Formed in Leeds in 1984 by Phil Morris (vocals), Paul
James Berry (guitar) and Alan Davis (bass), The Rose Of Avalanche came to
prominence following heavy airplay of their debut single, the “apocalyptic
epic” ‘L.A. Rain’, by John Peel. BBC Sessions with Peel and Janice Long
followed and ‘L.A. Rain’ sat proudly at number 26 in Peel’s 1985 Festive Fifty,
above songs by The Cure, The Smiths and The Sisters of Mercy although it was
released before the band had performed live. Glenn Schultz (guitar) was added
to the line-up on the follow-up, ‘Goddess’. The band continued to dominate the
indie scene of the period, with singles, ‘Too Many Castles in the Sky’, ‘Velveteen’
and ‘Always There’, all topping the indie charts. Drummer Mark Thompson was drafted
into the line-up following ‘Goddess’ allowing The Rose Of Avalanche to move
away from the strictures of using a drum machine. Their third single ‘Too Many
Castles In The Sky’ originated from overhearing a man in a pub asking a girl if
she wanted to “See my castle in the sky?” Following this release bass player
Alan Davis was replaced by Nicole McKay. The next single ‘Velveteen’, a tribute
to Nico, gained further exposure after the band accompanied the Mission on a
European tour. Support slots with David Bowie followed, but just as the band
looked set for mainstream success, their meteoric rise was halted by a series
of legal wrangles with their record label, leading to the eventual dissolution
of the band.
Magnificently raw, beautiful and loud, The Rose of
Avalanche is here to reclaim their rightful place at the top table of
alternative/goth music.