Space (French band)

Space
Also known as Didier Marouani & Space
Origin Marseille, France
Genres Electronica, space disco, new wave (past 1982)
Years active 1977–1980,
1982–present
Associated acts Paris-France-Transit
Website https://marouani.space/
Members Didier Marouani
Past members Janny Loseth
Roland Romanelli
Jannick Top
Yann Benoist
John Edwards
Cissy Stone*
Joe Hammer

Space, formally Didier Marouani & Space, are a French electronic music band from the city of Marseille active from 1977 through 1980 and returning with on-stage remake performances since 1992. Their work is associated with the short-lived space disco genre and is a precursor of electronica.

History

Instant success and breakup

Space was founded in 1977 by Didier Marouani (also known as Ecama). The band consisted of Didier Marouani, Roland Romanelli, and Jannick Top on keyboards and Joe Hammer on drums. The first three albums — Magic Fly, Deliverance and Just Blue — sold over 12 million records globally. The album Magic Fly was released on Compact Disc in 2001, 24 years after its initial vinyl release. Didier Marouani left the band in 1979, but the other three members continued, releasing the album Deeper Zone in 1980. The band split up in 1981.

From 1982 Marouani and Joe Hammer performed and recorded as "Didier Marouani & Space" with Janny Loseth of Titanic as lead vocalist. The band was later renamed Paris-France-Transit in response to legal action. Hammer left in 1992 but appeared as a guest musician on Space's later albums and tours.

The return of "spAce" and beyond

The name "spAce" was legally re-acquired after copyright disputes around 1990, allowing Didier Marouani to re-release classic albums and give a European live cover tour in 1983. Symphonic Space Dream was produced with collaboration from the Russian State Symphony Orchestra. In the same year, the S Club Juniors made a remix to their single New Direction featuring the backing track of Magic Fly. The band's hit "Magic Fly" as well as many other songs from the self-named album were remixed in 2003 by the Belgian dance music project Minimalistix. In 2004, their hit deliverance was sampled in De La Soul's single Rock Co.Kane Flow featuring MF DOOM. In 2007, it was retaken to feature in its entirety in Talib Kweli's two-piece composition Hostile Gospel (Deliver Us). 2010 saw the release of Space's latest album: From Earth To Mars. The last track of this album, Message of Peace From Earth To Mars, features recorded samples of Yuri Gagarin's journey into space in 1961 and is a tribute to fifty years of space exploration.

Members

Current Members

Didier Marouani: keyboards, synthesizers (1977-1979, 1982-present)

Past Members

Roland Romanelli: keyboards, synthesizers (1977-1981)

Jannick Top: keyboards, synthesizers (1977-1981)

Joe Hammer: drums, percussion (1977-1981, 1982-1992,)

Janny Loseth: lead vocals (1982-1991)

Madeline Bell: lead vocals (1977-1978)

Touring musicians

Yann Benoist: keyboards, synthesizers (1982-present)

John Edwards: keyboards, synthesizers (2000-present)

Cissy Stone: drums, percussion (2003-2008)

Joe Hammer: drums, percussion (2008-present)

Discography

Albums

  • Magic Fly (1977)
  • Deliverance (1977)
  • Just Blue (1978)
  • Deeper Zone (1980)
  • The Best of Space (1981)
  • Paris France Transit (1982)
  • Concerts en URSS (1983)
  • Space Opera (1987)
  • Space Magic Concerts (1994)
  • Symphonic Space Dream (2002)
  • From Earth to Mars (2010)

Singles

  • "Magic Fly" (September 1977 / Pye International) UK #2,[1] IRE #3, NL #20[2]
  • "Tango in Space" (1977)
  • "Running in the City" (1978)
  • "Prison" (1978)
  • "Just Blue" (1979)
  • "Save Your Love for Me" (1979) U.S. Club Play #73
  • "On the Air" (1980)
  • "Tender Force" (1980)

References

  1. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 517. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ↑ "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 20, 1977". Radio538.nl. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.