nos·tal·gia [no-stal-juh, -jee-uh, nuh-] – noun
1. a yearning for order with contempt for the present and fear of the future; a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland: a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time:
Critically acclaimed and popularly adored, one of Britain’s most musically eclectic singer/songwriters, Marc Almond, releases his new album Varieté on 7th June through Cherry Red Records. Varieté is Marc’s first complete album of self-written songs since Open All Night, over a decade ago. The first 3000 copies of the album will be in a limited edition digipack with an exclusive bonus acoustic CD featuring additional unreleased tracks.
In this, Marc’s 30th year as a recording artist, Varieté, revisits the eras of Marc’s personal and musical life providing an eloquent and sometimes nostalgic, insight into what defines him as a performer.
Almond says “The album deals with the themes of the changing times, a yearning for simplicity, regret at loss, growing older, loneliness through the eyes of a performer, madness, letting go, acceptance, as well as our obsession with nostalgia. For me the past and a sense of history is what gives us soul and humanity, gives us value. I wanted to celebrate nostalgia.
He goes on to elaborate “This is a personal record of my own life and the decades I’ve grown through: born in the 1950's, a child of the 60's, a troubled teen of the 70's, a star of the 80's, a drug casualty of the 90's, an actual road casualty in the new millennium, and from it a rehabilitated and re-invented person, with a new sense of self.”
Marc has always excelled at mixing musical genres and writing vividly poignant lyrics, as well as collaborating with musicians of note. Varieté is produced and arranged by Marc himself, with the exception of 3 tracks (The Trials of Eyeliner, Bread and Circus and Soho So Long) which are produced and co-arranged by Tris Penna, who produced much of Marc’s 2007 album Stardom Road.
Marc is joined on Varieté by long-term musical collaborators:- Neal Whitmore – Guitars, ukulele, piano, harmonica, Omnichord; Martin Watkins - Piano, keyboards, Omnichord; Dave Ruffy – Drums & percussion and Carl Holt – Bass. The album also features a selection of diverse musical guests and collaborators.
| |
Track List |
|
|
| 1 |
(Intro) – Almond/Cashmore |
9 |
Sandboy – Almond/Watkins |
| 2 |
Bread & Circus – Almond/Fedorov |
10 |
It’s All Going On – Almond/Faber |
| 3 |
Nijinsky Heart – Almond/Faber |
11 |
Variety – Almond/Faber |
| 4 |
The Exhibitionist – Almond/Watkins |
12 |
Cabaret Clown – Almond |
| 5 |
The Trials of Eyeliner – Almond/Cashmore |
13 |
My Madness and I – Almond/Whitmore |
| 6 |
Lavender- Almond/Watkins |
14 |
But Not Today – Almond/Whitmore |
| 7 |
Soho So Long – Almond/Fedorov/Whitmore |
15 |
Swan Song – Almond/Whitmore |
| 8 |
Unloveable - Almond/Faber |
16 |
Sin Song – Almond/Cashmore |
Marc Almond first found fame as one half of Soft Cell in the 1980’s, when their seminal cover of Tainted Love, reached No. 1 in 1981. A long and distinguished solo career followed, with Marc selling over 30 million records. He has achieved significant critical acclaim as a recording artist and performer during his 30 year career, encompassing genres as diverse as chanson,
torch song, caberet and Russian folk.
‘All I need is a glittery curtain
To sing a cheap but potent song
On a small wooden stage
At the back of a bar
That’s where I belong.’
23rd June 2009
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MARC ALMOND with ALEXEI FEDOROV
“ORPHEUS IN EXILE”
The Songs of Vadim Kozin
Cat number: SFE001 |
 |
Marc Almond - a latter day curator of popular song - has rediscovered the
songbook of Vadim Kozin. Kozin was the Soviet era's much-loved, exiled then forgotten singer of Gypsy Folk and Russian Torch Song Romances. Almond will release “Orpheus in Exile” (a collection of Kozin’s songs) on Cherry Red Records on 7th September.
Almond discovered Kozin’s work on his first visit to Russia in 1992 and was immediately taken with the purity and passion of his voice, as well as the beauty and melancholy of his songs, which are enhanced by the hardships Kozin suffered throughout his life.
A fallen idol, Stalin exiled Vadim Kozin at the height of his fame for his insubordinate refusal to write a song for the President, arguably not aided by Kozin’s homosexuality. The incarcerated Kozin became a chanteur of the Gulags, a star-turn in touring prison revues and he remained in self-imposed exile in the Northern Russian Gulag city of Magadan after the end of his prison term right until his death in 1994 at the age of 91.
Marc has joined creative forces with Russian producer and musical arranger Alexei Fedorov who shares both Marc’s love of Kozin and his aim to help bring his repertoire to a new audience. The songs have been specially translated for Marc and have never been sung in English before.
“Oprheus in Exile” was recorded and mixed in Moscow, and features Russia's most famous folk ensemble, Orchestra Rossiya, conducted by renowned arranger/conductor, Anatoly Sobolev. who arranged some of Kozin’s songs for the orchestra.
Kozin may have been forgotten and marginalized, but Almond, with his consummate and intuitive artistry and who identifies so strongly with Kozin’s ‘romance songs’ tradition, gives this work new life. Russia has taken Marc Almond to their hearts and he is often referred to by the Russian media as “Russia’s Adopted Son”.
The flamboyance and despair of Kozin is juxtaposed by the ever-present optimism of a lost genre of song. Marc Almond gives these universal concerns an overdue airing in a unique album that gives the original songs an all-new big, classy and stylized orchestral production, yet stays true to the original feel and roots of the songs.
Track List:
| 1 |
Boulevards Of Magadan
(V.Kozin – P. Nefedov) |
7 |
Brave Boy
(V.Kozin – I.Utkin) |
| 2 |
Forgotten Tango
(V.Kozin – S.Strizhov) |
8 |
Day And Night
(V.Kozin – R.Kipling, N.Braun) |
| 3 |
My Fire
F.Sadovsky – Y.Polonsky) |
9 |
A Skein Of White Cranes
(V.Kozin) |
| 4 |
I Love So Much To Look Into Your Eyes
(V.Kozin – Unknown Author) |
10 |
Beggar
(A.Alyabiev – P.Beranger, D.Lensky) |
| 5 |
Friendship
(V.Sidorov- A.Shmulyan) |
11 |
When Youth Becomes A Memory
(V.Kozin – A.Fatyanov) |
| 6 |
Pearly Night
(M.Shyshkin – M.Yazykov) |
12 |
Autumn
(V.Kozin – E.Belogorskaya) |
| |
|
13 |
Letter From Magadan
(V.Kozin – P.Nefedov) |
28th
November 2007
 |
Marc Almond
UK Tour Dates
Following his short UK tour earlier in the year and his triumphant 50th Birthday concert at the Shepherds Bush Empire in July, Marc Almond will play 3 shows in December. He will then return in February 2008 with more UK dates and 2 dates in Ireland.
While this new show contains material from his current album Stardom Road - which features cover versions of songs that have influenced Marc during his life - Almond will also perform a varied selection of classics and fan
favourites from his distinguished career.
Marc says “I am loving being back on stage performing again, and feel
re-energised having a full band of great musicians. This enables me to perform a diverse selection of songs from my back catalogue, as well as breathing new life into old favourites.”
The band line-up is: Neal Whitmore on guitars and vocals, Martin Watkins on piano, David Ruffy on drums and Carl Holt on bass.
Following his triumphant, sold out dates at Wiltons Theatre in May, Marc Almond announces a short UK tour in June/July. He says “"I never thought I'd be able to get on stage again, so I'm very exhilarated to do some live dates around Britain. Can't wait to see you there!" |
His new album Stardom Road is released through Sanctuary Records on 4th June. The album features one new track plus a selection of covers which tell his life story. This is the first release since his near fatal motorbike accident in October 2004, when Marc was in intensive care for 3 weeks.
The tour will be very different from the Wiltons shows and will feature a full band including Neal Whitmore on guitars and vocals and Martin Watkins on piano. Almond will perform songs from the new album.
Full Details are:-
| December 2007 |
|
|
|
|
| Date |
City |
Venue |
Box Office |
Doors |
| sat 1st |
Birmingham |
Academy 2 (sold out) |
0844 477 2000 /
0870 771 2000 |
6pm |
| Wed 5th |
Liverpool |
Academy |
0870 477 2000 |
7pm |
| Sat 8th |
London |
Indigo2 |
0844 844 0002 |
7pm |
Tickets for Birmingham and Liverpool shows are £20 each and for London £23.50 (all subject to booking fee). 24 hr CC number is 0871 2200 260 or buy online @ www.gigsandtours.com Marc Almond will be onstage at 8pm in Birmingham and 9pm at other venues. Lee Griffiths is supporting.
| February 2008 |
|
|
|
|
| Date |
City |
Venue |
Box Office |
Tickets |
Doors |
|
Wed 13th |
Cardiff |
St David's Hall |
029 2087 8444 /
www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk |
£20 |
7.pm |
|
Fri 15th |
Buxton |
Opera House |
0845 127 2190 /
www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk |
£22/20 |
7.pm |
|
Thurs 28th |
Dublin |
Vicar Street |
0818 719 390 |
Euro 33.60 |
7.pm |
|
Fri 29th |
Belfast |
Mandela Hall |
|
£22.50 |
|
Tickets for Cardiff are £20, Buxton £20 and £22, Dublin (Euro 33.60) available from Ticketmaster and Belfast £22.50 (all subject to booking fees)
www.marcalmond.co.uk
| 25th
May 2007 |
Tour News |
Marc Almond Announces Tour Dates: Following his triumphant, sold out dates at Wiltons Theatre in May, Marc Almond announces a short UK tour in June/July. He says “"I never thought I'd be able to get on stage again, so I'm very exhilarated to do some live dates around Britain. Can't wait to see you there!" |
| 10th
May 2007 |
Album Release |
STARDOM
ROAD:
New Album
from
MARC ALMOND - Marc
Almond’s new album “Stardom Road” will be released on
4th June 2007 and is the first album under his new deal with Sanctuary
Records.The album is a musical journey of cover songs that have influenced
Marc through his life and his significant growth as an artist. |
| 13th
January 2005 |
DVD Release |
Marc
Almond - Sin Songs, Torch and Romance - DVD- Cat
number: DEMONMDVD002 - was recorded on 22nd July 2004 during Marc Almond's
sold out and critically acclaimed 6 night residency at London's Almeida
Theatre.
To be released by demonVISION on 31st January
2005 |
| 8th
December 2004 |
DVD Release |
Marc
Almond "Live at the Almeida" is to be released on DVD on 31st January 2005. We are thrilled to be working
with Marc and wish him a speedy recovery, following his accident. |
