The Danse Society

Last updated

The Danse Society
Also known asY?, Danse Crazy
Origin Barnsley, England
Genres
Years active1980 (1980)–1986 (1986); 2011 (2011)–present (present)
LabelsSociety, Arista
MembersMaethelyiah
Paul Nash
Jack Cooper
Steve Dickinson
Dylan Riley
Past membersPaul Gilmartin
David Whitaker
Steve Rawlings
Lyndon Scarfe
Timothy Wright
Iain Hunter
Joss Rylance
Tom Davenport
Sam Bollands
Jono Mori

The Danse Society(formerly known as Y? or Danse Crazy) are an English gothic rock band, formed in Barnsley in 1980. They were originally active until 1986, reforming in 2011. They achieved moderate success during their career. Their lineup included Steve Rawlings (vocals), Paul Nash (guitar), Lyndon Scarfe (keyboards), Tim Wright (bass guitar) and Paul Gilmartin (drums). Scarfe was replaced by David Whitaker (formerly of Music for Pleasure) after the Heaven Is Waiting album.

Contents

Background

First incarnation

Originally called Y? and then Danse Crazy [1] (changed due to the emerging Two Tone scene), Danse Society recorded and released their first single, "Clock", on their own newly formed record label Society in 1980. They released their debut studio album, Seduction , in 1982. It reached No. 3 in the UK Indie Chart. [2]

Their second studio album, Heaven Is Waiting , was released in December 1983 on record label Arista. It reached No. 39 in the UK albums chart. [3] The album contained a cover of The Rolling Stones' song "2000 Light Years from Home", also edited in 1984 as a 12" single and as a limited-edition double single. The band recorded a single with producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman, "Say It Again", at the behest of their record company. [4]

In 1986, after releasing their final album, Looking Through , as The Danse Society International, all of the band members except lead singer Rawlings left to form Johnny in the Clouds.

Rawlings continued as Society, and in 1987, released a single, "Saturn Girl". [5] After 1987, Rawlings continued to pursue music with the electronic dance music act Meridian Dream.

Reformation

A campaign titled The Danse Society Reformation Plot was started on Facebook at the end of 2009 and succeeded in bringing most of the band back together.[ citation needed ] The reformed Danse Society, featuring new vocalist Maethelyiah from the group Blooding Mask, released their fourth studio album, Change of Skin, in July 2011. One of the early demo songs from the reconstituted band's album can still be heard on YouTube, featuring original vocalist Steve Rawlings. And in 2021, it appeared in the "Best Of" Danse Society collection. But Steve did not finish the album, so Maethelyiah performed all the vocals (including the one Steve had sung on) instead. The album release was followed in November 2011 with the first single to be taken from the newly reformed album, "God Cry". In April 2012, they released the second single from Change of Skin, "Vatican", backed with a reworking of their early song "Seduction". Their first live gig in 25 years was performed at Germany's Wave-Gotik-Treffen festival in May 2012, followed by selected festival dates.

An unreleased track called 'Towers' was recorded at the end of 2010 with Steve Rawlings on vocals, his only contribution to the reformation. The music of this track was then used for the title track of the album Change of Skin, with the new singer Maethelyiah who has subsequently fronted the band.

Their fifth studio album, Scarey Tales , was released in February 2013.

On 1 February 2014, Danse Society issued an official announcement that Gilmartin and Roberts had unexpectedly resigned from the band, resulting in the cancellation of a series of tour dates. Nash, Whitaker and Maethelyiah continued with Danse Society, joined by new bassist Lee Jones and drummer Iain Hunter. David Whitaker was replaced by Sam Bollands in late 2014, with Jack Cooper replacing Lee Jones. On 9 December 2014, the single "If I Were Jesus" / "Sound of Silence" was released followed by the sixth studio album on 25 September 2015 called, VI . [6]

In June 2018 the band release an EP, The FUTUR1ST, including a cover of NIN's "Hurt" dedicated to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, and the tracks "One Thought in Heaven" and "Scream" featuring drummer Joss Rylance who replaced Iain Hunter, and who has subsequently been replaced by Tom Davenport. [7] September 2020 saw the release of the bands 7th Studio album Sailing Mirrors whilst celebrating their 40 years anniversary. [8] In June 2021, Dylan Riley replaced Davenport and Jono Mori replaced Bollands for a short UK tour, with Billy Bostanci stepping for Jack Cooper temporarily. [9] Jono Mori has since been replaced by Steve Dickinson and the band released their eighth studio album The Loop in 2024. [10]

It was announced on 6 August 2024 that drummer Paul Gilmartin had died. [11]

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

MonthYearTitle UK
[3] 		UK
Indie
[2] 		Record label
September1980"Clock"/"Continent"—11Society
March1981"There Is No Shame in Death"—26Society
May1981"Woman's Own"——Society
December1982"Somewhere"—2Society
March1983"Somewhere" (re-issue)94— Arista
July1983"We're So Happy"—22Society
August1983"Wake Up"/"Seduction"61—Arista
October1983"Heaven Is Waiting"60—Arista
March1984"2,000 Light Years from Home"77—Arista
July1985"Say It Again"83—Arista
February1986"Hold On (To What You've Got)"89—Arista
August1987"Saturn Girl" (as Society)—48Big Life
November1987"Love It" (as Society)—19Big Life
November2011"God Cry"——Society
April2012"Vatican"——Society
December2014"If I Were Jesus" / "Sound of Silence"——Society
June2018The FUTUR1ST (EP)——Society
Sept2020Sailing Mirrors——Society

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Throwing Muses</span> American alternative rock band

Throwing Muses are an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island, United States, that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead or Alive (band)</span> British band

Dead or Alive were an English pop band who released seven studio albums from 1984 to 2000. The band formed in 1980 in Liverpool and found success in the mid-1980s, releasing seven singles that made the UK Top 40 and three albums in the UK Top 30. At the peak of their success, the line-up consisted of Pete Burns (vocals), Steve Coy (drums), Mike Percy (bass), and Tim Lever (keyboards), with the core pair of Burns and Coy writing and producing for the remainder of the band's career due to Percy and Lever exiting the group in 1989. Burns died in 2016; with the death of Coy in 2018, the band ended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Primitives</span> British indie pop band

The Primitives are an English indie pop band from Coventry, best known for their 1988 international hit single "Crash". Formed in 1984, disbanded in 1992 and reformed in 2009, the band's two constant members throughout their recording career have been vocalist Tracy Tracy and guitarist Paul "PJ" Court. Drummer Tig Williams has been a constant member since 1987. Often described as an indie pop or indie rock band, The Primitives' musical style can also be seen as straddling power pop, new wave and post-punk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gigolo Aunts</span> American power pop band

Gigolo Aunts are an American power pop band, who formed in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loop (band)</span>

Loop are an English rock band, formed in 1986 by Robert Hampson in Croydon. The group topped the UK independent charts with their albums Fade Out (1989) and A Gilded Eternity (1990). Their dissonant "trance-rock" sound drew on the work of artists like the Stooges and Can, and helped to resurrect the concept of space rock in the late 1980s.

Green Magnet School was an experimental rock band formed in Massachusetts during 1987. They released three albums in the 1990s, one of which appeared on the prominent independent label Sub Pop Records. They disbanded in 1997, but briefly reunited in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor and the Medics</span> British glam rock band

Doctor and the Medics is a British glam rock band formed in London in 1981. The group was most successful during the 1980s and is best known for their cover of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky," which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. The band currently performs with a newer and established line-up. As well as previously being classed a tribute act to various artists, they include many of their original songs in their live set. The group's musical style includes neo-psychedelia, glam rock, new wave and pop rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre of Hate</span> British post-punk band

Theatre of Hate are a British post-punk band formed in London, England, in 1980.

The Flatmates, part of the mid-1980s British indie pop boom, were part of The Subway Organization, a Bristol record label formed by Martin Whitehead. Whitehead is also guitarist and main songwriter for the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sad Lovers & Giants</span> English rock band from Watford, Hertfordshire

Sad Lovers and Giants are an English rock band from Watford, Hertfordshire, England, which formed in 1980. Their sound blends post-punk, atmospheric keyboards and psychedelia.

Salad is a UK-based alternative rock group formed in London in 1992, whose initial line-up was Dutch vocalist/keyboardist Marijne van der Vlugt, guitarist Paul Kennedy, bassist Pete Brown and drummer Rob Wakeman. In 1996, Charley Stone joined the band as a live guitarist, keyboard player and backing vocalist. The band disbanded in 1998 and reformed in 2017.

H2O were a Scottish pop band that formed in Glasgow in 1978. The band had two UK top 40 hits in 1983 with the singles "I Dream to Sleep" and "Just Outside of Heaven".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tigertailz</span> Welsh glam metal band from Cardiff

Tigertailz are a Welsh glam metal band from Cardiff. Their 1990 album Bezerk made the Top 40 on the UK Albums Chart and contained the hit singles "Love Bomb Baby" and "Heaven". The band reformed in 2005.

Tight Fit are an English pop group who had several hits in the early 1980s, including a UK No.1 for three weeks with their cover version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in 1982.

Rogue Male are a British heavy metal band, formed in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurrah!</span> British jangle pop band

Hurrah! were a British jangle pop band formed in the early 1980s and active until 1991. Two band members traded off lead vocals on track-by-track basis, giving the band two distinctly different sounds.

Music for Pleasure were a new wave band from Leeds, England, active in the first half of the 1980s.

<i>Heaven Is Waiting</i> 1983 studio album by The Danse Society

Heaven Is Waiting is the second studio album by English gothic rock band The Danse Society. It was released in December 1983, jointly by record labels Arista and Danse Society's own label, Society.

<i>Seduction</i> (The Danse Society album) 1982 studio album by The Danse Society

Seduction is the debut studio album by English gothic rock band the Danse Society. It was released in September 1982 on the band's own record label, Society. It includes a song inspired by the David Lynch film Eraserhead.

<i>Looking Through</i> 1986 studio album by The Danse Society

Looking Through is the third studio album by English gothic rock band The Danse Society under the name The Danse Society International. It was released in 1986, through the band's own record label, Society. AllMusic described the album as "a collection of demos". Looking Through was the band's final album until 2011's Change of Skin.

References

  1. ↑ Larkin, Colin. (1992) The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music. Guinness Publishing Ltd. p84. ISBN   0-85112-579-4
  2. 1 2 Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1989. Cherry Red Books. ISBN   0-9517206-9-4.
  3. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 140. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  4. ↑ "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 5: In Too Deep to Say It Again on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  5. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (1999). The Great Alternative & Indie Discography . Canongate. ISBN   0-86241-913-1.
  6. ↑ "Danse Society Official". Danse Society Official. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Danse Society Official". Danse Society Official. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Danse Society Official". Danse Society Official. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "Danse Society Official". Danse Society Official. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "Danse Society Official". Danse Society Official. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Paul Gilmartin of The Danse Society has Passed Away". Post-Punk. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.