Marie Currie

Marie Michelle Currie (born November 30, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and artist. Currie is best known for playing in a band with her identical twin Cherie Currie called Cherie & Marie Currie. Their song "Since You Been Gone" charted at number 95 on the US charts. Marie played Singing Maid Marie in The Rosebud Beach Hotel and is now a popular multi-media sculptress and artist.

Early life

Currie was born to Don Currie and actress Marie Harmon.^[1] She was raised in Encino with three siblings. Her brother is Don Currie Jr. She has an elder sister, actress Sondra Currie, and an identical twin sister, Cherie Currie. Marie was the first twin born and Cherie was the second.^[2]

Before Currie and her twin sister rose to fame, they danced on American Bandstand. They appeared on the show as background dancers.^[3]

Career

While her sister Cherie was in the Runaways, Currie worked at a fast food place. Then she started the Marie Currie band.^[4] They never released a record, or received a record deal. However, they managed to receive some press; including a few pictures of the band landed in magazine articles across the U.S. and Japan. She started her career as a singer by singing a duet with Cherie called "Love at First Sight".^[5] The song appeared on Cherie's debut album Beauty's Only Skin Deep. The sisters toured the States and Japan to support Cherie's new record.

In 1979, Cherie and Marie released two singles "Messin' with the Boys" and "Since You Been Gone". "Since You Been Gone" charted number 95 on U.S. charts.^[6] In 1980, Cherie and Marie released their album, Messin' with the Boys^[7] the album received more radio play than Beauty's Only Skin Deep. They released another single that year "This Time". Both the single "This Time" and the album Messin' with the Boys made the top 200 on U.S. charts.^[8] Cherie and Marie performed on television shows in the 1980s including Sha Na Na, The Mike Douglas Show,^[9]The Merv Griffin Show among others.^[10] In 1984, they played the singing maids in The Rosebud Beach Hotel. The twins sang, wrote, and produced songs for the film and its soundtrack. That film was Marie's acting debut.^[11] In 1991, they performed at the Coconut Teaser which was a tribute concert to Paula Pierce, a member of The Pandoras. For the final performance the remaining Pandoras backed the Currie ^[12]

Currie performed with her sister's band at the Runaways reunion which included Jackie Fox and Sandy West.^[13] In 1997, she worked as a mortgage banker, along with her brother, Don.^[14] She later became a sales and branch development manager for HighTechLending Inc, founded by her brother.

In 1997, Cherie and Marie re-released Messin' with the Boys with seven bonus tracks.^[7] In 1998, they held a concert at the Golden Apple, in support of their re-released version of Messin' with the Boys. Cherie's ex-band mate West joined Cherie on stage to perform some of the Runaways songs.^[15] In 1998, Cherie and Marie released a compilation called Young and Wild.^[16] In 1999 Rocket City Records released Cherie's album The 80's Collection. The album features guest work done by Marie.^[17][18][19]

Currie was portrayed by Riley Keough in the film The Runaways, about her sister Cherie Currie's first band the Runaways.^[20]

Later years

Currie's art is represented through Facebook and Etsy pages, "Marie Currie Creations".^[21] In October of 2012 two unreleased songs by Marie Currie were uploaded to YouTube. "Colors of You" and "From Way Up Here" are songs that were demo tapes they are not on any record or for sale.^[22][23] It is unknown what year these were recorded. In 2014, she wrote her first book, The Narrow Road of Light, released on Jan 30, 2014.^[24] Marie Currie In July 2014, Currie and her ex-husband, Steve Lukather, appeared on the cover of Steel Notes Magazine, (alongside singer Blondie, and model Josi Kat), with a lengthy feature story on her life and work featured in the issue. Currie was noted as selling 200 pieces of her art,^[25] which became over 818 pieces by 2018.^[26]

Personal life

Currie married Steve Lukather, lead guitarist and co-vocalist of Toto in February 1981. They met in the studio during the recording of Messin' with the Boys. They had two children together, Cristina (Tina) Lukather born on May 13, 1985 and Trevor (Trev) Lukather born on May 4, 1987.

References in pop culture

On the cover of the Runaways single "Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin" Cherie Currie is wearing a shirt that has the Runaways followed by Marie Currie's name on it. ^[27]

Harmony Korine has stated that the characters Dot and Helen Darby (played by Chloë Sevigny and Carisa Glucksman) in his 1997 film Gummo "were based off a combination of Cherie and Marie Currie, home schooling, and The Shaggs." ^[28]

Discography

Album charts

Filmography

Bibliography

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marie Currie.