The Marshes
Encyclopedia
The Marshes are an American
punk
band, from Northampton, Massachusetts
, that originally included Colin Sears
(drums), Emil Busi (bass, vocals) and Steven Wardlaw (guitar).
in the mid 1980s to early 1990s, formed The Marshes with his longtime friend, Emil Busi, in 1994. The Marshes released their first self titled EP
on Sike Records in 1995, which got the band signed to Grass Records which was part of the major record label
, BMG
. However, the band were quickly dropped, with little support behind 1996's Fledgling. Many of their lyrics
on Fledgling were based on the fiction of HP Lovecraft.
The band signed to Dr. Strange Records
and released Pox on the Trax in 1997, before taking a few years off. When the Marshes went on hiatus, Sears moved on to play in the Portland, Oregon
band, Handgun Bravado, which is also still active. However, Busi left the music business during the Marshes' hiatus. Also, in the interim, Steven Wardlaw became a member of The New Harmful, and then formed So Very Small.
The Marshes returned in 2000 to release Recluse, which appeared to be their final album, until the band returned in May 2010 to play two reunion shows and release a new single
"Vicious Beast" (b/w Coney Island Whitefish) on Dr. Strange Records. The band's MySpace site stated we "still have a bunch of old and new songs we will release."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band, from Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, that originally included Colin Sears
Colin Sears
Colin Sears is a punk drummer who has performed in Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, Dag Nasty, The Marshes, and currently Handgun Bravado and The Valley Floor...
(drums), Emil Busi (bass, vocals) and Steven Wardlaw (guitar).
Career
Sears, who was best known for playing with Dag NastyDag Nasty
Dag Nasty was a Washington D.C. punk band formed in 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, drummer Colin Sears and bassist Roger Marbury, both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and vocalist Shawn Brown...
in the mid 1980s to early 1990s, formed The Marshes with his longtime friend, Emil Busi, in 1994. The Marshes released their first self titled EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
on Sike Records in 1995, which got the band signed to Grass Records which was part of the major record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
. However, the band were quickly dropped, with little support behind 1996's Fledgling. Many of their lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
on Fledgling were based on the fiction of HP Lovecraft.
The band signed to Dr. Strange Records
Dr. Strange Records
Dr. Strange Records is a record label and record store located in Alta Loma, California. It started out as an apartment-based distro in 1988 and became a record label in 1989, run out of the "Doc's" apartment until 1997 when the store was first opened....
and released Pox on the Trax in 1997, before taking a few years off. When the Marshes went on hiatus, Sears moved on to play in the Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
band, Handgun Bravado, which is also still active. However, Busi left the music business during the Marshes' hiatus. Also, in the interim, Steven Wardlaw became a member of The New Harmful, and then formed So Very Small.
The Marshes returned in 2000 to release Recluse, which appeared to be their final album, until the band returned in May 2010 to play two reunion shows and release a new single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Vicious Beast" (b/w Coney Island Whitefish) on Dr. Strange Records. The band's MySpace site stated we "still have a bunch of old and new songs we will release."
Albums
- The Marshes (1995 Sike Records)
- 1. "I Am Providence"
- 2. "Summer Fun"
- 3. "Brut Zone"
- 4. "Cave"
- 5. "Beneath"
- 6. "Portcullis"
- 7. "Tombstone"
- (NB: Bitzcore released this album in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, with the bonus trackBonus trackIn terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
s, "Whatever You Want" and "Drowning Man").
- Fledgling (1996 Grass Records/BMG)
- 1. "Offshore"
- 2. "Flat Out"
- 3. "Obnoxious"
- 4. "Benefit Street"
- 5. "Anniversary"
- 6. "Shadow"
- 7. "Intelligencia"
- 8. "Little Napoleon"
- 9. "Cliff"
- 10. "The Puppy and the Smoke Stack"
- 11. "Slump"
- 12. "Goat Song"
- (NB: BMG owns the rights to both Fledgling and The Marshes. They are both out of print).
- Pox on the Trax (1997 Dr. Strange Records)
- 1. "Girl on the Bus"
- 2. "Big Fat I Love You"
- 3. "Pox on the Tracts"
- 4. "Grandpa"
- 5. "Facelift"
- 6. "Polly Logies"
- 7. "Wahmbulence"
- 8. "The Investigator"
- 9. "A Better View"
- 10. "Speed Whore"
- Recluse (2000 Dr. Strange Records)
- 1. "Crazy Old Addled Bastard"
- 2. "Gardener's Hoe"
- 3. "Clarification"
- 4. "Pink Ones Pay"
- 5. "A Little Nother"
- 6. "Wallingford"
- 7. "Pool Key"
- 8. "Charle's Song"
- 9. "Give Me"
- 10. "Drunken Baiting"
- 11. "Friends"
- 12. "The Fool"
Split singles
- Ain't She Fun" with "Whatever You Want" / "Drowning Man" (1996 Helitrope Records)
- With Feds included "Delinquence" / "I Touch MyselfI Touch Myself"I Touch Myself" is a 1990 single by the Australian rock band Divinyls. The song was written by Divinyls bandmembers Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee and professional songwriters Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg for the band's self-titled album...
" (1997 Dr. Strange RecordsDr. Strange RecordsDr. Strange Records is a record label and record store located in Alta Loma, California. It started out as an apartment-based distro in 1988 and became a record label in 1989, run out of the "Doc's" apartment until 1997 when the store was first opened....
) - With Fake Hyppi included "A Little Nother" / "Pulled Up" (1997 Kerosene Records - FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
release) - With Travis Cut included "Restraint" / "Into You Like a Train" (coverCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The Psychedelic Furs track (1998 Speedowax Records - UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
release) - With Burning HeadsBurning HeadsBurning Heads is a melodic hardcore punk rock band from Orleans, France. The group formed in the late '80s, and started out releasing records independently before signing with Play It Again Sam in 1994. They became more popular in America with the release of their 1998 record, Be One with the...
included "The Lodger" / "Few Words" (cover of Burning Heads) (1998 Pandemonium Records - French release)