The Marbles
The Marbles 2001 ZTT biography:
Formed in Boyle, Co. Roscommon, Eire in 1997, The Marbles cut their teeth playing local gigs and quickly generated a buzz as one of the hottest unsigned bands in the country, subsequently coming to the attention of manager (and ex-Pogue) Terry Woods. Having signed with Terry, the band soon concluded a deal with ZTT and entered the studio in 1998 working with producers Trevor Horn (Frankie Goes To Hollywood / ABC / Seal), Ed Bueller (Pulp / Suede) and Lenny Franchi (Birth / My Bloody Valentine). In October 1998 they released their Ireland-only debut single In My Eye, now exclusively available as a digital download. In 1999 the band returned to the studio with original members Jonathon McGlynn and Justin Whelan and new vocalist/guitarist Marco Rea. The official UK debut Slip Into Sound was released in March 2000 and attracted radio play on GLR, Virgin and Radio 1.
So what do they sound like? Firstly, The Marbles are not just another indie band. Their ambitions and influences stretch far beyond that. The Marbles are a guitar band with a catalogue of catchy riffs and memorable melodies. Music Week claimed that the band could fill the gap left by the premature demise of the New Radicals. Stylistically they are nothing alike, but both bands are more than the sum of their eclectic influences and once the understated insistence of a Marbles single has got into your brain, it will take some removing. Since the beginning of the new decade, The Marbles have also gigged throughout the UK and Eire, including a prestigious support to Ocean Colour Scene which also received a live broadcase over the world-wide web.
