My Passion
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England |
| Defunct | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Hitchin , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
My Passion was an English musical group established in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England in 2005. Their first album, Corporate Flesh Party, was launched in May 2009 through Cool Green Recordings. The record, produced by John Mitchell at Outhouse Studios in Reading, contains eleven songs, six of which are revamped versions of earlier demos that had previously been accessible solely on the band's Myspace page or via their own Style Suicide label. In April 2010, the band returned to Outhouse Studios to work on their sophomore album, Inside This Machine. Originally slated for release in autumn 2010, it ultimately came out on 25 April 2011 under Spinefarm Records, a label they signed with earlier that year. Additionally, in 2010, they cultivated a loyal following known as the 'My Passion Army'.
In July 2009, My Passion earned a nomination for Best British Newcomer at The Kerrang! Awards, though the award was claimed by In Case of Fire. The following year, they toured across the UK and Ireland as part of the Kerrang! Relentless Energy Tour. Throughout their career, they supported artists including Kill Hannah, Jeffree Star, InnerPartySystem, The Faint, The Automatic, and Julien-K. Alongside these support roles, they also headlined several tours themselves, notably one in October 2010 to promote their second album.
Formation – post Shard (2005)
My Passion came into existence in late 2005 following the disbandment of glam-rock outfit Shard. They replaced bassist Charlie Pyne with Simon Rowlands but kept the remaining childhood members intact. During the latter part of 2005, they focused on composing new material and sharing it via MySpace, featuring songs like "Tomorrow Girls," "Day of the Bees," and "Never Everland." These tracks were recorded in René's home studio but were only distributed digitally through MySpace. In July 2011, the band auctioned off the sole CD copies alongside exclusive merchandise items.
2006
Their first live performance under the name My Passion took place on 3 February 2006 at Simon Price's London goth club Stay Beautiful. Throughout that year, they toured to promote releases such as Make Me Butterfly, Bitter Too, and Winter For Lovers. The initial two were available on physical CDs, while the latter was released exclusively in digital format. Musically, their sound evolved towards a heavier tone compared to Shard’s 2004 album InPerfection, yet retained atmospheric synth elements appreciated by glam enthusiasts. New live songs included "The Fabulous Blood Disco," which became a signature phrase for the band featured on merchandise and frequently used by lead singer Laurence during performances. Although never officially published, a demo version circulated among fans and was later re-recorded for an album release. Towards the end of 2006, they introduced "Hot in the Dolls House" (co-produced by David Ryder-Prangley) and "Last Day in Paradise". The low-budget video for "Hot in the Dolls House" was shown at TopShop’s Oxford Street location. The year concluded with a New Year's Eve gig at Stay Beautiful.
2010–2012 (Corporate Flesh Party)
At the start of 2010, My Passion joined forces with All Time Low, The Blackout, and Young Guns on the Kerrang! Relentless Energy Drink Tour, gaining considerable media exposure including a cover feature in Kerrang! magazine. On 4 March, they released a video for "Crazy and Me," which achieved significant views on YouTube and received television airplay. Later that month, they performed at Red Bull-sponsored events in Belfast, Dublin, and Limerick before embarking on an April tour with Kill Hannah to showcase tracks from their forthcoming second album.
In April, recording sessions commenced for their follow-up to Corporate Flesh Party. The album titled Inside This Machine was mixed by John Mitchell and originally scheduled for a September release as announced during Slam Dunk Festival in May. To coincide with this launch, a UK headline tour named the "Inside This Machine Tour" was set for October 2010. Songs such as "The Girl Who Lost Her Smile," "Asleep in the Asylum," and "The Mess We Made of Our Lives" had already become staples during live shows throughout 2009–2010. Additional tracks including "Seven Birds," "In My Fever," and "My Confession" were unveiled via Kerrang! magazine; notably, "In My Fever" received airplay on Radio 1's Rock Show while "Seven Birds" was offered as a complimentary download.
On 11 August 2010, Jamie Nicholls (previously with Firetone) joined as drummer; Jonathan Gaskin continued performing as second guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist. The October UK 'Asylum Tour' supported both the album and its single "Asleep in the Asylum," featuring support from Dead by April, Don Broco, Kyra, and Summerlin. An additional performance took place at the University of Bedfordshire Student Union’s farewell event.
The single "Asleep in the Asylum" was released on 4 October 2010 comprising three tracks: "Asleep in the Asylum," "Dream in Colour," and "Seven Birds".
Inside This Machine officially launched on 18 April 2011 through Spinefarm Records. On 25 March, its single "The Mess We Made of Our Lives" premiered with an accompanying video.
Following this release, Spinefarm Records dropped My Passion from their roster; consequently, the band became unsigned. On 1 April, they were involved in a Kerrang! April Fools' joke falsely reporting their breakup.
Between April and May, they toured performing chippendale-style while covered entirely in gold paint with support acts LostAlone and Red Bull Bedroom Jam winners Never Means Maybe and Hearts Under Fire.
After an unsuccessful headline tour run, they supported American alternative rock band Framing Hanely alongside Leeds punk/rock group The Headstart from late May through June.
Their second single from Inside This Machine, titled "The Girl Who Lost Her Smile", was released on iTunes featuring DJ remix and acoustic versions; its video was filmed live during their support stint on Framing Hanely’s tour.
In April 2012 John Be exited My Passion; Ande D'Mello was announced as his successor.
2012–present (disbandment and subsequent endeavors)
On 3 December 2012, My Passion announced their dissolution through their Facebook page, thanking supporters and indicating the start of new ventures. Subsequently, four ex-members—Ande, Simon, Jamie, and Jonathan—came together to create the band Fort Hope, debuting their single "Control" on Facebook. In June 2013, Laurence introduced a fresh musical project named Black Noise, collaborating with guitarist Nick Kozuch (The October Game), drummer Egil Rafnsson (previously with Sign & Fears), and electronic musician Josh Elgood (Cruso).
Sponsorships and endorsements
Prior to their 2009 deal with Mascot Records, My Passion obtained endorsements from notable industry companies such as Cort Guitars, Hughes and Kettner, Blackstar, Hartke, and EBS amplifiers. Jonathan Gaskin initially endorsed Stagg Music before transitioning to Zildjian cymbals and hardware in 2009. The group also collaborated with Ernie Ball for guitar picks and strings. Their most prominent sponsorship was with Red Bull, starting in 2008, enabling performances at major festivals including Underage, Download Festival, and T in The Park. Additionally, their music was featured in Red Bull X Fighters Motocross commercials and the teen drama Freak, which showcased a My Passion concert scene aired on Myspace.
Final lineup
- Laurence René – lead vocals (2005–2012), guitar (2005–2010)
- Jonathan Gaskin – vocals (2005–2012), drums (2005–2010), electronics (2008–2012), guitar (2010–2012)
- Simon Rowlands – bass guitar (2005–2012)
- Ande D'Mello – guitar and vocals (2012)
- Jamie Nicholls – drums (2010–2012)
Previous members
- Harry Wade – guitar and synthesizers (2005–2008)
- John Be – guitar (2005–2012)
Timeline
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Studio albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Corporate Flesh Party
|
| 2011 | Inside This Machine
|
EPs
| Year | Release details |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Make Me Butterfly/Die Happy Picnic EP |
| Bitter Too/Tomorrow Girls EP | |
| 2007 | Hot in the Dolls House/Last Day in Paradise EP |
| 2014 | Living in the Shadows |
Singles
- "Winter For Lovers" (2006)
- "BooMan" (2007)
- "Day of the Bees" (2008; reissued in 2009)
- "Crazy and Me" (2008; reissued in 2010)
- "Thanks for Nothing" (Free download, 2009)
- "Vultures Are People Too" (Free download, 2009)
- "Seven Birds" (Free download, July 2010)
- "Asleep in the Asylum" (2010)
- "The Mess We Made of Our Lives" (2011)
- "The Girl Who Lost Her Smile" (2011)
- "Never Let You Go" (Free download, 2012)
Demos
- After Calais – Demo (Available as free download, 2007)
Videography
- One Joy Kid (2005)
- Modern Way To Madness (2006)
- Hot in the Doll's House (2007)
- Day of the Bees ("DIY" Version, 2008; reissued 2009)
- Never Everland (Unreleased, 2009)
- Crazy and Me (2010)
- Asleep in the Asylum (2010)
- The Mess We Made of Our Lives (2011)
- The Girl Who Lost Her Smile (2011)
- Lily White Lies (2011)