{{Short description|British rock band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = '''Presence''' |image = Presence promo.jpg |caption = Gary Biddles, Rob Steen, Chris Youdell, Roberto Soave, Alan Burgess, Lol Tolhurst |background = group_or_band |origin = England |Instruments = |genre = {{hlist|Gothic rock|new wave}} |years_active = 1990&ndash;1993 |label = Reality Records, Smash Records, Island Records |past_members = Gary Biddles<br>Michael Dempsey<br>Lol Tolhurst<br>Chris Youdell<br>Alan Burgess<br>Roberto Soave<br>Rob Steen<br>Paul Redfern<br>Kevin Kipnis }} '''Presence''' were a British rock band formed in 1990, best known for its associations with the Cure. They released the album ''Inside'' in 1992 and split the following year.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Price |first=Simon |title=Curepedia: An A-Z of The Cure |publisher=William Morrow |year=2023 |isbn=978-0-06-306864-3 |location=New York, NY |publication-date=2023 |pages=300–301}}</ref>

==History== Presence was formed by keyboardist Lol Tolhurst, a founding member of the Cure who had left that band in 1989; and singer Gary Biddles, a former member of Fools Dance who had also served as a member of the Cure's road crew in the early 1980s. Two other former members of the Cure, bassist Michael Dempsey and guitarist Porl Thompson, contributed to Presence's early demo recordings, with Dempsey receiving some songwriting credits.<ref name=":0" />

The band's lineup was eventually completed with bassist Roberto Soave, guitarist Rob Steen, keyboardist Chris Youdell (formerly of Then Jericho), and drummer Alan Burgess.<ref>{{Citation |title=Inside – Presence {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/inside-mw0000618480 |access-date=2024-02-29 |language=en}}</ref> This lineup first released the single "In Wonder", followed by the album ''Inside'' in 1992, which despite some favorable reviews was not successful.<ref name=":0" />

A second album titled ''Closer'' (produced by John Porter) was recorded during this period,<ref name="Levinhurst">{{Cite web |title=Morrissey and The Smiths :: Levinhurst |url=http://www.levinhurst.com/cgi/Blah/Blah.pl?b=cc,m=1122314484 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527050026/http://www.levinhurst.com/cgi/Blah/Blah.pl?b=cc,m=1122314484 |archive-date=2006-05-27}}</ref> but was not released because Tolhurst decided to end the band for personal reasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chaindlk.com/interviews/|title=Interviews|date=19 April 2010|website=Chain D.L.K.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/graveconcerns/interview_levinhurst.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050218101735/http://www.angelfire.com/ny2/graveconcerns/interview_levinhurst.html|url-status=dead|title="Interview with Lol" 1 August 2007|archive-date=18 February 2005}}</ref> ''Closer'' was finally released in 2014, shortly after the death of Gary Biddles.<ref name=":0" />

Following the breakup of Presence, several members remained associated with the Cure. Roberto Soave occasionally filled in for Cure bassist Simon Gallup in the mid-1990s.<ref>Price, p. 339.</ref> Soave and Rob Steen were later members of the band Babacar with another former Cure member, Boris Williams.<ref>Price, p. 25.</ref> Tolhurst later formed the electronic band Levinhurst.<ref>Price, pp. 218–219.</ref>

==Members== *Lol Tolhurst ''–'' keyboards *Gary Biddles ''–'' vocals *Chris Youdell ''–'' keyboards *Alan Burgess ''–'' drums *Roberto Soave ''–'' bass *Rob Steen ''–'' guitar *Michael Dempsey ''–'' bass (early recording sessions) *Paul Redfern ''–'' bass (later recording sessions) *Kevin Kipnis ''–'' bass (later recording sessions)

==Discography== *''Inside'' (1992) *''Closer'' (2014)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Discogs artist|220635}} *[http://www.picturesofyou.us/91/91-presence-misc.htm Article and pictures] *[http://www.picturesofyou.us/other/presence.htm Band pictures] *[http://www.picturesofyou.us/91/m-91-5-Ciao2001-italy.htm Different Cures] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100819000958/http://blogcritics.org/music/article/interview-with-gary-biddles-cure-roadie1/ Interview with Gary Biddles]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Presence}} Category:English gothic rock groups Category:English new wave musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1990 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1993