Two years ago, we reported the release of “Green Ginger Jive”, a glam-rock release by Gary Marx – former guitarist with Ghost Dance and co-founder of The Sisters of Mercy. A year later, it was the release of “Sad Songs for Anthony”, a postpunk album closer to his postpunk roots in 2025. The well of creativity continues to provide, and today Marx has released a new single “Paradigm” ahead of a brand new double album, “Red Planet Blue: Sighs of an Elephant” which will be released in September of this year on CD and vinyl!

You can hear the single below, and read on for a chat with Mr Marx himself about “Red Planet Blue” as well as an update on new ways to enjoy “Sad Songs for Anthony”!

The Blogging Goth: We’re now able to listen to your new single “Paradigm” – that’s pretty quick after “Green Ginger Jive” and “Sad Songs for Anthony”, both of which came out just last year. What’s gotten you back recording so quickly?

The reasons are largely practical. I struck up a friendship and working relationship with a guy called Mark Sturgess during the making of “Green Ginger Jive”. He has a studio in Wakefield where I live, and we did several songs together for the GGJ album. The bigger part of that record took shape over at Fairview in Hull. Circumstances meant I didn’t have the same luxury of being able to devote a lot of time to “Sad Songs For Anthony”.

Hull and my background wasn’t so central to the themes I was interested in exploring on that set of songs anyway.

The fact that I could be at Mark’s studio within five minutes meant I could work through the SSFA album on my own terms as and when I was free. I’d do the music at home on very basic kit. After that I’d record vocals for a couple of hours at the studio, then go home and leave Mark to set up the mixing. It got to a point where he could second guess a lot of what I was likely to say about the mixes and just run them without me even being present. That same methodology allowed me to make the latest single Paradigm, and the album it’s taken from, “Red Planet Blue”. It also prompted me to push quite how much music I crammed on RPB – which is why it’s a double album!

It’s worth noting “Red Planet Blue” will not be on the Wrecking Ball Sounds label like its predecessor. There’s no falling out – quite the contrary! – just the timing of it and the fact that this record isn’t so wrapped up in the geographic location of Hull. I’ve created my own label identity, Infrasons E.Y., for that release. SSFA will make use of the AFD label I’d I established way back for Pretty Black Dots.

TBG: You’ve also said you think this next album will be “the end of your nostalgic flight of fancy”. What makes you say that? How does the inspiration come to you – and where does it go?

I see it as the end of the retro 70’s themed records. I didn’t expect to be stuck in this particular groove quite so long. That statement’s not in the least bit negative. I continue to enjoy the world I’ve created, but by the time this new album’s out you’ll have had 50 songs worth – that’s a decent number.

As for inspiration, I have long since been happy to trust in the process of creating. That means I don’t wait for a blinding flash to get started. I launch headlong into making songs – experience has taught me that somewhere in the process, magic is possible. The alternative is to sit around waiting six months to feel ‘inspired’, (only for that inspiration to desert you after one chorus.) You then sit for another three months hoping to coax the muse back down from on high. I’m not much for waiting, never have been.

TBG: Your teaser videos online seem to suggest even more glam-infused psychedelia, is that a good description?

Paradigm is an indicator of what to expect. Yes, it’s got the Glam Era influences that were so evident on Green Ginger Jive, but it takes some steps to the left as well. That means my love of Eno’s first solo album, the first two Cockney Rebel albums and others feed into things and bring added colour.

I’m such an obsessive that I wanted a title that matched the syllables and stresses of Green Ginger Jive (and had the colours.) I really should get out more! [Red Planet Blue] is still in that 70’s Glam world, but I think there’s more variety this time. Not least because there’s so much more of it.

Although you won’t necessarily hear yourself, [TBG] definitely features. I have used extracts of the recordings from both the Wrecking Ball and the Old Woollen shows on the album – snatches of me talking and crowd interaction.

TBG: I notice some AI in those videos, and the creative industry is very divided over the use of Generative AI – what’s your take on this current hot topic?

I’ll be honest with you and say I was slightly uneasy about incorporating those elements. It was my decision, but the position isn’t easy to navigate. I’m still working out my relationship with it.

I create music that I believe to be good and want it to have a life and find an audience. There’s no corporate machinery behind me – sometimes I have to use what’s to hand because of time and budget constraints.  It’s not an excuse or me bemoaning my fortunes – I get to choose how idealistic or otherwise I am on any given day.

TBG: Turning back to last year, Sad Songs for Anthony just had its anniversary. Any reflections back on that album? Certainly the old (and new!) goths seemed to lap it up. I understand it’s gonna be made available as a physical release in the near future too?

I’m in danger of creating a logjam with multiple releases, but yes there will be a CD of “Sad Songs For Anthony” available soon. I wanted the SSFA songs out as soon as they were completed back in 2025 and that meant I made it streaming and download only. I’ve been asked about releasing it numerous times by fans of my music, so I decided to go back to it and add a few extra songs. That means there will be 14 songs on the CD.

I got engineer John Spence to master the tunes for the CD – he’s become a regular collaborator these last 3 years, but someone I first met over at KG studios in Bridlington when he worked on the Reptile House EP. He sent me a selection of the first three tunes he’d tackled which were just in alphabetical order, [and]  I was reminded how much I liked those songs – there’s a musical curiosity driving some of the choices I made that excites me.

TBG: My audience in particular would love to know if you have anymore ideas for new music, based on your earlier career in that post-punk/gothrock vein? 

Well, my next step isn’t clear as yet. A pause to get back to non-music making pursuits is uppermost in my thoughts. I don’t stress about music. It’s fun to me, whether my focus is on the silly bubblegum songs or the more involved and intense tunes, it’s all fun – just making stuff up and banging around.

TBG: Finally and as always, any plans to come back on stage? 

Oh, that one last!?

There was never a plan or a desire to play live. I ended up doing the event in Hull at the suggestion of my mate, the other Gary Marks back in 2024. In turn that prompted the Old Woollen show early in 2025. It seemed ok to me to leave it there – the shows felt significant.

I sometimes think I should play my hometown Withernsea – either one of the pubs I used to frequent or my old school. I even thought of approaching the owner of a house that used to belong to my best mate’s family and asking if I could set up in their garage.

That’s where I made my first clumsy steps as a wannabe musician. I would need any future show to represent something vital for me on a personal level to consider getting onstage again.

TBG: Totally understandable, although I guarantee a hardcore audience wherever you go. Thanks GM!

---

The Blogging Goth is proudly supported by its Patrons, honoured below – I couldn’t do this without your generous support. To find out more about keeping The Blogging Goth ad-free, and what unique benefits you get as a Patron, please visit my page!

---