Presence (band)

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Presence


Img_capt = (from left to right) Lol Tolhurst, Gary Biddles, Chris Youdell, Alan Burgess, Rob Steen
Background = group_or_band
Origin = England
Instruments =
Genre = Punk rock
Progressive rock
New Wave
Years_active = 1990 – 1993
Label(s) = Smash Records, Island Records
URL = [http://www.presenceuk.net/ www.presenceuk.net]
Past_members = Gary Biddles
Alan Burgess
Michael Dempsey
Roberto Soave
Rob Steen
Lol Tolhurst
Chris Youdell|

Presence was a short-lived British rock band started by Gary Biddles, Lol Tolhurst, and Michael Dempsey. Dempsey and Tolhurst were founding members of The Cure, and Biddles was a former "Cure" roadie who previously played in a band with Simon Gallup called Fools Dance. In their brief existence, "Presence" released only one full-length album, called "Inside" (through Smash Records, a subsidiary of Island Records).

In 1990, Michael Dempsey, Lol Tolhurst and Gary Biddles were recording demos together with a view to forming a new band following Lol's departure from The Cure. [ [http://www.thecure.com/archive/curenewspages/cn9link.html] "Interview with Robert Smith" 5 August 2007] With the addition of keyboardist Chris Youdell (of Then Jerico) and drummer Alan Burgess the band emerged in 1991 as "Presence" with the singles "In Wonder" and "All I See". Dempsey received co-writing credit for "Amazed"; a b-side from "All I See" [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/581761] "All I See"29 August 2007] , but took a background role as a session bassist and did not appear in the band's photos or press. Porl Thompson also made guest appearances on guitar for some of these recordings, but by 1992 both Dempsey and Thompson were officially replaced by bassist Roberto Soave (formerly of The Associates and Shelleyan Orphan) and guitarist Rob Steen respectively. However, Dempsey received co-writing credits for two tracks on "Inside". [ [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:mcbyxdkb8olg] "Review of Inside" 5 August 2007] Although Inside was well-received by critics, the album was a commercial failure, and led to the dissolution of the band.

Tolhurst confirmed in an interview several years later that Presence had recorded a second album, which he claimed was produced by former Smiths producer John Porter. [http://www.levinhurst.com/cgi/Blah/Blah.pl?b=cc,m=1122314484] He said it is unlikely this second album will ever be released and that he felt the band "was really too much too soon I felt for me." [ [http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/graveconcerns/interview_levinhurst.html] "Interview with Lol" 1 August 2007] But he also said in another interview that he doesn't discount his experience with Presence either, [ [http://www.chaindlk.com/interviews/index.php?interview=Levinhurst] "Levinhurst" 1 August 2007] and according to another interviewer, this band does spark interest among some Cure fans. [ [http://www.hispacure.com/b/prensa/archivo/reportajes/hispacure/HispaCure_interview_to_Lol_Tolhurst_April2007.pdf] "Interview to Lol Tolhurst" 1 August 2007]

In 2007, Gary Biddles started a MySpace page for the band. (See External Links below.)__NOTOC__

Members

*Gary Biddles — vocals
*Alan Burgess — drums
*Roberto Soave — bass guitar
*Rob Steen — guitar
*Lol Tolhurst — keyboards
*Chris Youdell — keyboards

Trivia

*When Presence were formed, there was another band with the same name. Because of Lol Tolhurst's fame, the other band had to change their name to Puressence.
*Roberto Soave has also played a brief stint with The Cure. When Simon Gallup fell ill during the European leg of the Wish tour, Soave filled in for him on bass. [ [http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=882] "Cure Archive" 1 August 2007]
*After Presence broke up, Roberto Soave and Rob Steen played in another band called Babacar along with Boris Williams, another former member of The Cure. [ [http://www.absoluteagogo.com/babacar.html] "Babacar" 1 August 2007]
*Both this band and The Cure have released songs called "Never." (See "Inside" and "The Cure").

Discography

Albums

*1993: "Inside"

ingles

*1991
**"In Wonder"
**"All I See"
*1992
**"Act of Faith"
*1993
**"Never/Act of Faith"

References

External links

* [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=242166460 Presence at MySpace]
* [http://www.picturesofyou.us/91/91-presence-misc.htm Article and Picture]
* [http://www.picturesofyou.us/other/presence.htm Band Pictures]
* [http://www.picturesofyou.us/91/m-91-5-Ciao2001-italy.htm Different Cures]
* [http://www.virginmegamagazine.com/default.asp?aid=BA3 Where Do You Go From The Cure?]