• 1987–1996, 2015–2016

  Emma AndersonGuitar, vocals1987–1996, 2015–2016

  Miki Berenyi Guitar, vocals1987-1996, 2015-2016

  Steve RipponBass1987-1992

  Chris AclandDrums1987-1996

  Meriel BarhamVocals1987-1988

  Phil KingBass1992-1996, 2015-2016

  Justin WelchDrums, percussion2015-2016
• Lush were formed in London in 1987 as the Baby Machines, a name taken from a line in the Siouxsie and the Banshees song "Arabian Knights." The original lineup included vocalist Meriel Barham alongside Miki Berenyi, Emma Anderson, Steve Rippon, and Chris Acland. When Barham departed, Berenyi and Anderson shared lead vocal duties, and the band renamed themselves Lush, making their live debut at the Camden Falcon on March 6, 1988.
• Frontwoman Miki Berenyi was born in Chelsea, London, to a Japanese mother - actress Yasuko Nagazumi, who appeared pregnant with Berenyi in the 1967 Bond film You Only Live Twice - and a Hungarian father, Ivan Berenyi, who'd fled Budapest after the Soviets crushed the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Through her mother's side, Berenyi is a second cousin of Japanese musician Cornelius.
• Lush signed to the 4AD label in 1989 and released their debut mini-album, Scar, the same year. Their ethereal, effects-heavy sound - guitars layered into walls of shimmering noise - quickly established them as one of the defining acts of the shoegazing movement, alongside My Bloody Valentine and Ride. John Peel was an early champion, and the band recorded three sessions for his BBC Radio 1 show.
• The band's debut album, Spooky (1992), was produced by Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins, a pairing that shaped the dense, dreamlike textures Lush became known for. "If you want Robin Guthrie to produce your record, it's going to sound along those lines," guitarist Emma Anderson said. The album reached #7 on the UK Albums chart.
• Lush toured America as part of the Lollapalooza festival in 1992 - a sign of the growing appetite for British alternative acts in the US. Songwriters Berenyi and Anderson took very different approaches: Berenyi tended to write sharp, confessional lyrics about relationships, while Anderson favored more impressionistic writing, inspired by artists like Laura Nyro, whose albums she discovered in a second-hand record shop during the US tour.
• By their third album, Lovelife (1996), Lush had shifted from shoegaze into full-blown Britpop territory. The feminist anthem "Ladykillers" peaked at #22 on the UK Singles chart and #18 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming their biggest commercial hit. The album also featured "Ciao!" - a duet with Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker.
• Tragedy struck in October 1996 when drummer Chris Acland was found dead at his parents' home in Burneside, Cumbria, having taken his own life. He was 30 years old. The remaining members were devastated and disbanded soon after, bringing Lush's first chapter to an abrupt end after almost a decade together.
• In 2015, nearly two decades after Chris Acland's death, Lush reunited with Justin Welch (of Elastica) filling in on drums. They released the Blind Spot EP in 2016, their first new music in 20 years, before disbanding again that same year. Berenyi has since channeled her musical energy into Piroshka and the Miki Berenyi Trio, and published a frank and widely praised memoir, Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success, in 2022.

Comments

More Songfacts:

What A Fool BelievesThe Doobie Brothers

Kenny Loggins co-wrote the Doobie Brothers hit "What a Fool Believes," which is about a guy who just can't accept that an affair from long ago was meaningless to her.

Blowin' In The WindBob Dylan

Bob Dylan was little known when he released "Blowin' In The Wind" so the cover versions - especially by Peter, Paul and Mary and Stan Getz - were much more popular at the time.

FireJimi Hendrix

Thirty years after Jimi Hendrix played "Fire" at Woodstock, Red Hot Chili Peppers played it at Woodstock '99, but this time the unruly crowd actually set fires and looted.

Ziggy StardustDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" was likely based on various musicians in his ambit, including Iggy Pop (zIGGY), and Jimi Hendrix, who played guitar left-handed ("He played it left hand").

Hell's BellsAC/DC

A one-ton bell was custom made for AC/DC's "Hell's Bells." The recording was slowed to half speed to make it sound like a more ominous two-ton bell.

Don't Dream It's OverCrowded House

"Don't Dream It's Over" is the biggest hit for Crowded House, whose lead singer, Neil Finn, sang it on tour when he joined Fleetwood Mac. He wrote the song when he was feeling a bit lost as a way of urging himself on.

Editor's Picks

Jon AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Jon Anderson breaks down the Yes classic "Seen All Good People" and talks about his 1000 Hands album, which features Chick Corea, Rick Derringer, Ian Anderson, and many other luminaries.

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?