Marc and the Mambas was a pop-group formed by Marc Almond as an off-shoot p… Read Full Bio ↴Marc and the Mambas was a pop-group formed by Marc Almond as an off-shoot project from Soft Cell.
Marc and the Mambas forever can be considered the blueprint for Marc Almond's solo career. As Soft Cell developed into an excellent mix of pop and electronic "dark" dance music, Marc and the Mambas picked up there - but more and more got rid of the dance beat.
While their first album still was searching for its own voice - with a mix of ballads with and without dance beats, Torment and Toreros was an incredible mix of Vaudeville, French chanson, goth sensibility, guitar noise, piano, string sections and a singing hero that went mad during the course of this album. Marc Almond later noted ironically, this album was an attempted suicide put on vinyl, and in a way it was. However, looking back at it almost 25 years later, it still goes strong, since there was never anything like that before and after.
Interesting was on top of that the group as such was an outfit that was closer to a jazz outfit rather than a rock group. The band members changed from album to performance and back each time something new was started. The only really consisting members were Marc Almond, of course, and Annie Hogan. Further members, such as Billy McGee and Martin McCarrick went later on to join Marc for his first solo efforts (called Marc Almond and the Willing Sinners). But Martin McCarrick left for Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1987, and the rest of that band (then called La Magia) dissolved in 1988. Since then Marc has been a true solo artist, working closely together with Neal X (of Sigue Sigue Sputnik fame) since 1993.
As for the Mambas, David Ball was an associated member for their first single, "Sleaze" and Matt Johnson from The The was a member for the first and second album but did not join anymore for the last concerts in 1983 (put to Vinyl and later to CD as Black, Bite & Blues.) Never a full but an associated member was Jim Foetus (aka Jim Thirlwell/Clint Ruin), who did guest vocals and percussion on "A Million Manias" as well as "Love Among the Ruined."
It was in 1983, that Marc as well as Soft Cell were very close to the avant-garde scene around Foetus, Psychic TV, and Einstürzende Neubauten.
Antony from Antony and the Johnsons quotes "Torment and Toreros" as the most important influence on his life and his work.
Marc and the Mambas forever can be considered the blueprint for Marc Almond's solo career. As Soft Cell developed into an excellent mix of pop and electronic "dark" dance music, Marc and the Mambas picked up there - but more and more got rid of the dance beat.
While their first album still was searching for its own voice - with a mix of ballads with and without dance beats, Torment and Toreros was an incredible mix of Vaudeville, French chanson, goth sensibility, guitar noise, piano, string sections and a singing hero that went mad during the course of this album. Marc Almond later noted ironically, this album was an attempted suicide put on vinyl, and in a way it was. However, looking back at it almost 25 years later, it still goes strong, since there was never anything like that before and after.
Interesting was on top of that the group as such was an outfit that was closer to a jazz outfit rather than a rock group. The band members changed from album to performance and back each time something new was started. The only really consisting members were Marc Almond, of course, and Annie Hogan. Further members, such as Billy McGee and Martin McCarrick went later on to join Marc for his first solo efforts (called Marc Almond and the Willing Sinners). But Martin McCarrick left for Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1987, and the rest of that band (then called La Magia) dissolved in 1988. Since then Marc has been a true solo artist, working closely together with Neal X (of Sigue Sigue Sputnik fame) since 1993.
As for the Mambas, David Ball was an associated member for their first single, "Sleaze" and Matt Johnson from The The was a member for the first and second album but did not join anymore for the last concerts in 1983 (put to Vinyl and later to CD as Black, Bite & Blues.) Never a full but an associated member was Jim Foetus (aka Jim Thirlwell/Clint Ruin), who did guest vocals and percussion on "A Million Manias" as well as "Love Among the Ruined."
It was in 1983, that Marc as well as Soft Cell were very close to the avant-garde scene around Foetus, Psychic TV, and Einstürzende Neubauten.
Antony from Antony and the Johnsons quotes "Torment and Toreros" as the most important influence on his life and his work.
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Torment and Toreros
Marc and the Mambas Lyrics
A Million Manias And always in the punch-drunk morning Coffee old, toast tur…
Beat Out That Rhythm on a Drum I'll tell you why I want to dance I like the…
Black Heart Playing With little pictures that my mind sends Counting t…
Boss Cat Boss cat Alley cat Call her what you like Boss cat All…
Catch a Fallen Star Black rings round your eyes And you're spewing your lies T…
First Time Looking down into your acid eyes I see a thousand wild…
Gloomy Sunday Sunday is gloomy My hours are slumberless Dearest the shad…
In My Room There's a world where I can go And tell my secrets…
Intro Aye this the intro to my tape man I feel like…
Mamba And tonight the look that branded me Was like a pool…
My Former Self Remember me I was the boy with the angel's eyes And the…
My Little Book of Sorrows I left my life in the bottom of a boat I…
Narcisus In the heaven of your bedroom Petals breaking from your fing…
Once Was Dancing The little lights are dancing And the clock on the w…
The Animal in You I was always a lonely boy I hid little toys in…
The Bulls On Sundays the bulls get so bored When they're asked to…
The Untouchable One You The untouchable one The destroyer of fun Come and des…
Torment Your smile is my suffering Your lies are needles in my…
VISION I have a vision of you Locked inside my head It creeps…
You'll Never See Me on a Sunday Don't worry about me as ever I'm fine Promise you not…
Your Aura Sitting alone in the twilight of your room With your face…