Secession was a Scottish

synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...

band that was active between 1983 and 1987. The original incarnation comprised Peter Thomson (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer and vocals), Jack Ross (guitar, synthesizer and vocals), Jim Ross (bass guitar) and Carole L. Branston (keyboards and vocals). The band used a small pre-programmed drum machine.

Career

Before being named Secession, the band played at least one concert as the Gift, during which Jim Ross performed with one arm in a full plaster cast following an accident. After a performance at Buster Brown's nightclub in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, the band were introduced to Hamish Brown, a local entrepreneur, who offered to manage them. This was followed by the addition of a fifth member, Alistair MacLeod (percussion and vocals), a friend of the original members who had provided the photograph for the sleeve of the band's independently released debut single "Betrayal". Shortly after recording

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

material at Palladium Studios in Edinburgh, Jack Ross, disillusioned with the direction the music was taking, left the band. MacLeod was asked to divide his contribution between percussion and synthesizer/sequencing, and the band continued in this form for a short period of time until Jim Ross left, cutting the line-up to a trio. This was the unit that produced the original demo of "Fire Island" (based around two sequences programmed on a

Yamaha DX7 The Yamaha DX7 is a synthesizer manufactured by the Yamaha Corporation from 1983 to 1989. It was the first successful digital synthesizer and is one of the best-selling synthesizers in history, selling more than 200,000 units. In the early 1980 ...

) at Planet Studios in Edinburgh, which came to the attention of the

Beggars Banquet Records Beggars Banquet Records is a British independent record label. Beggars Banquet started as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin and is part of the Beggars Group of labels. History In 1977, spurred by the prevailing DI ...

A&R department. After being signed by Beggars Banquet, the trio re-recorded "Fire Island" at REL Studios in Edinburgh, later remixed by the production team associated with

Freeez Freeez were an English electronic music group, initially known as one of the UK's main jazz-funk bands of the early 1980s. Initiated by John Rocca, Freeez consisted of various musicians, originally with Rocca and others such as Andy Stennett ( ...

and

John Rocca John Rocca (born 23 September 1960) is an English dance music performer, remixer and record producer, most well known for his band Freeez. History During the early 1980s, Rocca formed, played with, wrote for, produced and managed his first ban ...

. Before its release, MacLeod left the band to concentrate on photography, and was replaced by Charlie D. Kelly. The final incarnation of Secession, associated with almost the entire released catalog, consisted of Thomson, Branston, Kelly, and J.L. Seenan. Their singer, Thomson, who penned "Touch (Part 3)", their most commercially successful song, died in 2001. Secession was mainly on two different record labels during their short career, Beggars Banquet and

Siren Records Siren Records was an independent music label based in Auckland, New Zealand formed in 2000. Goldenhorse Riverhead took the record for longest climb in the album charts to the #1 position of just under 2 years, finally reaching triple platinu ...

. They released a number of singles starting in 1983 until they released ''A Dark Enchantment'', their only

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

, in late 1987. After Secession broke up, Kelly and Seenan joined

the Vaselines The Vaselines are a Scottish alternative rock band. Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on ba ...

with Charlie's brother, Eugene, and

Frances McKee Frances McKee (born 1966) is a Scottish singer and songwriter known best for her work in the Scottish indie band The Vaselines. Background McKee's involvement with music began as a teenager in the early 1980s when she met Duglas T. Stewa ...

Discography

Studio album * 1987: ''A Dark Enchantment'' Singles * 1983: "Betrayal" * 1984: "Fire Island" * 1984: "Touch (Part 3)" * 1986: "Michael" * 1987: "The Magician" * 1987: "Promise" * 1987: "Radioland" * 1987: "Sneakyville"

References

External links

*
IAmNottheBeatles.com
archived link {{Authority control Musical groups established in 1983 Musical groups disestablished in 1987 Scottish new wave musical groups Scottish pop music groups British synth-pop new wave groups