Almond
Almond tree with ripening fruit. Majorca, Spain.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Prunus
Subgenus:	Amygdalus
Species:	P. dulcis
Binomial name
Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb

The almond (Prunus dulcis, syn. Prunus amygdalus Batsch., Amygdalus communis L., Amygdalus dulcis Mill.), is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. "Almond" is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus Prunus, it is classified with the peach in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated shell (endocarp) surrounding the seed.

The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed or "nut" (which is not a true nut) inside. Shelling almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed. Almonds are commonly sold shelled (i.e., after the shells are removed), or unshelled (i.e., with the shells still attached). Blanched almonds are shelled almonds that have been treated with hot water to soften the seedcoat, which is then removed to reveal the white embryo.

Description[link]

Tree[link]

The almond is a small deciduous tree, growing 4–10 metres (13–33 ft) in height, with a trunk of up to 30 centimetres (12 in) in diameter. The young twigs are green at first, becoming purplish where exposed to sunlight, then grey in their second year. The leaves are 3–5 inches long,^[1] with a serrated margin and a 2.5 cm (1 in) petiole. The flowers are white or pale pink, 3–5 cm (1–2 in) diameter with five petals, produced singly or in pairs before the leaves in early spring.^[2][3]

Almonds begin bearing an economic crop in the third year after planting. Trees reach full bearing five to six years after planting. The fruit is mature in the autumn, 7–8 months after flowering.^[3][4]

Nut[link]

• 

  Green almonds

• 

  Unshelled (left) and shelled (right) almonds

• 

  Blanched almonds

The almond fruit measures 3.5–6 cm (1–2 in) long. In botanical terms it is not a nut, but a drupe. The outer covering or exocarp, fleshy in other members of Prunus such as the plum and cherry, is instead a thick leathery grey-green coat (with a downy exterior), called the hull. Inside the hull is a reticulated hard woody shell (like the outside of a peach pit) called the endocarp. Inside the shell is the edible seed, commonly called a nut. Generally, one seed is present, but occasionally there are two.

Origin and history[link]

The almond is a native to the Mediterranean climate region of the Middle East, eastward as far as the Indus.^[5] It was spread by humans in ancient times along the shores of the Mediterranean into northern Africa and southern Europe and more recently transported to other parts of the world, notably California, United States.^[5]

A grove of almond trees in central California

The wild form of domesticated almond grows in parts of the Levant; almonds must first have been taken into cultivation in this region. The fruit of the wild forms contains the glycoside amygdalin, "which becomes transformed into deadly prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) after crushing, chewing, or any other injury to the seed."^[6]

However, domesticated almonds are not toxic; Jared Diamond argues that a common genetic mutation causes an absence of glycoside amygdalin, and this mutant was grown by early farmers, "at first unintentionally in the garbage heaps, and later intentionally in their orchards".^[7] Zohary and Hopf believe that almonds were one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees due to "the ability of the grower to raise attractive almonds from seed. Thus, in spite of the fact that this plant does not lend itself to propagation from suckers or from cuttings, it could have been domesticated even before the introduction of grafting".^[6] Domesticated almonds appear in the Early Bronze Age (3000–2000 BC) of the Near East, or possibly a little earlier. A well-known archaeological example of the almond is the fruit found in Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt (c. 1325 BC), probably imported from the Levant.^[6] Of the European countries that the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh reported as cultivating almonds, Germany^[8] is the northernmost, though the domesticated form can be found as far north as Iceland.^[9]

Etymology and names[link]

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The word "almond" comes from Old French almande or alemande, Late Latin amandola, derived through a form amingdolouhha from the Greek αμυγδαλη (amygdalē), (cf amygdala), an almond.^[10] The al- in English, for the a- used in other languages may be due a confusion with the Arabic article al, the word having first dropped the a- as in the Italian form mandorla; the British pronunciation ah-mond and the modern Catalan ametlla and modern French amande show a form of the word closer to the original.

The adjective amygdaloid (literally "like an almond") is used to describe objects which are roughly almond-shaped, particularly a shape which is part way between a rectangle and an ellipse. See, for example, the brain structure amygdalē, which uses a direct borrowing of the Greek term.

Production[link]

An almond shaker before and during a harvest of a tree

Global production of almonds is around 1.7 million tonnes, with a low of 1 million tonnes in 1995 and a peak of 1.85 million tonnes in 2002 according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) figures; world production of almonds was 1.76 million tonnes in 2006.^[11] According to the FAO, major producers are the USA (715,623 t, 41%), Spain (220,000 t, 13%), Syria (119,648 t, 7%), Italy (112,796 t, 6%), Iran (108,677 t, 6%) and Morocco (83,000 t, 5%). Algeria, Tunisia, and Greece each account for 3%, Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, and China each account for 2%.^[12] In Turkey, most of the production comes from the Datça Peninsula. In Spain, numerous commercial cultivars of sweet almond are produced, most notably the Jordan almond (imported from Málaga) and the Valencia almond.^{[citation needed]}

In Greece, most of the production comes from the region of Magnesia at the area of Almyros. The most cultivating types of almonds in Greece are ferragnes and Texas (mission) which are known for their sweet taste and premium quality. Because of its quality, it is used as a luxury nut.

In the United States, production is concentrated in California, with almonds being California's third leading agricultural product and its top agricultural export in 2008. California produces 80% of the world’s almonds^[13] and 100% of the U.S. commercial supply. California exported almonds valued at $1.08 billion in 2003, about 70% of total California almond crop.^{[citation needed]}

Almond output in 2005 (circles may not be centered on growing areas within the countries)

^[14]

Percentage of world almond production 2011 (Source Almond Board of California/Almond Board of Australia)^[15][16]:

1.  United States of America 80.28% - 919,913 Tonnes
2.  Australia 4.25% - 39,081 Tonnes
3.  Spain 3.8% - 35,000 Tonnes
4.  Turkey 1.5% - 14,000 Tonnes

Other Contributing Countries 3.3% - 93,293

1.  Chile
2.  Greece
3.  Italy
4.  India
5.  China

Pollination[link]

The pollination of California's almonds is the largest annual managed pollination event in the world, with close to one million hives (nearly half of all beehives in the USA) being trucked in February to the almond groves. Much of the pollination is managed by pollination brokers, who contract with migratory beekeepers from at least 49 states for the event. This business has been heavily impacted by colony collapse disorder, causing nationwide shortages of honey bees and increasing the price of insect pollination. To alleviate almond growers from the rising cost of insect pollination, researchers at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have developed a new line of self-pollinating almond trees.^[17] Self-pollinating almond trees, such as the Tuono almond tree, have been around for a while, but their harvest is not as desirable as the insect-pollinated California Nonpareil almond tree. The Nonpareil tree produces large, smooth almonds and offer 60–65% edible kernel per nut. The Tuono, on the other hand, has thicker, hairier shells and offers only 32% of edible kernel per nut. However, there are advantages to having a thick shell. The Tuono’s shell protects the nut from threatening pests such as the navel orangeworm. ARS researchers have managed to cross breed the pest-resistant Tuono tree with California’s attractive Nonpareil tree, resulting in hybridized varieties of almond trees that are self-pollinated and maintain a high quality of nut.^[18] The new, self-pollinating almond tree hybrids possess quality skin color, flavor, and oil content, and reduce almond growers’ dependency on insect pollination.^[17]

Diseases[link]

Sweet and bitter almonds[link]

Flowering (sweet) almond tree

Blossom on bitter almond tree

The seeds of Prunus dulcis var. dulcis are predominately sweet,^[19][20] but some individual trees produce seeds that are somewhat more bitter. The fruits from Prunus dulcis var. amara are always bitter as are the kernels from other Prunus species like apricot, peach and cherry (to a lesser extent).

The bitter almond is slightly broader and shorter than the sweet almond, and contains about 50% of the fixed oil that occurs in sweet almonds. It also contains the enzyme emulsin which, in the presence of water, acts on a soluble glucoside, amygdalin, yielding glucose, cyanide and the essential oil of bitter almonds, which is nearly pure benzaldehyde. Bitter almonds may yield from 4–9 mg of hydrogen cyanide per almond.^[21][22] Extract of bitter almond was once used medicinally, but even in small doses, effects are severe, and in larger doses can be deadly; the cyanide must be removed before consumption.^[23]

All commercially grown almonds are of the "sweet" variety.

Culinary uses[link]

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Smoked and salted 'Marcona' almonds

While the almond is often eaten on its own, raw or toasted, it is also a component of various dishes. Almonds are available in many forms, such as whole, sliced (flaked, slivered), and as almond butter, almond milk and almond oil. These variations can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Along with other nuts, almonds can be sprinkled over breakfasts and desserts, particularly muesli or ice cream based dishes. Almonds are used in marzipan, nougat, many pastries (including jesuites), cookies (including French macarons, macaroons), and cakes (including financiers), noghl and other sweets and desserts. They are also used to make almond butter, a spread similar to peanut butter, popular with peanut allergy sufferers and for its naturally sweeter taste. The young, developing fruit of the almond tree can be eaten whole ("green almonds") when they are still green and fleshy on the outside and the inner shell has not yet hardened. The fruit is somewhat sour, but is a popular snack in parts of the Middle East, eaten dipped in salt to balance the sour taste. Available only from mid April to mid June (northern hemisphere), pickling or brining extends the fruit's shelf life.

• In China, almonds are used in a popular dessert where they are mixed with milk and then served hot.

• In Greece, ground blanched almonds are used as the base material in a great variety of desserts, usually called amygdalota (αμυγδαλωτά). Because of their white colour, most are traditionally considered "wedding sweets" and are served at wedding banquets. In addition, a soft drink known as soumada is made from almonds in various regions.

• In Iran, green almonds are dipped in sea salt and eaten as snacks on street markets; they are called Chaqale bâdam.Also sweet almonds are used to prepare a special food for babies, named "harire badam". In Iran almonds are added to some foods, cookies and desserts, or are used to decorate foods. People in Iran consume roasted nuts for special events, for example, during New Year parties.

• In Italy, the bitter almonds from apricots are the base for amaretti^[24][25] (almond macaroons), a common dessert. Traditionally, a low percentage of bitter almonds (10-20%) is added to the ingredients, which gives the cookies their bitter taste (commercially, apricot kernels are used as a substitute for bitter almonds). Almonds are also a common choice as the nuts to include in torrone. In Puglia and Sicily, "pasta di mandorle" (almond paste) is used to make small soft cakes, often decorated with jam, pistacchio or chocolate.

• In Morocco, almonds in the form of sweet almond paste are the main ingredient in pastry fillings, and several other desserts. Fried blanched whole almonds are also used to decorate sweet tajines such as lamb with prunes. A drink made from almonds mixed with milk is served in important ceremonies such as weddings and can also be ordered in some cafes. Southwestern Berber regions of Essaouira and Souss are also known for "Amlou" a spread made of almond paste, argan oil, and honey. Almond paste is also mixed with toasted flour and among others, honey, olive oil or butter, anise, fennel, sesame seeds, and cinnamon to make "Sellou" (also called "Zamita" in Meknes or "Slilou" in Marrakech), a sweet snack known for its long shelf life and high nutritive value.

• In India, almonds are the base ingredients of pasanda-style curries. Badam halva is a sweet made from almonds with added coloring. Almond flakes are added to many sweets (such as sohan barfi), and are usually visible sticking to the outer surface.

• In Pakistan, almonds are the base ingredients of many food items. Meat dishes containing almonds include pasanda-style or Mughalai curries. Badam halva is a sweet made from almonds with added coloring. Almond flakes are added to many sweets (such as sohan barfi), and are usually visible sticking to the outer surface. Almonds form the base of various drinks which are supposed to have cooling properties. Almond sherbet or 'Sherbet-e-Badaam' in Urdu, is a popular summer drink. Almonds are also sold as a snack with added salt.

Almonds can be processed into a milk substitute called almond milk; the nut's soft texture, mild flavour, and light colouring (when skinned) make for an efficient analog to dairy, and a soy-free choice for lactose intolerant people and vegans. Raw, blanched, and lightly toasted almonds work well for different production techniques, some of which are similar to that of soymilk and some of which use no heat, resulting in "raw milk" (see raw foodism).

The 'Marcona' almond cultivar is recognizably different from other almonds, and is marketed by name.^[26] The kernel is short, round, relatively sweet and delicate in texture. It has been grown in Spain for a long time and its origin is unknown; the tree is very productive, the shell of the nut very hard.^[26] 'Marcona' almonds are traditionally served after being lightly fried in oil, and are used by Spanish chefs to prepare a dessert called turrón.

Almond flour[link]

Almond flour is often used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour in cooking and baking.^[27]

Almond syrup[link]

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Historically, almond syrup was an emulsion of sweet and bitter almonds, usually made with barley syrup (orgeat syrup) or in a syrup of orange flower water and sugar.

The Grocer's Encyclopedia (1911) notes that "Ten parts of sweet almonds are generally employed to three parts of bitter almonds"; however, due to the cyanide found in bitter almonds, modern syrups generally consist of only sweet almonds.

Oils[link]

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Almonds contain approximately 49% oils, of which 62% is monounsaturated oleic acid (an omega-9 fatty acid), 24% is linoleic acid (a polyunsaturated omega-6 essential fatty acid), and 6% is palmitic acid (a saturated fatty acid).^[28]

"Oleum Amygdalae", the fixed oil, is prepared from either variety of almond and is a glyceryl oleate, with a slight odour and a nutty taste. It is almost insoluble in alcohol but readily soluble in chloroform or ether. Sweet almond oil is obtained from the dried kernel of sweet almonds.^{[citation needed]}

The oil is good for application to the skin as an emollient, and has been traditionally used by massage therapists to lubricate the skin during a massage session.^{[citation needed]} It is a mild, lightweight oil that can be used as a substitute for olive oil.^{[citation needed]}

Almond oil is also used as a wood conditioner of certain woodwind instruments, such as the oboe and clarinet.^{[citation needed]}

This Almond oil is used to remove black spots and black marks on the skin.^{[citation needed]}

Nutrition[link]

The almond contains about 26% carbohydrates (12% dietary fiber, 6.3% sugars, 0.7% starch and the rest miscellaneous carbohydrates), and may therefore be made into flour for cakes and cookies (biscuits) for low-carbohydrate diets. A standard serving of almond flour, 1 cup, contains 20 grams of carbohydrates, of which 10 g is dietary fiber, for a net of 10 g of carbohydrate per cup. This makes almond flour very desirable for use in cake and bread recipes by people on carbohydrate-restricted diets.

Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E, containing 26 mg per 100 g (Table). About 20 percent of raw almond is high quality protein, a third of which are essential amino acids.^{[citation needed]} They are also rich in dietary fiber, B vitamins, essential minerals and monounsaturated fat (see nutrient table), one of the two fats which potentially may lower LDL cholesterol. Typical of nuts and seeds, almonds also contain phytosterols, associated with cholesterol-lowering properties.

Potential health benefits, which have not been scientifically validated, include improved complexion and possibly a lower risk of cancer.^[29] Preliminary research associates consumption of almonds with elevating blood levels of high density lipoproteins and lowering low density lipoproteins.^[30][31] A preliminary trial showed that, in spite of the high fat content of almonds, using them in the daily diet might lower several factors associated with heart disease, including cholesterol and blood lipids.^[32]

Almonds contain polyphenols in their skins consisting in a combination of flavonols, flavan-3-ols, hydroxybenzoic acids and flavanones^[33] analogous to those of certain fruits and vegetables.

Almonds may cause allergy or intolerance. Cross-reactivity is common with peach allergens (lipid transfer proteins) and tree nut allergens. Symptoms range from local symptoms (e.g., oral allergy syndrome, contact urticaria) to systemic symptoms including anaphylaxis (e.g., urticaria, angioedema, gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms).^[34]

Mandatory pasteurization in California[link]

Because of two cases of salmonellosis traced to almonds in 2001 and 2004, the Almond Board of California proposed rules in 2006 regarding pasteurization of almonds available to the public, and the USDA approved them. The almond pasteurization program became mandatory for the California industry on September 1, 2007, and was implemented voluntarily over the previous two years.^[35] Since September 1, 2007, raw untreated California almonds have technically not been available in the United States. Controversially, California almonds labeled as "raw" are required to be steam-pasteurized or chemically treated with propylene oxide. This does not apply to imported almonds,^[36] or to almonds sold from the grower directly to the consumer in small quantities.^[37] Nor is the treatment required for raw almonds sold as exports to countries outside of North America.

This USDA-approved marketing order has been challenged in court by organic farmers organized by the Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group. According to the Cornucopia Institute, this almond marketing order has imposed significant financial burdens on small-scale and organic growers and damaged domestic almond markets. The federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in the spring of 2009 on procedural grounds, but farmers are appealing this decision in August 2009, seeking to have the merits of their arguments heard in court.^[38]

Cultural aspects[link]

The almond is highly revered in some cultures.

The tree grows in Lebanon, Syria and Israel,^[39] and is mentioned numerous times in the Bible.

In the Old Testament, the almond was a symbol of watchfulness and promise due to its early flowering. In the Bible the almond is mentioned ten times, beginning with Book of Genesis 43:11, where it is described as "among the best of fruits". In Numbers 17 Levi is chosen from the other tribes of Israel by Aaron's rod, which brought forth almond flowers. According to tradition, the rod of Aaron bore sweet almonds on one side and bitter on the other; if the Israelites followed the Lord, the sweet almonds would be ripe and edible, but if they were to forsake the path of the Lord, the bitter almonds would predominate. The almond blossom supplied a model for the menorah which stood in the Holy Temple, "Three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, were on one branch, with a knob and a flower; and three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, were on the other...on the candlestick itself were four cups, shaped like almond blossoms, with its knobs and flowers" (Exodus 25:33–34; 37:19–20). Similarly, Christian symbolism often uses almond branches as a symbol of the Virgin Birth of Jesus; paintings often include almonds encircling the baby Jesus and as a symbol of Mary. The word "Luz", which appears in Genesis 30:37, is sometimes translated as "hazel", may actually be derived from the Aramaic name for almond (Luz), and is translated as such in some Bible versions such as the NIV.^[40]

In India, consumption of almonds is believed to be good for the brain, while the Chinese consider it a symbol of enduring sadness and female beauty.^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

References[link]

Footnotes[link]

Notations[link]

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 edition of The Grocer's Encyclopedia.

Grocers

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Almonds (Prunus dulcis)

• INC, International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation
• thealmonddoctor.com: Articles about almond production practices for California
• Arborday.org Tree Guide - Hall's Hardy Almond/Bitter Almond

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2010)

Marc Almond
Almond performing at Manezh Kadetskogo Korpusa, October 2008.
Background information
Birth name	Peter Mark Sinclair Almond
Born	(1957-07-09) 9 July 1957 (age 54) Southport, (then Lancashire, now Merseyside), England, UK
Genres	Rock, cabaret, pop, art pop,New Wave music
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Some Bizzare, Virgin, Sire, Echo, Blue Star, Sanctuary, Vertigo
Associated acts	Soft Cell, Marc and the Mambas, Flesh Volcano, The Immaculate Consumptive, Marc Almond and the Willing Sinners, Jools Holland, Sex Gang Children, Current 93
Website	http://www.marcalmond.co.uk

Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond (/ˈɑːmənd/; born 9 July 1957, Southport)^[1] is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/New Wave duo Soft Cell. He has sold over 30 million records worldwide.^[2]

Childhood and early life[link]

Almond was born in 1957 in Southport (then Lancashire, now part of Merseyside), the son of Sandra Mary Dieson and Peter John Sinclair Almond, a Second Lieutenant in the King's Liverpool Regiment. He was brought up at his grandparents' house in Birkdale with his younger sister, Julia, and as a child suffered from bronchitis and asthma. When he was four, they left their grandparents' house and moved to Starbeck on the edge of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Two years later they returned to Southport, and then moved to Horsforth (near Leeds).^{[citation needed]}

At age 11 he attended Aireborough Grammar School near Leeds. Almond found solace in music, listening to British radio pioneer John Peel. The first album he purchased was the soundtrack of the stage musical Hair and the first single "Green Manalishi" by Fleetwood Mac. He later became a great fan of Marc Bolan and David Bowie and got a part time job as a stable boy to fund his musical tastes.^{[citation needed]}

After his parents' divorce in 1972 he moved with his mother back to his home town of Southport. He gained two O-Levels in Art and English and was accepted onto a General Art and Design course at Southport College, specialising in Performance Art.^[3] He applied to Leeds Polytechnic where he was interviewed by Jeff Nuttall, also a performance artist, who accepted him on the strength of his performing skills. During his time at Art College he did a series of performance theatre pieces: "Zazou", "Glamour in Squalor", "Twilights and Lowlifes", as well as Andy Warhol inspired minimovies. The Yorkshire Evening Post labeled one of his performances "depressingly nihilistic". He followed bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees. He left Art College with a 2:1 honours degree. Almond later credited writer and artist Molly Parkin with discovering him. It was at Leeds Polytechnic that Almond met David Ball, a fellow student; they formed Soft Cell in 1979.^{[citation needed]}

Early musical influences[link]

As a child, Almond listened to his parent's record collection, which included his mother's "Let's Dance" by Chris Montez and "The Twist" by Chubby Checker, also his father's collection of jazz including Dave Brubeck and Eartha Kitt. As an adolescent, Almond listened to Radio Caroline and Radio Luxembourg. He listened at first to Progressive, Blues and Rock Music, Free, Jethro Tull, Van der Graaf Generator, The Who, and The Doors, and bought the first ever issue of Sounds, because it contained a free poster of Jimmy Page. He became a great fan of Marc Bolan after hearing him on the John Peel Show, buying the T. Rex single "Ride a White Swan", from then on he "followed everything Marc Bolan did," and it was his obsession with Bolan that prompted Almond to adopt the 'Marc' spelling.^[4] He discovered the songs of Jacques Brel through Bowie as well as Alex Harvey and Dusty Springfield. Brel became a major influence.^{[citation needed]}

Career[link]

1980s[link]

Almond initially shot to fame in the early 1980s as one half of the synth duo Soft Cell, whose hits included "Tainted Love" (UK #1), "Bedsitter" (UK #4), "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" (UK #3), "Torch" (UK #2), "What!" (UK #3), "Soul Inside" (UK #16), and the club hit "Memorabilia". Soft Cell's first release was an independent record (funded by David Ball's mother) entitled "Mutant Moments" via Red Rhino Records in 1980.^[5]

It came to the attention of music entrepreneur Stevo Pearce, who at the time was compiling a "futurist" chart for the music paper Sounds which featured young, upcoming and experimental bands of the new wave of electronic sound. He signed the duo to his Some Bizarre label and they enjoyed a string of nine Top 40 hit singles and four Top 20 albums in the UK between 1981-84. They recorded three albums in New York with producer Mike Thorne: Non Stop Erotic Cabaret, Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing and The Art of Falling Apart. He became involved with the New York Underground Art Scene at this time with writer/DJ Anita Sarko, and performed at a number of Art events as well as meeting many New York Art luminaries including Andy Warhol. Soft Cell disbanded in 1984 just before the release of their fourth album, This Last Night In Sodom, though the duo reunited in 2001. "Tainted Love", a cover of a Gloria Jones's Northern Soul classic was number one in Britain and in many countries over the world and was in the Guinness Book of Records for a while as the record that spent the longest time in the Billboard Top 100 chart in the U.S. It also won the best single award of 1981 at the first Brit Awards. Soft Cell brought an otherwise obscure Northern Soul classic to mass public attention and their version of the song has been covered and sampled many times over by various artists including Marilyn Manson.^{[citation needed]}

In 1982 Almond formed Marc and the Mambas as an off-shoot project from Soft Cell. Marc and the Mambas was a new wave group that included Matt Johnson from The The, Steve James Sherlock and Annie Hogan, with whom Almond worked later in his solo career.

His first solo album was Vermin in Ermine, released in 1984. Produced by Mike Hedges It featured musicians from the Mambas outfit, Annie Hogan, Martin McCarrick and Billy McGee. This ensemble, known as The Willing Sinners, worked alongside Almond for the subsequent albums Stories of Johnny (1985) and Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters (1987), also produced by Mike Hedges. McCarrick left The Willing Sinners in 1987 to join Siouxsie and the Banshees, from which point Hogan and McGee became known as La Magia. Almond signed to EMI and released the album The Stars We Are in 1988.^{[citation needed]} This album featured Almond's version of "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart", which was later re-recorded as a duet with the song's original singer Gene Pitney and released as a single. The track reached No. 1 in the UK. It was also number one in Germany and was a major hit in countries around the world. The album would become his biggest selling solo album in the USA, with his biggest-selling solo single, "Tears Run Rings". His other recordings in the 1980s included an album of Brel songs, called Jacques, and an album of dark French chansons originally performed by Juliette Greco, Serge Lama and Léo Ferré, as well as poems by Rimbaud and Baudelaire set to music. (This album was released in 1993 as Absinthe The French Album, and was probably recorded in the 1990's).

1990s[link]

Almond's first release in the 1990s was the album Enchanted, which spawned the Top 30 hit "A Lover Spurned". A further single from the album, "Waifs and Strays", was remixed by Dave Ball who was now in the electronic dance band The Grid. Almond left EMI Records. In 1991, Soft Cell returned to the charts with a new remix of "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" followed by a re-release of "Tainted Love" (with a new video). The singles were issued to promote a new Soft Cell/Marc Almond compilation album, Memorabilia - The Singles, which collected some of the biggest hits from Almond's career throughout the previous ten years. The album reached the UK Top 10.^{[citation needed]}

Almond signed to WEA and released a new solo album, Tenement Symphony. Produced partly by Trevor Horn, the album yielded three Top 40 hits including renditions of the Jacques Brel classic "Jacky" (which made the UK Top 20), and "The Days of Pearly Spencer" which returned Almond to the UK Top 5 in 1992. Later that year, Almond played a lavish one-off show at the Royal Albert Hall in London, which featured an orchestra and dancers as he performed material from his entire career. The show was recorded and released as the CD and video 12 Years of Tears.^{[citation needed]}

In 1993 Almond toured Russia and Siberia by invitation of the British consul in Moscow. Accompanied only by Martin Watkins on piano, he played small Soviet halls and theatres, often without amplification, and ended at the "mini Bolshoi" in Moscow. Transmitted live on television Almond made a plea for tolerance of gay people. The tour was fraught with troubles, which Almond detailed in his autobiography, but it marked the beginning of his love affair with the genre of Russian folk torch songs known as Romance. He was given master classes by Alla Bayanova.^{[citation needed]}

Almond's next album Fantastic Star saw him part with WEA and sign to Mercury Records. Much of Fantastic Star was originally recorded in New York with Mike Thorne, but later after signing to Mercury, was reworked in London. Almond also recorded a session for the album with John Cale, David Johanson, and Chris Spedding; some made the final cut. Other songs were produced by Mike Hedges and Martyn Ware. Adding to the disjointed recording process was the fact that during recording Almond also spent several weeks attending the Promis Treatment Centre in Canterbury, for treatment for addiction to prescription drugs.^[6] However on its release Fantastic Star gave Almond a hit single with Adored and Explored, and also stage favorites such as The Idol and Child Star. Fantastic Star was Almond's last album with a major record label, and the period also marked the ending of his managerial relationship with Stevo.^{[citation needed]}

Almond re-invented himself and signed to Echo records in 1998 with a more downbeat and atmospheric electronica album, Open All Night. This featured R and B, triphop and voodoo/Santería influences, as well as torch songs which he had become known for. The album featured a duet (Threat of Love) with Siouxsie Sioux as well as one (Almost Diamonds) with Keli Ali (then of the Sneaker Pimps). Open All Night was a successful album both with critics and fans, and introduced a darker, more mature and bluesy vocal sound. Almond left the label and signed to European label Tres Bis Viii where he stayed for the next four years. Tragedy was the single from the album Open All Night.^{[citation needed]}

2000s[link]

Almond relocated in 2000 to Moscow where he rented an apartment. With the encouragement and connections of executive producer Misha Kucherenko, he embarked on the three year recording project of Russian romance and folk songs, called "Heart on Snow". Featuring many Russian Stars old and new it was the first time that such a project had been undertaken by a Western Artist, many of the loved Soviet era songs sung in English for the first time.The album was produced by musician/arranger Andrei Samsonov. Almond performed many times at the famous now demolished Rossiya Concert Hall with Lyudmila Zykina and Alla Bayanova, and with the Rossiya Folk Orchestra. Another album of Russian songs came later in 2010.^{[citation needed]}

2001: Soft Cell reunited briefly and released their first new album in 18 years, Cruelty Without Beauty and had a top 40 hit with a cover of the Frankie Valli's "The Night".

2004: Almond was seriously injured in a motorbike accident outside St Paul's Cathedral London. Near death and in a coma for weeks, he also suffered serious head injuries multiple breaks and fractures, collapsed lung and damaged hearing. He began a slow recovery determined to get back on the stage and in the studio.

2006: Almond recorded an album of cover songs, Stardom Road. Specially hand picked to tell a story of his life and career the album featured songs as diverse as I Have Lived by Charles Aznavour, to Stardom Road by Third World War, Strangers in the Night, and Kitch by Paul Ryan. The album featured his first new song since the crash, Beauty Will Redeem the World. The album was produced by Tris Penna and Marius De Vries. The Fashion House Yves St Laurent picked Almonds Strangers in the Night to represent their show at Londons Fashion Rocks. Almond performed it at the Albert Hall. It was to be one of three albums for the Sanctuary label but the label folded soon after.^{[citation needed]}

2007: Almond celebrated his 50th birthday on stage and performed at a tribute show to Marc Bolan, his teenage hero. At the concert he dueted with Bolan's wife, Gloria Jones, on an impromptu version of Tainted Love.

2008/2009: he toured with Jools Holland throughout the UK as well at guesting at shows by Current 93, Baby Dee and a tribute show to the late folk singer Sandy Denny at the Festival Hall.

2010: In June 2010, he released Varieté, an album of crafted personal songs, his first studio album of self-penned songs in almost a decade. Almond has stated this will possibly be his last fully self-penned album. He also announced a new concert tour in Autumn 2010 to celebrate his 30 years in music. Almond was awarded a Hero Award by the music magazine Mojo. He undertook his most successful tour celebrating thirty years of being a recording artist with a show of mostly Hits and A sides entitled "All A's".

2011: Almond released an album Feasting with Panthers. A collaboration with musician and arranger Michael Cashmore. Poems of Count Eric Stenboc put to music as well as decadent and Homo erotic poems by Jean Genet, Jean Cocteau, Paul Verlaine and Rimbaud. Almond took part in a unique music-theatre work Ten Plagues held at Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre from 1–28 August 2011. Ten Plagues is a song cycle based on Daniel Defoe's Journal of the Plague Year (which dates back to 1665), and was a collaboration between Almond, theatre director and designer Stewart Lain, libretto author Mark Ravenhill and composer Conor Mitchell. The show won the Scotman's Fringe First Award.

2011: On the 29 December 2011 It is announced that Marc will be performing a special 55th Birthday celebration concert at the Shepherds Bush Empire on Monday July 9. The title of the show will be 'My Favourite Songs (Of Mine)', with an emphasis on Marc's own favourite self-penned songs.

Personal life[link]

Almond divides his time between London, Moscow and Barcelona.^[7] He is openly gay, although dislikes being pigeon-holed as "a 'gay' artist", claiming that such a label "enables people to marginalize your work and reduce its importance, implying that it won't be of any interest to anyone who isn't gay".^[8]

Discography[link]

• Untitled (1982)
• Torment and Toreros (1983)
• Vermin in Ermine (1984)
• Stories of Johnny (1985)
• Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters (1987)
• The Stars We Are (1988)
• Jacques (1989)
• Enchanted (1990)
• Tenement Symphony (1991)
• Absinthe: The French Album (1993)
• Fantastic Star (1996)
• Open All Night (1999)
• Stranger Things (2001)
• Heart on Snow (2003)
• Stardom Road (2007)
• Orpheus in Exile - Songs of Vadim Kozin (2009)
• Varieté (2010)
• Feasting with Panthers (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Marc Almond

• Official website
• Marc Almond on Myspace
• Interview with Marc Almond about his car crash and Southport roots

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2012)

Gene Pitney
Pitney in 1967.
Background information
Birth name	Gene Francis Alan Pitney
Also known as	Billy Bryan
Born	(1941-02-17)February 17, 1941 Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Origin	Rockville, Connecticut, United States
Died	April 5, 2006(2006-04-05) (aged 65) Cardiff, Wales, UK
Genres	Rock and roll
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, musician
Instruments	Guitar, piano, drums
Years active	1961–2006

Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1941 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the British Invasion. Pitney charted 16 Top-40 hits in the U.S., four in the Top 10. In the UK he had 22 Top-40 hits, and 11 singles in the Top Ten. He also wrote the early 1960s hits "Rubber Ball" by Bobby Vee, "He's a Rebel" by The Crystals, and "Hello Mary Lou" by Rick Nelson. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Early years[link]

Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon, Connecticut. His early influences were Clyde McPhatter, country-blues singer Moon Mullican and doo-wop groups like The Crows. He attended Rockville High School, at which he was named "the Rockville Rocket", and where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. He made records as part of a duo called Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell (who in late 1963 had a solo hit, "Dumb Head"), and in 1959 recorded a single as Billy Bryan. The first of the two Decca 45s as Jamie and Jane was "Snuggle Up, Baby," a cover of a song Charlie Gracie recorded at Cameo 1957 or early 1958, which remained unreleased until London Records released Gracie's original version in Europe in 1978.

Career[link]

Rise to fame (1961–1964)[link]

Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, which made the Top 40, the self-penned "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away", on which he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. He followed that same year with his first Top 20 single, the title song from the film Town Without Pity starring Kirk Douglas. Written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington, the song won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Pitney performed the song at the Oscars ceremony on 9 April 1962 (honoring the film year of 1961). The song lost the Academy Award to "Moon River". "Town Without Pity" would be the last song Gene Pitney would sing in public, at a gig in south Wales before his death at the age of 65.

Pitney is also remembered for Burt Bacharach-Hal David song "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which peaked at No. 4 in 1962. Though it shares a title with a 1962 John Ford western with the same title, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, starring John Wayne, the song was not used in the film because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and Paramount Pictures.

Meanwhile, Pitney wrote hits for others, including "He's a Rebel" for The Crystals, Vikki Carr, and Elkie Brooks; "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison; "Rubber Ball" for Bobby Vee; and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. "He's A Rebel" kept Pitney's own #2 hit Only Love Can Break a Heart, his highest-charting single in the U.S., from the top spot.

Pitney's 1963 hit "Mecca" can be regarded^{[weasel words]} as a precursor to psychedelia in its use of Arabian music several years before The Beatles began experimenting with exotic sounds. Exotic instruments became a Pitney trademark, such as mariachi trumpets in "Lonely Drifter", ukuleles in "Hawaii", and a gypsy fiddle in "Golden Earrings".

His popularity in the UK market was ensured by the breakthrough success of "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", a Bacharach and David song, which peaked at No.5 in Britain at the start of 1964 ("Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa" was only Pitney's third single release in the UK to reach the singles chart and the first to break the Top Twenty there). "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa" was also a hit in the U.S, peaking at No.17 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Involvement with the Rolling Stones (1964)[link]

Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album;^[1] he played piano, though the extent is uncertain.

The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a UK hit for Pitney in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the Rolling Stones to become a Top 10 hit in the UK.^[2] In the U.S. the single stalled at No. 49, ending a run of seven Top 40 singles for Pitney as a performer.

Maintaining popularity[link]

After another low-charting single, 1964's "Yesterday's Hero", Pitney rebounded with another string of hits in the mid-1960s, including the 1964 singles "It Hurts to Be in Love" (previously mentioned) and "I'm Gonna Be Strong", which reached No. 7 and No. 9, respectively, in the U.S., and 1966's "Nobody Needs Your Love", which peaked at No. 2 in the UK. ("I'm Gonna Be Strong" also reached No. 2 on the UK charts.) "It Hurts to Be in Love" had been planned for and recorded by Neil Sedaka, but RCA refused to release it because Sedaka had recorded the song outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's, though Sedaka's trademark backing harmonies were left intact.

In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with country singer George Jones. They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German, and twice finished second in Italy's annual Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Caruso. He had a regional hit with "Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare".

UK, Australian and European stardom (1966–1970s)[link]

Pitney's career in the U.S. took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of Top 40 hits. He returned one last time to the Top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and placed several singles in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the U.S.

Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to Top 40 in 1974, as both Blue Angel (No. 2) and Trans-Canada Highway (No. 14; production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Pitney continued to place records in the Australian charts through 1976, including the hit "Down This Road", written and produced by distant relation Edward Pitney. They also collaborated in the production of the hit song "Days of Summer".

In the early 1970s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road.

Later career[link]

Pitney's last hit on the UK charts came in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, when he and Soft Cell singer Marc Almond recorded a duet version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. The song had been a UK No. 5 for Pitney in 1967. The duet brought him his first UK No. 1, in late January 1989. The single remained at the top for four weeks, and also went to No. 1 elsewhere in Europe. Pitney and Almond appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain, Almond dressed in leather, Pitney in a white tuxedo.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had recorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" on their cover album, Kicking Against the Pricks, in 1986. However, it never had the success of Pitney-Almond.

On 26 February 1993, Pitney performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on the day of the first World Trade Center bombing. On 18 March 2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Death[link]

Pitney died on April 5, 2006, aged 65. His tour manager found him dead in the Hilton Hotel, in Cardiff, Wales, in the middle of a UK tour.^[3] His final show at Cardiff's St. David's Hall earned him a standing ovation; he ended with "Town Without Pity". An autopsy confirmed that he had a heart disease, caused by atherosclerosis. He left a wife, Lynne, and three sons, Todd, Chris, and David.^[4] He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut.

Posthumous tributes[link]

Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album, Stardom Road.

On 20 September 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. Members of the family attended. The event was emceed by nationally known oldies radio DJ and Pitney friend "Wild" Wayne. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. It is awarded annually to Rockville High School. In October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville. In 2009, Pitney was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

Note that release dates refer to initial release. Pitney's early singles generally appeared one to four months later in the UK/Australia. Many of his later releases are UK/Australia/NZ only.

Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the U.S. Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and U.S. Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia

References[link]

External links[link]

• Gene Pitney bio
• A site created to honor Gene in his hometown of Rockville, CT
• "Wild" Wayne - Ct. based nationally known Oldies Radio DJ & friend of Gene Pitney
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Report of Pitney's death from BBC News
• BBC Obituary
• Obituary from The Guardian
• Fan's Final Chat with Gene Pitney
• Interview with Gene Pitney in International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine", concentrating on his songwriting career