It’s April 1981 and Marine’s debut single ‘Life In Reverse’ reaches No. 6 in the Indie charts. Despite the crimes against punk committed by Belgium’s previous export, Plastique Bertrand, the UK music press loves these guys from Brussels and their urgent funk-punk manifesto.
It’s August 1981 and Marine secure a prestigious John Peel session, but disagreements with their record label and a general dissatisfaction within the ranks makes the band implode. They limp on for a while but the momentum is lost; by May 1982 their third and last single doesn’t even feature any of the original line-up.
Jump to October 11 2004 and Duran Duran releases a brand spanking new album called ‘Astronaut’. For the first time since the mid-eighties it features the classic line-up that debuted with their first single in 1981. Fast forward to ‘Turn Up The Meter’, Track 9 on the Marine compilation ‘Life In Reverse’ and you’ll hear the same musical blueprint that was used on ‘Planet Earth’. Only it’s better, devoid of the rock lumpeness that often dogged Duran Duran’s singles. The track also features the agitated, breathless vocals of Sarah Osborne (who goes on to marry Glen Gregory of Heaven 17)
Twenty-two years later should we care about Marine and their mayfly existence in the pop world?
The opening pairing (‘Life In Reverse’, ‘Animal In My Head’) should be evidence enough that Marine were onto something. More than that, their music captures a great cross-over point in pop music: Punk is on its last legs, chart-wise New Wave is hit and miss and mainly serious in its outlook. The UK charts need cheering up and funking up. 1981 would see the New Romantics like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Haircut 100 clog up the top ten for the next two to three years with their commercialised and frothy take on the funk-punk sound. Crucially, these bands are British and signed to major labels.
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At the time, Marine was simultaneously at the forefront and at the margins of this new sound. Their music and beat was too vital and insistent to be packaged as chart-friendly pop. Its influence though is still tangible today, further proof that they merit this belated compilation. Play ‘Scrub’ and ‘Leningrad In Winter’ and you’ll hear the experimental edge of Radio 4 and The Rapture.
Even better though, try not dancing to ‘She’s Stirring Up’ with its James Brown chant and Sarah’s captivating rap all backed by a heady funk cocktail, then shake your head in bewilderment that Marine didn’t become all conquering.
Press rewind and get your ‘Life In Reverse’.
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