Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

MARMALADE

Scottish pop group formed '66 from the ashes of the Gaylords, who had performed north of the border since '61, attracted attention of Cliff Richard's svengali Norrie Paramor and made several flop singles '64-5 ("Little Egypt', "The Name Game'). Lineup: Junior Campell (b 31 May '47), keyboards and guitars; Pat Fairlie (b 14 April '46), guitar; Dean Ford (b Thomas McAleese, 5 Sep. '46), lead vocals; Graham Knight (b 8 Dec. '46), bass; Ray Duffy, drums. Marmalede signed with CBS '66, replaced Duffy with Englishman Alan Whitehead; first hit was "Lovin' Things', no. 6 '68. After hiccup with Howard & Blakeley's "Wait For Me Marianne' (no. 30) their biggest hit and only no. 1 was cover of Beatles "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' (from the White Album '68) which the Fab Four did not release as a single (rival cover by the Bedrocks made top 20). Tony Macauley song "Baby Make It Soon' reached no. 10 '69; they switched to Decca for more control over their material and the Campbell/Ford writing team proved equal to the challenge with top 3 hits "Rainbow' and "Reflections Of My Life' (latter also top 10 USA). Campbell left to study at Royal College of Music (came back '72-3 with top 15 solo hits "Hallelujah Freedom' and "Sweet Illusion', later prod. amd wrote jingles, film music). His replacement, ex-Poets guitarist/ keyboardist took up the writing reins incl. two no. 6 entries "Cousin Norman' and "Radancer'; another ex-Poet Dougie Henderson replaced Whitehead; Fairlie left '72; then Nicholson left to form Blue (intended to be more credible, less commercial). A News Of The World exposé of Marmalade's sex life on the road split them, with Ford the only remaining original member in '74. But Knight returned as Ford left to go solo, picked up top 10 hit '76 with aptly titled "Falling Apart At The Seams', a Macauley song. A much- changed Marmalade were long a fixture on the club circuit, a '60s pop band that refused to lie down.