Love Parade

Inspired by C86, New Order, The Bunnymen, and Postcard pop Graeme Elston, Dave Masterman, Neil Meldrum and David Lee formed a series of teenage bands culminating in Love Parade in 1988. Their early gigs at the Broken Doll in Newcastle led to a flexidisc released by the indefatigable Stephen Maughan with the 'This Almighty Pop' fanzine the following year. The band gigged around the North East of England, sometimes as far afield as Middlesborough. A 7" EP was released on the German label 'A Turntable Friend', but by then the original line up had split. Displaying his usual overactive ego, Graeme kept the name and released the Guilt Chest EP in 1990, retaining Dave Masterman and introducing Martin Scott on bass, Patrick Skelly on whatever instrument was to hand, and brother Marc at live gigs. As Graeme moved to Liverpool in late 1990 a third Love Parade line up briefly surfaced, but soon changed the band name to Pure, then Eva Luna.