Marquee Moon

Founded in 1984 in Berlin, Marquee Moon soon developed into one of the driving forces behind German gothic. The band’s name goes back to the title of the classic debut album of the NY band Television, as well as a line from a song of The Damned. In the very same year, Marquee Moon's debut single 'Don’t Go Out Tonight' was released, with the original singer leaving shortly afterwards and two of the other band members taking his part. The line-up at that point was Nigel Degray (vocals/guitar), Hanzy Nischwitz (guitars), Humphy Sabothe (bass/vocals/keyboards) and Tom Petersen (drums/percussion). The single was followed in 1985 by their first (mini) album 'Beyond The Pale', seeing them go on tour with legendary US punk rockers The Ramones shortly after the release and manifesting an ever increasing interest in the band. 

 

In 1986 then, with the impact of the NDW ebbing away and the interest in dark music growing in Germany, Marquee Moon released their second album 'Strangers In The Monkeybiz' with the single "Here Today and Gone Tomorrow" lifted from that album, which was their most respected release and biggest success so far. They toured with X-Mal Deutschland and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and thus managed to increase their fame. 1987 saw the release of another single, entitled "Land Of The Lonely", which was followed in 1989 by the next album, 'Future Patrol'. Here Marquee Moon already did what was later to become a trend and brought so-called innovative bands huge success: the fusion of gothic with elements from industrial and metal music. 

 

At the beginning of the nineties, it became quiet around the band with the members of the core line-up going their own ways. Seemingly Marquee Moon was non-existent, and that at a time where gothic was renascent in Germany. In 1992 though, they were present on the first CD compilation of Berlin-based underground label Dossier. Their contribution, the track "Angst+War" received very positive feedback, which finally led to the band recording a new album on Dossier under the same title. Again a few years passed until in 1995 the band showed new signs of life in form of a contribution to a Sisters Of Mercy Tribute Sampler and a new MCD called 'Desert House' released on Alice In..., followed a year later by the release of a best-of compilation on the same label, entitled '1985-1996', which also contained two all-new tracks. After ten years -and the pitch of being chronicly undervalued- Marquee Moon finally withdrew from the business in 1997. What remains is the music of one of the trailblazers of German gothic. [SOURCE: MARQUEE MOON]