Nigel Roberts - Vocals
Full name: Nigel Roberts
Age: Younger than the lot of them
Birthplace: Farnworth, UK
Previous/other projects & bands: Wolfpack, Sister Rose & founder of Extreme Radio
Nigel's influences lie with the NWOBHM that Marseille helped pioneer and he first saw Marseille suport UFO in 79. Nige remembers that he was actually too young to go into the Manchester Apollo bar back in 1979, had to get that one in. Joined Marseille in February 2009 after a call from Steve who knew Nige was active on the North West covers band circuit. Steve invited him to jam with the band, the resulting sessions formed the new Fourplay E.P. "It's a pretty weird feeling when you join a band that you were a fan of as you have all kinds of preconceived ideas of what the guys would be like but they are just a bunch of ordinary guys, even the one who used to be on the telly!"
Age: Younger than the lot of them
Birthplace: Farnworth, UK
Previous/other projects & bands: Wolfpack, Sister Rose & founder of Extreme Radio
Nigel's influences lie with the NWOBHM that Marseille helped pioneer and he first saw Marseille suport UFO in 79. Nige remembers that he was actually too young to go into the Manchester Apollo bar back in 1979, had to get that one in. Joined Marseille in February 2009 after a call from Steve who knew Nige was active on the North West covers band circuit. Steve invited him to jam with the band, the resulting sessions formed the new Fourplay E.P. "It's a pretty weird feeling when you join a band that you were a fan of as you have all kinds of preconceived ideas of what the guys would be like but they are just a bunch of ordinary guys, even the one who used to be on the telly!"
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Keith Knowles - Drums
Becoming a drummer was a work of fate, and having a job was rare in Liverpool during the early 70's, but I was one of the lucky ones who did.
Being in work meant I could afford to buy a drum kit, it was a Premier Olympic and to me was the best drum kit in the world, sparkly, shiny, and most of all it was bleedin' loud! When the kit arrived I set it up with the same urgency in which I lost my virginity, although I admit that it did take a bit longer than 2-minutes, but the excitement was the same and there was less fumbling in the dark and less mess!
Once the kit was set up I realised I did not have a clue what to do, hit it, caress it, kick the shit out of it?
I decided to kick the shit out of it and have done so ever since! I also spent more time deciding which pair of spandex kecks would give me bigger balls than choosing between a Remo Pinstripe or Evans oil-filled drum skins, sod that, a drummer should look as good as the namby pamby's with Guitar's!
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1970 - Walton, a suburb of Liverpool and 6-miles from my beloved Everton:
I had just moved to the area from Kirkby and was wandering the terraced streets when I came across this lad getting beaten up by a couple of scally kids, being the nice boy I was I jumped in and helped him out, we chased the lad's off…….and this was my first meeting with Neil Buchanan, a weedy looking lad with a thick set of hair. 'Can I be your mate'? I asked him, 'Yea ok' he said, and that was it, we were mates.
As we grew older we discovered an underground pub in Liverpool city centre that was to change our lives, 'The Moonstone', oh what a place, I have never been so at home as I was in that heaven of alcohol and music.
Then the big one hit, seeing Mott the Hoople supporting Free at Liverpool Stadium……oh what a band Mott were……..that was it, we decided that we would form a group and the rest as they say is history!
Being in work meant I could afford to buy a drum kit, it was a Premier Olympic and to me was the best drum kit in the world, sparkly, shiny, and most of all it was bleedin' loud! When the kit arrived I set it up with the same urgency in which I lost my virginity, although I admit that it did take a bit longer than 2-minutes, but the excitement was the same and there was less fumbling in the dark and less mess!
Once the kit was set up I realised I did not have a clue what to do, hit it, caress it, kick the shit out of it?
I decided to kick the shit out of it and have done so ever since! I also spent more time deciding which pair of spandex kecks would give me bigger balls than choosing between a Remo Pinstripe or Evans oil-filled drum skins, sod that, a drummer should look as good as the namby pamby's with Guitar's!
=============
1970 - Walton, a suburb of Liverpool and 6-miles from my beloved Everton:
I had just moved to the area from Kirkby and was wandering the terraced streets when I came across this lad getting beaten up by a couple of scally kids, being the nice boy I was I jumped in and helped him out, we chased the lad's off…….and this was my first meeting with Neil Buchanan, a weedy looking lad with a thick set of hair. 'Can I be your mate'? I asked him, 'Yea ok' he said, and that was it, we were mates.
As we grew older we discovered an underground pub in Liverpool city centre that was to change our lives, 'The Moonstone', oh what a place, I have never been so at home as I was in that heaven of alcohol and music.
Then the big one hit, seeing Mott the Hoople supporting Free at Liverpool Stadium……oh what a band Mott were……..that was it, we decided that we would form a group and the rest as they say is history!
Steve Dinwoodie - Bass
After the band split up worked for the last 25 years doing Radio + TV promotion at Record Companies Island / EMI / Mercury / Universal and now runs his own Independent PR company Raised On Radio
I learned to play Bass after one of our teachers brought in a Hohner Violin one like Paul Mc Cartney's and thought this is cool it only has 4 strings so must be easy to play so I got to work and learnt "Sunshine Of Your Love by Cream !
Biggest influence.. my dad RON who's 2nd job was working at Liverpool Stadium in the early 70's stewarding all the concerts there and we all used to go every Saturday and he would get us in the pit at the front of the stage and we watched in awe new bands like Wishbone Ash / Rory Gallagher / Uriah Heap / Bad Company / Queen / Hawkwind with Stacia the exotic dancer ! .....and I thought this playing in a band businesss looks good !
Birth place: Crosby LIVERPOOL
Age: Not ready for my Bus Pass yet !
I learned to play Bass after one of our teachers brought in a Hohner Violin one like Paul Mc Cartney's and thought this is cool it only has 4 strings so must be easy to play so I got to work and learnt "Sunshine Of Your Love by Cream !
Biggest influence.. my dad RON who's 2nd job was working at Liverpool Stadium in the early 70's stewarding all the concerts there and we all used to go every Saturday and he would get us in the pit at the front of the stage and we watched in awe new bands like Wishbone Ash / Rory Gallagher / Uriah Heap / Bad Company / Queen / Hawkwind with Stacia the exotic dancer ! .....and I thought this playing in a band businesss looks good !
Birth place: Crosby LIVERPOOL
Age: Not ready for my Bus Pass yet !
Andy Charters - Guitar
Full Name: Andrew Charters
Age: Can't remember! but still younger than all of AC/DC ...except Angus!
Birthplace: Liverpool U.K.
Hobbies (other than music): skydiving, graphic design, history, visiting battlefields.
Neil and I were schoolmates and always into rock. After seeing Mott the Hoople live at the Liverpool Stadium I think Neil, Keith and I all knew that is what WE wanted to do. Mott were the first band I saw that played for the audience, and not just for themselves. I always felt that we (the fans) were PART of the gig. We try to pass that same feeling along in our gigs. I love everything about being on tour with my best mates Neil, Keith, Steve and Nige.
When our management went belly-up at the end of the U.S. tour, the bullshit we went through afterwards was emotionally devastating. It took me years (and a failed marriage in the USA) to get over it. Eventually I got my act together, married the right woman, and built a whole new life, family and career, here in North Carolina. I never considered joining another band. Marseille was the only band for me and it was gone ...But 25 years later, it only took one phone call from Neil about the planned reunion for me to think "Ah fukkit, here we go again! ...HELL YES! ...I'm in!". THAT'S how much being in Marseille means to me.
For the gearheads ...I use Agile guitars onstage (Gibson just can't seem to build a "lefty" I like) and a Marshall Vintage Modern stack ...nothing fancy, just balls to the wall, everyday, working gear.
Age: Can't remember! but still younger than all of AC/DC ...except Angus!
Birthplace: Liverpool U.K.
Hobbies (other than music): skydiving, graphic design, history, visiting battlefields.
Neil and I were schoolmates and always into rock. After seeing Mott the Hoople live at the Liverpool Stadium I think Neil, Keith and I all knew that is what WE wanted to do. Mott were the first band I saw that played for the audience, and not just for themselves. I always felt that we (the fans) were PART of the gig. We try to pass that same feeling along in our gigs. I love everything about being on tour with my best mates Neil, Keith, Steve and Nige.
When our management went belly-up at the end of the U.S. tour, the bullshit we went through afterwards was emotionally devastating. It took me years (and a failed marriage in the USA) to get over it. Eventually I got my act together, married the right woman, and built a whole new life, family and career, here in North Carolina. I never considered joining another band. Marseille was the only band for me and it was gone ...But 25 years later, it only took one phone call from Neil about the planned reunion for me to think "Ah fukkit, here we go again! ...HELL YES! ...I'm in!". THAT'S how much being in Marseille means to me.
For the gearheads ...I use Agile guitars onstage (Gibson just can't seem to build a "lefty" I like) and a Marshall Vintage Modern stack ...nothing fancy, just balls to the wall, everyday, working gear.
Past Members (Coming Soon)
For those of you that have asked where the profiles of former members are? We are trying to contact the former members and see if they can provide a profile at some point. For the present this website is primarily to promote the activities current line up of Marseille. It's difficult enough to keep track of the 5 current members who live hundreds and, in the case of Andy, thousands of miles apart.
For those of you that have asked where the profiles of former members are? We are trying to contact the former members and see if they can provide a profile at some point. For the present this website is primarily to promote the activities current line up of Marseille. It's difficult enough to keep track of the 5 current members who live hundreds and, in the case of Andy, thousands of miles apart.
Neil Buchanan - Guitar
Birthplace: Liverpool U.K.
Birthplace: Liverpool U.K.
Founder member of Marseille alongside Andy Charters and Keith Knowles.
Neil carved a succesful career in television after the band split in the 80's and his tv show, Art Attack, can still be seen all over the world toay with over 500 episodes still doing the rounds.
The turning point in Neil's life was when he was 14 and met his hero Ian Hunter from Mott The Hoople who advised him to "pursue your dream to the end". Marseille was the dream - and despite international fame as an artist, Neil is still pursuing his first love - ROCK!!
Neil's main guitar influences are Mick Ralphs, Michael Schenker, Brian May, Angus and anyone who plays from their balls as much as their brains! As far as favourite guitars are concerned, Neil is a Gibson Les Paul Junior man - " the absolute and ultimate Rock 'n' Roll workhorse"!
Age: not as old as Andy
Neil carved a succesful career in television after the band split in the 80's and his tv show, Art Attack, can still be seen all over the world toay with over 500 episodes still doing the rounds.
The turning point in Neil's life was when he was 14 and met his hero Ian Hunter from Mott The Hoople who advised him to "pursue your dream to the end". Marseille was the dream - and despite international fame as an artist, Neil is still pursuing his first love - ROCK!!
Neil's main guitar influences are Mick Ralphs, Michael Schenker, Brian May, Angus and anyone who plays from their balls as much as their brains! As far as favourite guitars are concerned, Neil is a Gibson Les Paul Junior man - " the absolute and ultimate Rock 'n' Roll workhorse"!
Age: not as old as Andy
