The March Violets

In 1982 a rock band bearing unmistakable gothic overtones came together in England. Bassist Loz Elliott encountered vocalist Simon Denbigh in Leeds, whereupon Denbigh enlisted his longtime associate Tom Ashton on guitar. The lineup was completed by the quick addition of Rosie Garland on vocals, and the quartet promptly recorded an EP that earned subsequent airplay on BBC disc jockey John Peel’s program. Additional recordings followed on the in-demand Merciful Release label before Travis supplanted the original drum machine toward the end of 1984. Cleo Murray assumed vocal duties from Garland on the 1983 single ‘Snakedance’, after which Denbigh departed by mutual decision to launch the Batfish Boys. Only Tom remained from the founding roster in the group now backing Murray, with Loz having joined most recently on bass. The act signed with London Records in 1986 and issued ‘Turn To The Sky’, which narrowly missed the charts. Attempts were being made to shed the goth association by citing Z.Z. Top, Led Zeppelin and the Pretenders as primary influences, yet critics still cited Cleo’s blonde hair to liken her to Blondie.