Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

ALMOND, Marc

(b Peter Marc Almond, 9 July '57, Southport, Lancs.) Singer, songwriter. Studied performance art at Leeds Polytechnic, cabaret act became Soft Cell, duo with Dave Ball (b 3 May '59, Salford) on synths late '79. Released EP independently, had track on Some Bizzare compilation LP with Depeche Mode, Blancmange, The The (see Matt Johnson). The effeminate, diminutive Almond and stolid mustachio'd Ball made an odd couple; Ball's staccato synth interjections and Almond's piping tenor made classic pop for new romantics on cover of Gloria Jones's "Tainted Love', no. 1 in 17 countries incl. UK, top 10 USA. Almond's camp sense of humour made for strange videos, such as "Sex Dwarf', sending up video nasties. Ten top 40 hits, four more in top 5 by late '82; albums Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing '82, The Art Of Falling Apart '83; went separate ways. Ball issued instrumental solo In Strict Tempo '83; Almond had formed Marc & the Mambas (Torment And Toreros '83), did solo Vermin In Ermine '84, duet with Bronski Beat on cover of Donna Summers' "I Feel Love', UK top 5 hit '85; Stories Of Johnny '85 on Some Bizzare label had top 20 UK hit title track; A Woman's Story '86 on Virgin incl. big pop ballads from Procul Harum's "Salty Dog' to Johnny Ray's "Little White Cloud That Cried'. Mother Fist And Her Five Daughters '87 by Marc Almond with the Willing Sinners incl. Martin McCarrick on cello and accordion was perhaps his most successful, knitting together trademarks of flamenco, torch song and Jacque Brel style in songs about lust and broken dreams. The Stars We Are '89 charted in the USA on Capitol; Enchanted '90 didn't..