Foreign Legion

Foreign Legion is a punk band from South Wales. History 1984–1991 Foreign Legion formed in 1984 from the remnants of a band called Society, later Dead On Arrival. Dead on Arrival had one song on 1984's Bullsheep Detector album. Following the name change to Foreign Legion (due partly to people shortening it to DOA, which could cause confusion with the Canadian band of that name) and a number of line-up changes (drummers in particular) the band released their first EP in 1986, on their own Rent a Racket label with the line-up of M.H. on vocals, Lynne Murphy on guitar, Helen James on bass and Paul (Marshon) Marsh on drums. Later line-up changes included Paul Marsh introducing keyboards to the band for a short while, Andrew Heggie taking over on guitar and Steven Thomas on bass.Despite many live shows in London, Wales and France, three years passed before Surf City their second EP was released, with their first full-length album entitled Welcome to Fort Zinderneuf also released that same year, 1989. By this time a new line-up had evolved with Mark (Jolly) Williams on bass (from local band Blind Justice, who Andrew Heggie soon joined), together with Peter Giles on guitar and Ben Stansfield on drums, retaining only M.H. on vocals. During the 1980s the band played regular slots in the famous 100 Club and supported the likes of UK Subs, The Vibrators, The Partisans, Picture Frame Seduction, The Adicts, Major Accident, Toy Dolls, Angelic Upstarts, 999, Broken Bones and others including Bérurier Noir for one of their first concerts overseas in France, following gig exchanges with Burning Ambitions from Le Havre. They also supported The Alarm, Joe Strummer & the Latino Rockabilly War and the UK Subs when they visited the band's home town of Merthyr Tydfil. The band split up in 1991. 2000–present Foreign Legion re-formed in 2000, with members from before the 1991 split; M.H. on vocals, Mark (Jolly) Williams on guitar, Andrew Heggie on bass and Ben Stansfield on drums. They released a split album with Major Accident called Cry of the Legion, before their next full-length album What Goes Around, Comes Around, produced by Mick Jones of The Clash. During the early 2000s the band released EPs and played in mainland Europe and USA with the Dropkick Murphys, Major Accident, The Templars, NY Relics and the UK Subs ,The Misfits, Agnostic Front, Bad Manners, Stiff Little Fingers, The Buzzcocks including a show at New York's CBGBs.