Lush

Distraught by the loss of a dear friend and band member, Lush receded into obscurity, eventually calling it quits in February 1998. Two decades later, the UK shoegazers have resurfaced with a new EP, Blind Spot. With tours lined up in the UK, North America and mainland Europe, bass player Phil King talks of the band’s resurgence and how it all came to fruition.

“We did think about it a few years ago, but we’ve all got families. At the time, Miki [Berenyi, guitar/vocals]’s children were too young. Miki wasn’t comfortable with the idea just yet, so we put it on the backburner. So now just seemed like the right time. I mean, there was talk about doing it last year, but I was doing the Psychocandy tour with The Jesus and Mary Chain, so I asked if we could delay it a year. It also makes it a clean-cut 20 years since disbanding, so it’s a lot neater,” he laughs.

“Originally it was just about getting back together and playing some shows. Then Emma [Anderson, vocals/guitar] suggested we write new songs. It was all quite effortless really. But because we’ve all got families and day jobs, it took quite a while to organise anything.”

Co-produced by Danny Hunt of UK outfit Ladytron and famed British producer Jim Abbiss (Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian), Blind Spot was recorded over a week at Abbiss’ studio. The result is a handful of songs that are undeniably Lush – dreamy guitars awash with reverberating vocal melodies and hazy pop undertones.

“Emma wanted new songs rather than playing the old numbers and it being more of a revival thing,” says King. “All the reviews of it have been very positive. We picked up from where we left off, really. And hopefully, you know, we will be planning an album at some point. I hope we make it to Australia at some point; we haven’t been there since 1992.”

A photo researcher for Uncut magazine and a veteran of the British music press, King has witnessed both sides of the music industry coin. “I think the climate has changed a lot,” he says. “I think in terms of music press, the press that’s around today is not as bitchy and negative. It could be quite flattering at times but also extremely vicious. It doesn’t seem to happen anymore, thankfully. And also with the internet you’ve got your audience right there; you’re in direct contact with fans. So the power of the press isn’t as overwhelming or as strong as it was, especially the English music press. At one point they could build you up and knock you down.”

Reminiscing on the times of old, in particular the band’s visits to America, King cites one of Lush’s most memorable hiccups while touring the States. “I think the only time we really got heckled was at the KROQ Weenie Roast in 1996. It was KISS’ return show. We were on a revolving stage and the Fugees were on right before us. They went over the stipulated set time and were only halfway through ‘Killing Me Softly’ – which reached number one on the charts – and the stagehands rotated the stage. We came out to resounding boos and a lot of unhappy punters.”