The March Violets - Turn To The Sky

“Turn To The Sky” catches The March Violets at a fascinating crossroads, emerging from the murk of the early goth underground with brighter production, a bigger chorus, and ambitions that stretched well beyond the Batcave.

Released in 1986, “Turn To The Sky” belongs to the final chapter of The March Violets’ original run. The Leeds band had established itself earlier in the decade with records like “Religious as Hell,” “Grooving in Green,” “Snake Dance,” and “Walk Into the Sun,” developing a bass-heavy mixture of post-punk and gothic rock alongside fellow Leeds contemporaries The Sisters of Mercy.

By the time of “Turn To The Sky,” however, the lineup and sound had evolved. Cleo Murray, Tom Ashton, and Loz Elliott remained at the center of the band, while drummer Andy Tolson joined as The March Violets moved toward a more polished and melodic approach. The pounding rhythms and sharp-edged guitar of their earlier work remain recognizable, but here they’re paired with an expansive chorus and Murray’s commanding vocal, pushing the band toward an unusually accessible strain of gothic new wave.

The transition gives “Turn To The Sky” its distinctive character. It isn’t quite the stark, primitive goth of the Violets’ earliest singles, nor is it straightforward pop. Instead, it occupies the space between the two, retaining the dramatic tension of their underground years while allowing melody to take a much larger role.

The song gained further visibility through John Hughes’ 1987 film Some Kind of Wonderful, where The March Violets perform it during a club scene. Their cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Miss Amanda Jones” also appeared on the soundtrack, giving this final incarnation of the band an unexpected connection to one of the era’s defining teen films.

This original 1986 UK 12-inch expands the single with “Never Look Back” and “Deep (Deeper Mix),” connecting the band’s increasingly melodic final phase back to the darker sound of the preceding year.

The March Violets would split later in 1986, making “Turn To The Sky” their final single before their eventual reunion. It remains an intriguing endpoint to their first era: gothic rock stepping out of the shadows without entirely leaving them behind.