Leon Jean Marie on tour in April

'Bed Of Nails', the debut single from hotly tipped East London boy Leon Jean Marie, is a perfect introduction to what you can expect from this uniquely gifted writer / singer / musician and is released on 7th April 2008 and 31st March 2008 digitally.

The song was produced by Mark Ronson who flew Leon to New York to work with him after picking up on an early demo of Leon’s ‘Scratch’. “Bed Of Nails” (released early 2008) is backed by Stay Right Right Here, both tracks are taken from Leon’s forthcoming debut long player which is slated for release in June 08. In the studio Leon has worked with Bloodshy (Britney/Kylie), The Rural (Gorillaz) and Mark Ronson while mixing duties have been handled by Jason Cox who has mixed all the Gorillaz music as well as Jamie T’s debut.

As well as recording the album Leon has been keeping busy performing across the UK and opening for the likes of The Roots and Amy Winehouse.

Leon Jean Marie has been making music in his head for as long as he can remember. Inspirations veer from Beck to Badly Drawn Boy, Gorillaz to The Eels and Nirvana to Radiohead and many more in between. It is only now, at the age of 24, that Leon feels ready to put his songs out there for the world to make of them what they will.

After an unsatisfactory stint in an R&B type group Leon made the decision to rip it up and start again, from the ground up. He got a job as a runner in a recording studio. It was here, after hours, that he learnt his way round a mixing desk, experimenting with his own tunes. Leon’s St. Lucian born, church going Christian parents, thought their son was wasting his time and encouraged him to go to college, get a degree and a proper job. He quickly jacked university in moved back home, but the constant arguments drove him out of the family home. He stayed at mate’s houses, slept in his car and even slept rough on the streets on occasions. It was a period of, he admits, drugs, sex and depression and during this time Leon was in no position to make music. The ideas however were fizzing up inside him and he was desperate to get them out. Finally, after eight months of not speaking to his parents, he moved back home. His father had a major health scare and though the tests proved negative, the traumatic experience reunited Leon and his dad. ‘All the music I’d thought of while I was homeless was logged in the memory. ‘Cause I was denied it for so long, it all spewed out…’

With renewed focus and enthusiasm Leon got his act together and the tunes began to pour out. Word of his talent spread. The call came from Ronson, this was some months before his work with Robbie Williams, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen would make him one of 2006’s most in-demand producers. They recorded “Bed Of Nails” and Leon was up and running. The remainder of the record, a collection of songs as rhythmically, lyrically and emotionally diverse as you’re likely to find, recorded and mixed over the last year and with the live work already undertaken and further live dates to be slotted in, 2008 looks like it could be a very interesting and rewarding year for this wonderful talent.

Leon will be touring the UK in April with the Wonky Pop Tour, sharing a bill with Alphabeat, Frankmusik, and The Clik Clik (London only):

Thursday 10 April Leeds, Cockpit
Friday 11 April Sheffield, Plug
Saturday 12 April Liverpool, Korova
Sunday 13 April Oxford, Bar Academy
Tuesday 15 April Nottingham, Stealth (Club Night)
Wednesday 16 April Stoke, Sugarmill
Thursday 17 April Cardiff, Barfly
Friday 18 April Bristol, Start The Bus
Saturday 19 April Brighton, Audio
Monday 21 April Northampton, Soudhaus
Tuesday 22 April Birmingham, Bar Academy
Thursday 24 April Newcastle, Bar Academy
Friday 25 April Edinburgh, The Hive
Saturday 26 April Glasgow, King Tuts
Sunday 27 April Manchester, Night & Day
Tuesday 29 April Tunbridge Wells, Forum
Wednesday 30 April Southampton, Joiners
Thursday 1 May London, Kings College

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