 
MARY? PEOPLE:
HOME: Chicago, Illinois USA and the outlying province BACKGROUND: The group formed many years ago out of the ashes of a two-man techno outfit called Prophet Toys. Singer Nick schemed about the group while attending college. Faced with a rather dull music scene The Mary's were born. They soon traded their microchip friendly synths and drum machine for guitars and real drum kit, realizing that Rickenbackers don't overheat and drum machines don't quite look the part on a drum riser. The fundamental sound remained but the medium had changed. SOUND: A cornucopia of power-pop and indie smatterings with a healthy nod towards modernism. Traces of The Jam, Wonder Stuff, Close Lobsters, Stone Roses, The Smiths, The Kinks, Blur, The Bunnymen, and The Cure all collide to form a strained but unique banter. Melody and form having played a big part, their sound has been likened to violent mixture of The Who and The Housemartins. NAMESAKE: The "Bambi" episode of 1980's seminal British comedy "The Young Ones." Vyvyan interjects "Who's This Mary?" during a typical Rick anecdote. Tempers flare, hilarity ensues, and a name is spawn. WORST DRESSING ROOM: The surreal décor and sub-zero filth of The Robey, Finsbury Park, London. NICEST COMPLIMENT: "That's the way rock'n'roll was meant to be played. Guitars and bullhorns! None of this synthesiser crap. GUITARS AND BULLHORNS!" - an inebriated woman in her 40's after catching a typical MARY? Set. RECORDINGS: Full-length CD "Writhe And Shine", 7" EP "Guitars And Bullhorns", EP "Mavis Road", various inclusions on compilations, and forthcoming CD release "Gazoza". STRENGTHS: Live show, songs always the priority, hygiene, change strings often. WEAKNESSES: Diverse sound has made categorizing very difficult, in the knees. GOALS: To be cited as a major influence (i.e. for other bands to copy us), regulation size with standard netting. "Sound wise more Mod than Manchester with an emphasis on classic pop. It's good to see a band have the guts to play pop music in a post-grunge world. A must see!" - Night Sites & Sounds (Madison, WI) "The best band in the world" - Sam Moore (not the legendary Stax vocalist but the legendary tea girl at The Northwick Theatre, Worcester, England) Query Mary? Telephone: (708) 440-4008, Fax: (630) 941-1486 E-mail: twaction@aol.com, PO Box 155, Addison, IL 60101 USA |