User:BaldySlaphead/sandbox

Mark Kelly's Marathon are a British rock band, formed in 2018 by Marillion keyboard player Mark Kelly (keyboardist). The earliest incarnation of the band consisted of Kelly and lyricist Guy Vickers attempting to fit words to some music Kelly had created but the work was deemed not quite up to standard. The project was restarted a year later with the addition of Kelly's nephew Conal Kelly on bass and guitar. Some of the music was based upon unused pieces Kelly had written with Marillion, while the rest was written to complement the lyrics. Kelly was responsible for writing the music with additional input from bassist/guitarist Conal Kelly, guitarist Pete 'Woody' Woods and vocalist Oliver M Smith. Two songs were demoed in July 2019. A full band was gradually recruited over the next year with the expectation that recording would take place around the requirements of the recording of Marillion's next studio album.

When the UK went in to lockdown at the start of April 2020, it was decided to record the album from band members' home studios with Kelly directing the band members. After lockdown had been eased in the summer of 2020, the band met at Real World Studios in Wiltshire to record and film a live version of the album for inclusion on a deluxe edition CD/DVD.

Lead single "Amelia", about the final flight of aviator Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan was released to streaming services on 4th September 2020. The eponymous album will be released by earMusic on 27th November 2020. It will be available from Racket Records on CD, deluxe CD/DVD and vinyl. A second album is promised, with a number of tracks already in an advanced state of completion from the lockdown sessions. Kelly has suggested the band may open for Marillion at his band's Marillion Weekend at De Montfort Hall in April 2021.

Members

 * Current members
 * Mark Kelly – keyboards, samples and effects, programming
 * Conal Kelly – guitar, bass, backing vocals
 * Oliver M Smith - Vocals, percussion
 * Pete 'Woody' Wood – guitar
 * Henry Rogers (drummer) – drums, percussion
 * John Cordy – guitars
 * Guy Vickers - lyrics

Discography

 * Studio Albums
 * Mark Kelly's Marathon (2020)