Marion

Marion, an English rock band formed in 1993 in Macclesfield, Cheshire, was composed of frontman Jaime Harding, guitarists Phil Cunningham and Tony Grantham, bassist Julian Phillips, and drummer Murad Mousa. The group's early career began with a demo recorded after recruiting bassist Damian Lawrence and drummer Murad Mousa, which caught the attention of former Smiths manager Joe Moss. In 1994, Marion signed to London Records and Island Music Publishing following the release of their debut single "Violent Men" on Rough Trade Records. Marion released their first album This World And Body in February 1996, which entered the UK Top 10 Album Chart. The band supported notable acts such as Morrissey and Radiohead, and played at Glastonbury Festival three times. Their second album, The Program, was co-written and produced by Johnny Marr but released in September 1998 amid Harding's heroin addiction, which led to the band’s split in 1999 following a US tour. Post-split, members pursued various projects; Cunningham joined Bad Lieutenant and New Order, while Grantham formed Chalk and Ryna. Harding attempted to release new material under the Marion name with Wayne Ward but faced legal issues and addiction struggles. In 2006, Harding and Cunningham reformed Marion with additional musicians, playing live shows and working on new material. The original lineup reunited in September 2011, minus Murad Mousa who was replaced by Jack Mitchell. By Summer 2015, Harding continued as the sole original member involved.