The March Violets Talk Latest Single, New Album And More

First generation post-punk/goth legends The March Violets will release their new album ‘Crocodile Promises’ on 19th July 2024 with the single ‘Hammer The Last Nail’ out now. As they gear up for a UK Tour, the band spoke to JLTT:

Who is in The March Violets, what do they play and how did you all meet?

Rosie – The March Violets are Tom Ashton, Mat Thorpe & myself, Rosie Garland. Mat played bass at our Homecoming gig in 2007, and we’re delighted he has now joined us full time! Tom and I met in Leeds, right at the start of the band’s long history. Tom is the heart of the Violets – without his unique guitar sound, it’s no exaggeration to say the Violets wouldn’t exist.

Tom – Yes, we are so happy to land on this line up with Mat and it’s been such a pleasure performing with him live. In addition to his bass skills, he also nails that northern male voice that the band started out with. And performing with Rosie onstage and in the studio… what can I say, she is the consummate artist in every way!

What is your earliest musical memory?

Tom – I’ll plump for a classical recording, Le Carnaval des Animaux by Camille Saint-Saens. This one is about dynamics and mood above all and taught me about the power music has at the tender age of 4. On my birthday I sneaked down and put my present, this record, on the dansette and lulled by the aquarium’s peaceful beauty I was suddenly assaulted by the donkeys! Go and listen and you’ll see what I mean, Bernhard Herrmann stole the idea for the shower scene in Psycho, scary shit at 5am on your 4th Birthday!

Mat – When I was around 8, my big sister was going out with the drummer of a Manchester band called Grow Up. They were part of the Manchester Musicians Collective which included Warsaw/Joy Division, A Certain Ratio and host of other Manchester bands. As a treat, my sister took me to one of their rehearsals in a damp, dingy city centre basement. It was my first exposure to live music and I loved the chaos and loudness of it all. It would be another few years before I started playing myself, but that day has stayed with me ever since.

Rosie – I was surrounded by music as a child, for the most part unmemorable bubblegum – until a visiting cousin slapped Led Zeppelin II onto the record deck. When the opening chords of Whole Lotta Love filled the room, I discovered music had power.

Your new album ‘Crocodile Promises’ is released on 19th July 2024. How did you want to approach making the album?

Rosie –in January 2023 I visited Tom’s SubVon studio in rural Georgia. There is nothing to compare with the alchemy and creative magic that happens when writing with people you trust and admire, and without distractions. Songs poured out of us.

Tom –After the lengthy and disjointed process involved with Made Glorious, I wanted to have a much more organic and immediate approach to Crocodile Promises, just us in a room with no long lines of communication to deal with. We worked together at my studio on songs, some of which came from original writing sessions for Made Glorious and never made it in at the time and some from way back in 2004. Track 3, Virgin Sheep was written in 1982! We decided to finally record it 42 years later because we obviously have a good memory. Listening to it now is an immensely satisfying experience!

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

Tom – It was recorded at SubVon Studio in my basement at home near Athens, GA. I recorded, mixed and mastered it all in house as well as writing 95% of the music you hear on the record. Truly a DIY labor of love. We can’t wait to get cooking on the next one!

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

Tom – In this day and age of utter bullshit I sincerely hope to have provided our fans with a momentary escape from the aforementioned bullshit and a great time to go along with it! Also, although we are not overtly political, I hope that the humanistic message in the music and lyrics is noted and enacted too.

Mat – To not have made too many mistakes, and the audience leaves the gig with smiles on their faces having enjoyed a fantastic, memorable gig

Rosie – to leave the audience wanting more! I pour myself into the performance, and give it all I’ve got, every single time. The fans deserve it.

One of the tracks is the single ‘Hammer the Last Nail’. What is the story/inspiration behind the track?

Rosie – to paraphrase John Lydon, ‘ever had the feeling you’ve been conned?’ If the answer is yes, you’re not alone. It’s all too common to be ripped off by manipulative tricksters who smile while they pick your pocket. Oh, the relief of getting those people out of your life…

The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it? 

Tom – I directed and edited the video with graphical help from our art guy, Aly Fell and Mat. It was an attempt to put the band in its own otherworldly universe and try to create an actual piece of ART. I also wanted it to visually tell some of the story in Rosie’s lyrics but in an abstract way. There’s so much online dreck being rolled out just to support a track visually and I felt like there might be an opening for a truly imaginative video to stimulate minds again.

Do you have any favored stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

Tom – I used to have a lovely Yamaha SG3000 guitar and one day, if ever make any money I will have one again! Currently I’m using a Headrush Pedalboard, straight to FOH, no amps, nice and simple and easy to transport, sounds great! Once again if funds/practicable reality permit, I will move back to amps and my old Roland Space Echo! Guitar wise I’m currently using a Harley Benton LP Junior with single P90 pickup, that thing rocks!

Mat – For this current stretch of dates I am playing a Sire V3P bass through an Ampeg SGT-DI preamp and DI pedal straight in to the PA. It makes for a super compact set-up which is great for touring. If it wasn’t so precious to me, I’d love to take my Rickenbacker 4003 bass out with me, but I just don’t trust the airport baggage handlers. My bass amp of choice is currently an Orange Bass Terror with 2×10 and 1×15 cabs.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

Rosie – last count, I’ve lived in eight completely different places around the world. Now, I’m happily based in Manchester. It’s rainy, rebellious, inventive, daring, disruptive and bloody freezing.

Tom –That’s a hard one as I moved around a lot in my early years, but I’ll go for the small town I grew up in/went to high school, Alva, Scotland. Craggy, misty, magical, gritty and beautiful.

Mat – I was technically born in Salford, but very quickly moved to Manchester where I have lived ever since. Wet, post-industrial, creative, diverse, home.

How do you look after your voices? 

Rosie – part of my recovery from throat cancer was fighting to rebuild my voice. Every day, I do exercises to maintain muscle strength and flexibility. That la la la / ba ba ba style of vocal warmup doesn’t really do it for me. I find it far more effective to sing.

Mat – Probably not very well! It’s a constant battle to force myself to drink more water. When I do remember, it pays dividends. Like Rosie, I don’t really do traditional vocal exercises. I sing a couple of times a day and I like to suck on a Vocalzone lozenge or two.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

Tom – Oooh, interesting question since I’ve already scored a dozen horror movies. If I was to choose a favorite novel I’d choose the novel I’ll be writing in about 4 years time. Of all the movies I scored I’d choose Accidental Exorcist by Daniel E. Falicki, crazy good movie!

Mat – Maybe Neuromancer by William Gibson. It is one of my favourite novels and opens up the opportunity for really interesting soundscapes. I’m a big fan of ‘creating your own sound’, so recording my own samples, creating unique synth sounds rather than using presets is my preferred way of working, which I think would lend itself very well to the world of Neuromancer.

Which of the tracks on your new album hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective? 

Tom – Happiest? That would be Heading for the Fire, just so much fun to play live and a great message from Rosie lyrically. Angriest? Bite the Hand, a song that the powers that were couldn’t get to grips with on Made Glorious so now played with angry vindication and for all the right reasons. Most reflective? World Away from Kind, measured, both musically and lyrically and also a 20-year-old idea that finally gets birthed correctly, it is grateful for that!

Rosie – ‘Most reflective’ is probably Mortality. None of know how much time we have remaining. My cancer experience was a wakeup call! So, live every moment. Do it now. As for angriest: Hammer The Last Nail. However, I’m not content to spit bile and leave it at that. The title says it all – if you’re in a situation with a gaslighter, knock it on the head. And happiest: Heading for the Fire. It’s about hanging on in there, dancing through dark times, and channelling the weird radiance of stars.

Who designed/created the album artwork?

Rosie – the amazing illustrator and graphic novelist Aly Fell. Check out his work on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DARKRISING & Instagram https://www.instagram.com/alyfellart/ 

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

Tom – Steve Jones, John McKay, John McGeoch, Daniel Ash, Geordie Walker, Andy Gill, Paul Research, Stuart Adamson, Igor Stravinsky, Krzysztof Penderecki, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Fabio Frizzi and Goblin. The Beatles and The Stones, these are all recommendations…

Mat – Guitar and Bass playing-wise I’d have to name check Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding, Andy Gill, Alex Lifeson, JJ Burnel and Norman Watt-Roy amongst others. Bands that have influenced me include Adam & the Ants, NMA, The Chameleons, Rush, Killing Joke, The Cure, Alice Cooper.

Rosie – How long have you got? I could list a hundred and not scratch the surface. The poet Giorgos Seferis said, ‘a lion is made up of the lambs he’s digested, and I’ve been reading all my life.’ Same with music. Listen widely. Venture outside of your comfort zone. See what you discover.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024?

Rosie –Yes, starting with a homecoming show at the Brudenell in Leeds, on 19th July, to celebrate the launch of the new album!

Tom – And also shows at London Garage on 20th July, Reading Face Bar on 24th, Bristol Thekla on 26th, Nottingham Rescue Rooms on 27th, Rebellion Festival, Blackpool on August 2nd and Glasgow Classic Grand on the August 3rd.

Was it a difficult album to write? 

Tom – No it was easy, the spigot opened, and it is still flowing for the future.

Rosie – as I said in answer to question 3, it was astonishing what happened in the creative bubble of Tom’s studio! The March Violets are a band that – shock, horror, hold the front page – really like and trust each other. When that happens, you can do anything.

What makes The March Violets happy and what makes you unhappy?

Rosie – How about an end to the howling backlash against hard-won rights, the hysterical scaremongering and dehumanisation of refugees, the ongoing global genocides orchestrated by regimes hoping to boost their armaments industry? That would be a start.

Tom –I’ll be happy when actual gibbering idiots are no longer in influential positions and I’m always sad when all good people have to shuffle off this mortal coil, it comes to us all.

Mat – Good friends and Family make me happy, seeing communities coming together to help and support each other despite the 1% seemingly doing everything they can to syphon off every bit of joy (and wealth) from the rest of the planet.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Toni Slater

The March Violets latest single ‘Hammer That Nail’ is out now.

Their new album ‘Crocodile Promises’ is released on Friday 19th July 2024 via Metropolis Records.

Pre-Save/Add: https://ingrv.es/crocodile-promises-ee2-k 

Bandcamp: https://marchvioletsband.bandcamp.com/album/crocodile-promises

For more information visit their official website here: https://www.marchvioletsband.com/ 

In addition, the band will embark on a UK tour in July/August 2024 which will visit the following locations:

19.07.24  LEEDS Brudenell Social Club tickets
20.07.24  LONDON Garage tickets
24.07.24  READING Facebar tickets
26.07.24  BRISTOL Thekla tickets
27.07.24  NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms tickets
02.08.24  BLACKPOOL Rebellion Festival tickets
03.08.24  GLASGOW Classic Grand tickets