Robert Marlow
Encyclopedia
Robert Marlow is a synthpop
musician
and songwriter.
with future Depeche Mode
members Vince Clarke
, Martin Gore
, and Andy Fletcher
. He is also tied to Alison Moyet
, with whom he played in a band, The Vandals
. He knew Andy and Vince from the Basildon chapter of the Boys' Brigade
. He and Vince would occasionally get together to play music. Vince on guitar, and Robert on the church's piano. Like Vince, he played in many local bands, and ended up playing in a band, with Vince, called "The Plan," and later "French Look," with Martin Gore and Paul Redmond.
After the release of "Calling All Destroyers," Marlow shifted between acting and bands.
with his best friend, Vince Clarke
in 1983, around the end of Yazoo
. The project came around when Marlow was in a band called Film Noir, with now-former keyboardist and guitarist for the Cure
, Perry Bamonte
. This band supported Depeche Mode on one tour date in Basildon.
Some time after Vince left Depeche Mode, Marlow approached Vince and "bullied him" into getting studio time at Blackwing Studios
with him and Eric Radcliffe. He was offered only one day, and decided to record "The Face of Dorian Gray." This then led to more studio time, and then a complete single, with b-side and 12" mixes. It was then that Vince suggested that he try to get record company interest. He ended up getting interest from RCA, but was later decided to be released on Vince's short lived Reset Records
label. The single, however, did not get much radio airplay.
After that he released three more singles. "I Just Want to Dance", "Claudette" and "Calling All Destroyers". These singles suffered the same fate as "The Face of Dorian Gray," and the album was later shelved.
in Europe. It was, for some reason, released as Erasure's Vince Clarke along with a copy of a Family Fantastic record.
In early 2006, the guestbook on Marlow's "Energy Records" label, announced a new album, in the works. As of March 2008, they were finishing the album. The band has been active in live performances, though. They played at a Depeche Mode aftershow, in February 2006, and have been playing in gigs, around Europe; particularly London and Sweden. About that time, they recorded their first album "Inside Outside" with the title track arranged and produced by Vince Clarke (from Yazoo/Erasure fame), who had also remixed a track on the album called "Home". The album was released on 27 February 2009.
At the end of 2011 Marlow has a second album "The Future" ready to be released, at the latest in early 2012.
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and songwriter.
Biography
Robert Marlow grew up in BasildonBasildon
Basildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...
with future Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
members Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
, Martin Gore
Martin Gore
Martin Lee Gore is an English songwriter, lyricist, singer, guitarist, keyboardist, remixer and DJ. He is a founding member of Depeche Mode and has written the vast majority of their songs...
, and Andy Fletcher
Andrew Fletcher (musician)
Andy Fletcher , known as "Fletch", is a co-founder and member of the English synth band Depeche Mode.-Depeche Mode:...
. He is also tied to Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet , is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her bluesy voice.Her UK album sales have reached a certified 2.3 million, with 800,000 singles sold, all in the UK, where all seven of her studio albums and three compilation albums have charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart,...
, with whom he played in a band, The Vandals
The Vandals (UK)
'The Vandals' were a late 1970s English rock band from Basildon in South East Essex. Playing in the punk rock style, they are mainly notable for featuring vocalist Alison Moyet, 'Alf' as she was then known, who later found fame as half of 1980s synthpop act Yazoo. Another member was Robert...
. He knew Andy and Vince from the Basildon chapter of the Boys' Brigade
Boys' Brigade
For the 80s New Wave band from Canada, see Boys Brigade .The Boys' Brigade is an interdenominational Christian youth organisation, conceived by William Alexander Smith to combine drill and fun activities with Christian values...
. He and Vince would occasionally get together to play music. Vince on guitar, and Robert on the church's piano. Like Vince, he played in many local bands, and ended up playing in a band, with Vince, called "The Plan," and later "French Look," with Martin Gore and Paul Redmond.
After the release of "Calling All Destroyers," Marlow shifted between acting and bands.
Robert Marlow solo & Film Noir
He recorded the album The Peter Pan EffectThe Peter Pan Effect
The Peter Pan Effect is the first album released by Robert Marlow. It was released in the summer of 1999, but was recorded 15 years earlier with Vince Clarke and Eric Radcliffe, shortly between the break-up of Yazoo and the formation of the Assembly and Erasure.The album was shelved, due to the...
with his best friend, Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
in 1983, around the end of Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
. The project came around when Marlow was in a band called Film Noir, with now-former keyboardist and guitarist for the Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
, Perry Bamonte
Perry Bamonte
Perry Archangelo Bamonte is an Anglo-Italian musician best known for his work with The Cure.-Life and work:...
. This band supported Depeche Mode on one tour date in Basildon.
Some time after Vince left Depeche Mode, Marlow approached Vince and "bullied him" into getting studio time at Blackwing Studios
Blackwing Studios
Blackwing Studios was an English recording studio, most notable for early Depeche Mode and Yazoo recordings in the early 1980s.-Background:The Blackwing Studios complex was housed inside a deconsecrated church in South-East London. All Hallows church was partly destroyed during The Blitz in 1941...
with him and Eric Radcliffe. He was offered only one day, and decided to record "The Face of Dorian Gray." This then led to more studio time, and then a complete single, with b-side and 12" mixes. It was then that Vince suggested that he try to get record company interest. He ended up getting interest from RCA, but was later decided to be released on Vince's short lived Reset Records
Reset Records
Reset Records is a British record company founded in 1983 by Vince Clarke and Eric Radcliffe.The 4 singles from Robert Marlow were released on this label from his friend Vince Clarke. Absolute and Hardware released also some singles on the label.- External links :*...
label. The single, however, did not get much radio airplay.
After that he released three more singles. "I Just Want to Dance", "Claudette" and "Calling All Destroyers". These singles suffered the same fate as "The Face of Dorian Gray," and the album was later shelved.
The Peter Pan Effect
The album was then released by Energy Records in 1999, when Sonet manager, Rod Buckle, showed a demo tape to Energy Records. Eric Radcliffe then went up into the bell tower of Blackwing Studios, formerly a church, and found the tapes. He then sent a CD to Energy Records, where it was remastered at Polar Studios. It was released as The Peter Pan EffectThe Peter Pan Effect
The Peter Pan Effect is the first album released by Robert Marlow. It was released in the summer of 1999, but was recorded 15 years earlier with Vince Clarke and Eric Radcliffe, shortly between the break-up of Yazoo and the formation of the Assembly and Erasure.The album was shelved, due to the...
in Europe. It was, for some reason, released as Erasure's Vince Clarke along with a copy of a Family Fantastic record.
Marlow....Just Marlow
The one man project Robert Marlow then transformed into the duo MARLOW with the help of Gary Durant. Gary, who plays keyboards and provides backing vocals has been a friend of Robert Marlow for some time.In early 2006, the guestbook on Marlow's "Energy Records" label, announced a new album, in the works. As of March 2008, they were finishing the album. The band has been active in live performances, though. They played at a Depeche Mode aftershow, in February 2006, and have been playing in gigs, around Europe; particularly London and Sweden. About that time, they recorded their first album "Inside Outside" with the title track arranged and produced by Vince Clarke (from Yazoo/Erasure fame), who had also remixed a track on the album called "Home". The album was released on 27 February 2009.
At the end of 2011 Marlow has a second album "The Future" ready to be released, at the latest in early 2012.
Robert Marlow Albums (solo)
| Year | Album | UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Peter Pan Effect The Peter Pan Effect The Peter Pan Effect is the first album released by Robert Marlow. It was released in the summer of 1999, but was recorded 15 years earlier with Vince Clarke and Eric Radcliffe, shortly between the break-up of Yazoo and the formation of the Assembly and Erasure.The album was shelved, due to the... |
- | - |
Robert Marlow Singles (solo)
| Year | Song | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. dance Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "The Face of Dorian Gray" | 83 | - | - | The Peter Pan Effect |
| "I Just Want To Dance" | - | - | - | ||
| 1984 | "Claudette" | - | - | - | |
| "Calling All Destroyers" | - | - | - | ||
MARLOW Albums
| Year | Album | UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Inside Outside | - | - |
| 2012 | The Future | - | - |
MARLOW Singles
| Year | Song | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. dance Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "My Teenage Dream" 1 | - | - | - | Inside Outside |
| 2009 | "Inside Outside" 2 | - | - | - | |
- 1 earlier released EP now placed on Inside Outside album
- 2 videoclip only