out shows were
played in Manchester and London in September and December 2006, with half of the sets made up of new
material. Cunningham stated that they were to only use the band name for initial gigs, and that they would
continue working under a different name as the rest of the original band were not available. [16] However, in
early 2007 Harding was hospitalised after being diagnosed with infective endocarditis, caused by injecting
heroin with a dirty or contaminated needle.[4] Admitting that he "blew one of my heart valves from injecting
heroin and crack", Harding underwent open-heart surgery and had to have a metal valve placed in his heart [11]
A handful of gigs were booked in 2008, but again cancelled after Harding contracted pneumonia. [17]
In late 2011, the original line up of the band reformed, minus drummer Murad Mousa who was replaced by
Jack Mitchell. The band played a handful of shows, with a live album recorded at Manchester Club Academy,
entitled 'Alive In Manchester' released. The reformation ended in 2012, with a planned studio album
abandoned.[6] A solo tour of Italy planned for 2013 was cancelled after Harding was hospitalised suffering
chest pains.[18]
In 2014, it was confirmed that whilst Harding was still not clean from drugs he was now being managed by
Joe Moss again. In Summer 2015, it was announced that Harding was to continue working under the Marion
name with a new lineup leaving him as the only original member. The lineup featured former Twisted Wheel
drummer Blair Murray.[19] Moss died in October 2015.[11][20]
In September 2015, it was announced that the current lineup of the band would perform in London in March
2016 to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's debut album This World and Body.[21] However,
the gig was rescheduled after Harding was incarerated at HM Prison Forest Bank in Pendlebury, Salford for an
unknown offence. On 3 March 2016, Harding revealed on social media that he had just been released. [22] In
May 2016, an expanded set of gigs including the rescheduled London gig was announced for
September/October/November.[23] In June 2016 Harding revealed that he was attending Narcotics
Anonymous.[24]
On 11 August 2016, it was announced that Harding had been incarcerated at Strangeways Prison, Manchester
for drugs offenses. All planned live shows for the year were cancelled as his case would not be heard until
December.[25] However, the following day it was revealed in the press that Harding had actually been
sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court for two years and eight months for arson. In February
2016, he had set fire to two of his girlfriends dresses with a cigarette lighter after she failed to answer his
phone calls. His management claimed that Harding "was in the midst of a deep depression and also under the
influence of various substances".[26][27]
The band's two studio albums are set for deluxe expanded re-issues on 16 September 2016 through Demon
Music Group's Edsel label.

Discography
Studio albums
This World and Body - (5 February 1996) No. 10 UK[28]
The Program - (September 1998)

Live albums
Alive in Manchester - (April 2012)

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Singles
"Violent Men" - (June 1994)
"Sleep" - (February 1995) No. 53 UK
"Toys for Boys" - (May 1995) No. 57 UK
"Let's All Go Together" - (October 1995) No. 37 UK
"Time" - (January 1996) No. 29 UK
"Miyako Hideaway" - (March 1998) No. 45 UK[28]

EPs
Sleep EP - (March 1996) No. 17 UK (re-recording)
Sparkle EP - Japan only - (May 1998)
Can't Stop Now EP - (2006)[29]
Live in the studio sessions EP - (April 2008)
Rogue Male EP (May 2016)[30]

References
1. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whatson/music/marion-back-in-business-1042052
2. http://www.nme.com/news/marion/3717
3. http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/unitedkingdom-records?firstname=jaime%20brian&
lastname=harding&eventyear=1975&
eventyear_offset=0
4. http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/whateverhappened-to-marion
5. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/index.php?c=1&
t=7&sb=2
6. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/articles/interviews
/2011/Marion_MacclesfieldExpress.pdf
7. http://www.themarionarchives.co.uk/where.html
8. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/index.php?c=1&
t=14&sb=1
9. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/index.php?c=2&
y=2011&m=09&d=30&t=2&sb=2
10. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074rl8
11. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr
/24/britpop-bluetones-dodgy-salad-marionmenswear-indie-90s
12. http://www.themarionarchives.co.uk/articles
/Q/Q_article_july06.jpg
13. http://home.clara.net/the.program/jaime241299.html
14. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/articles/interviews
/2009/mojo2009.htm
15. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/articles/interviews
/2006/jaime08022006.htm
16. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/articles/interviews
/2006/phil08022006.htm
17. http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/britpopwhere-are-they-now-special-share-your-knowledge

18. https://www.facebook.com
/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151336965899437&
id=41763859436
19. https://www.facebook.com/marionthegroup/photos
/a.922931677727121.1073741832.890422800978009
/1103692642984356/?type=3&theater
20. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct
/23/joe-moss-manager-johnny-marr-and-the-smithsdies-age-72
21. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/index.php?c=2&
y=2015&m=09&d=29&t=2&sb=2
22. https://twitter.com/jaimehofficial/status
/705539951719534592
23. http://www.marionuk.co.uk/index.php?c=2&
y=2016&m=05&d=02&t=2&sb=2
24. https://twitter.com/jaimehofficial/status
/747082677476593664
25. https://www.facebook.com/marionthegroup/posts
/1187904701229816
26. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
/news/greater-manchester-news/jaime-hardingmarion-jailed-arson-11742460
27. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/britpopsinger-jailed-after-torching-8619185
28. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums
(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records
Limited. p. 350. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
29. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/cant-stop-nowep/id1107608000
30. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product
/B01FDZFLZU/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

External links
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www.marionthegroup.com - Official Marion Website (http://www.marionthegroup.com)

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Categories: Britpop groups English pop music groups English rock music groups
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