Toronto - Welcome to MP3UK, a new series on the Panic Manual which will focus on bands I have discovered thru the now defunct MP3UK group on Efnet that I was a part of back in the late 90s. GEEK ALERT!. Anyways, that group was instrumental in forming the music taste that I have today and so I think it is time to start writing about some of the bands that we all listened to back in the day.

You might know Marion as the Miami Heat power forward with an ugly jump shot and five-cat roto godliness, but some folks still know Marion as a not really successful britpop band from the mid nineties. I turned to my friend Alli to help me describe them, since she is the one who probably introduced me to the band and here is the conversation:

[14:36] r: how would you describe Marion’s music
[14:36] alli: uh
[14:36] alli: awesome?

I would say that Marion sounds a bit like the Smiths, a bit like the Cure. Melody based pop music that sounds kinda sad/dramatic. Riding some hype (and Morrissey’s praise) The band actually hit #10 on the UK charts with their debut LP “This World and Body”. Singles like “Violent Men”, “Sleep” and “Toys For Boys” were released, but without much success. After the second album “The Program” (produced by Johnny Marr) failed to chart, Marion pretty much disappeared. In 2006, the band reunited and is now touring with Puressence, but no new releases as of yet.

 

 Marion - Sparkle: Play Now