History & Biography Marseille in approximately 1,400 kilometres from Liverpool where the band was formed in 1976. The group claims to be the first to call itself AC/DC in the UK. The founding line-up included Neil Buchanan, singer Paul Dale, bassist Steve Dinwoodie and the famous Keith Knowles. Charters and Buchanan were schoolmates. The band won the UK Battle Of The Bands competition at the Wembley Arena in 1977. This garnered the band a recording deal. A debut was recorded, but not released at the time. The band stressed a French theme with the 1978 debut, Red, White And Slightly Blue. An opening slot was with UFO followed. The band continued with the theme releasing a single called The French Way, which had appeared on the pornographic film with the same name. The group toured the UK with the likes of Whitesnake and Judas Priest and even hit North America with Nazareth and Blackfoot. This was reportedly the first tour of the USA by a NWOBHM band.
When the Mountain label crumbled in 1980, the band went on hiatus until returning in 1983 with Sav Pearce, from Liverpool’s Savage Lucy, and Mark Hays. In the interim, the band had fought to retain its equipment and rights given how Mountain had gone into receivership. The latter man would soon be replaced by another ex-Savage Lucy man, Mark Railton. Also in was guitarist Toby Martin. The group disappeared until a few gigs were performed in 2009 and a four-song demo, called Fourplay, appeared in 2009! Nigel Roberts was on vocals. Buchanan and Charters were on guitar. Guitarist Neil Buchanan broke his thumb in September of 2009 while unloading a van in Liverpool. He would be out of action for the month. Another demo was 2009's Unfinished Business. It was pressed by Gas Station Music in 2010. The group conducted the Unfinished Business tour of the UK. The group appeared at the Hard Rock Hell III festival in December 2010. The act disbanded again in 2013 after promised concerts and new music were shelved. Singer Nigel Roberts brought the band back in 2017, but guitarists Buchanan and Charters were missing. The latter was busy consulting on children's programming and the latter was still living in the USA. Bassist Lee Andrews and drummer Gareth Webb were part of the ensemble. This incarnation lasted until 2019. Former drummer Ace Finchum (also of Tigertailz), who was in the band between 2011 and 2015, died in October 2025. He was 62.
Neil Buchanan ended up hosting a UK children's TV program called Art Attack on CITV/ITV between 1990 and 2007. Marseille was, ironically, one of the frontrunners of the NWOBHM movement.
Reviews
Interviews
|
