Marc & the Mambas -

Marc & the Mambas were an English cabaret-goth band led by singer–musician Marc Almond, conducted as a side-project while he was still a member of Soft Cell. The project yielded two double-albums on Some Bizzare during 1982 and 1983.

Members: Marc Almond, Matt Johnson, Annie Hogan

Marc Almond assembled the Mambas as a side project to Soft Cell, his synth duo with musician Dave Ball. Soft Cell recently charted with its debut album, the November 1981 Some Bizzare release Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned the UK Top 5 hits “Tainted Love,” “Bedsitter” and “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.” Amid the duo’s promotional activities, Almond teamed with musicians Matt Johnson and Annie Hogan.

Johnson cut two 1980 albums in the post-punk trio The Gadgets and led The The, a revolving-door unit responsible for three singles: the 1980 4AD 7″ “Controversial Subject” (b/w “Black and White”) and the 1981–82 shortplayers “Cold Spell Ahead” and “Uncertain Smile,” both on Some Bizzare.

Annie befriended Almond in Soft Cell’s native Leeds, where she worked as a club DJ. She knew Johnson from their mutual involvement in Silence & Wisdom, the first of two self-released albums by Deux Filles, a “girl” duo actually composed of former child actor (and seventies pop singer) Simon Fisher Turner and Matt’s Gadgets bandmate Colin Lloyd-Tucker.

Discography: