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The Danse Society
The Danse Society, October 2011
Background information
Origin	Barnsley, England
Genres	Gothic rock, post-punk, synthpop, new wave
Years active	1980 (1980)–present (present)
Labels	Society, Arista
Members	The Danse Society Maethelyiah Paul Nash Jack Cooper Iain Hunter Sam Bollands
Past members	Paul Gilmartin David Whitaker Steve Rawlings Martin Roberts Lyndon Scarfe Tim Wright Paul Hampshire

The Danse Society are an English gothic rock band, formed in Barnsley in 1980. They were originally active until 1987, reforming in 2011. They achieved moderate success during their career. Their lineup included Steve Rawlings (vocals), Paul Nash (guitar), Lyndon Scarfe (keyboards), Tim Wright (bass guitar) and Paul Gilmartin (drums). Scarfe was replaced by David Whitaker (formerly of Music for Pleasure) after the Heaven Is Waiting album.

Background

Evolution

Prior to 1980 Paul Hampshire (Bee/Bee Goo) Dave Patrick, Steve Rawlings and Paul Gilmartin were in a band called Y? which was established. It had management and was recording and performing. Dave Patrick left and the remaining members renamed as Danse Crazy. Looking locally for more musicians to beef up the band’s sound they invited Paul Nash and Lyndon Scarfe to join them followed rapidly by Tim Wright on bass. It was at this point that Paul Gilmartin remembered a notice on a door at Sheffield University where Y? had played a gig. It read “A meeting of the dance society will be held in Room 6” And so Danse Society was born. The final line up of the band at this time was Steve on vocals, Paul Gilmartin on drums, Lyndon Scarfe on keyboards, Paul Nash on guitar, Tim Wright on bass guitar. Paul Hampshire having left to pursue another musical direction and to enjoy success around the world.

First Incarnation

In 1980, the band recorded and released their first single, "Clock", on their own newly formed record label Society. They released their debut studio album, Seduction, in 1982. It reached No. 3 in the UK Indie Chart. Their second studio album, Heaven Is Waiting, was released in December 1983 on record label Arista. It reached No. 39 in the UK albums chart. The album contained a cover of The Rolling Stones' song "2000 Light Years from Home", also edited in 1984 as a 12" single and as a limited-edition double single. At this point Lyndon Scarfe left the band which left a gap in the line up. Paul Gilmartin again came up with someone from his days in Y? when he contacted former Music For Pleasure keyboardist David Whitaker. Dave joined the line up that year and continued until they “mothballed” in 1986. The band was in transition and there was some confusion. Steve left for the States and was keen to keep the Danse Society name. 1986 saw them release their last album Looking Through and they did so as Danse Society International. Internally the band took a decision to continue without Steve and he eventually took the moniker of Danse Society International while the boys found another vocalist and performed as Johnny In The Clouds. Steve continued and the following year in 1987 released a single entitled "Saturn Girl". After this he put aside the Danse Society International name and began to pursue his music with Meridian Dream. The Danse Society was in hibernation.

Reformation

The Danse Society are a post punk (the precursory term for Gothic rock ) group from Barsnley, England, active from 1980. The original line-up included Steve Rawlings (voice), Paul Nash (guitar), Lyndon Scarfe (keyboards), Tim Wright (bass) and Paul Gilmartin (drums). Lyndon Scarfe was replaced by David Whitaker (formally of band Music for Pleasure) after the Heaven is Waiting Album. In 1980, they recorded and released their first 7" single, "Clock," on their own newly-formed record label, Society Records. The Seduction was their first independent album released on Society Records in 1982, a six-track album containing the live favourites "Godsend", "Ambition" and "Danse Move" as well as the atmospheric classic "In Heaven Everything is Fine". They recorded several Radio 1 sessions including a released John Peel session 'Woman's Own" and "Were So Happy" and topped the Independent Charts with the single "Somewhere". Their most well known album, Heaven is Waiting, was released in December, 1983 by Arista. The album contained the singles "Wake Up" and "Heaven is Waiting" and a cover of The Rolling Stones song, "2000 light years from home", released in 1984 as a 12" single and as a limited edition double single. They released two further singles under Arista "Say it Again' and "Hold On". In 1986 after releasing their final album as Danse Society International, Looking Through back on their own label again the band split from Rawlings and the other band members left to form Johnny In The Clouds.

Rawlings later reappeared in 1987 as Society with the single, "Saturn Girl". After 1987, Rawlings continued to pursue his path in music in America with Meridian Dream. At the end of 2009, Former members Paul Nash, Paul Gilmartin and David Whitaker met up for the first time in 24 years and decided to reform the band with the initial agreement of Steve Rawlings also re-joining the band. Over the next 9 months instrumental tracks were recorded and Steve briefly met the band in the UK in Oct 2010 but returned to America after recording just one vocal track. Plans changed when after that initial meeting, the band lost contact with Steve. In January 2011 founder of Blooding Mask vocalist Maethelyiah joined the band and recorded vocals on all 13 tracks and the official news was revealed in May 2011. Since then the album Change of Skin has been refined and mixed and was released in July 2011.

A double A single was also released on good Friday 6th April with "Vatican" and "The Seduction 2012" (remake of the original The Seduction) and both videos were released at the same time.

4 official video clips were produced: "Revelation", "God Cry", "Vatican" and "The Seduction 2012".

Bassist Martin Roberts joins The Danse Society.

A second new album since the reunion Scarey Tales was produced, along with official music video White Rabbit, cover from the original track by Jefferson Airplane.

During the Glory or Grace UK Tour at the beginning of 2014, unfortunately Paul Gilmartin, due to personal issues and totally ignoring band mates and fans, resigned from the band in writing with no notice, followed by Martin Roberts. The tour was therefore cancelled but will be reinstated as soon as the new line up is announced.

The band is currently working on the third album since the reunion, with new bassist Jack Cooper, new drummer Iain Hunter, and only recently joining new keyboard player Sam Bolland.

Live shows include Leipzig at the Wave Gotik Treffen, London at Slimelight, headlined the Spiderweb's Festival in Bristol and Bomfest in Barnsley, Whitby Goth Weekend and more.

Discography

Studio albums

• Seduction (1982)
• Heaven Is Waiting (1983)
• Looking Through (1986) (as The Danse Society International)
• Change of Skin (2011)
• Scarey Tales (2013)

Compilation albums

• The Danse Society (1983)
• The Danse Society (1984)
• Demos Vol. 1 (2011)

Singles

References

1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guiness World Records Limited. p. 140. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
2. Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1989. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4.

External links

• Official website

• English post-punk music groups
• Musical groups established in 1981
• Musical groups disestablished in 1987
• Musical groups reestablished in 2011
• British gothic rock groups
• English New Wave musical groups
• British dark wave musical groups
• Synthpop groups