Flesh for Lulu

Flesh for Lulu

Nick Marsh and Kevin Mills of Flesh for Lulu during a dinner interview in San Francisco, 1987
Background information
Origin Brixton, London, England
Genres Alternative rock, gothic rock, new wave
Years active 1982–1992, 2007-2009, 2013–2015
Labels Polydor, Beggars Banquet, Capitol Hybrid Records
Website Official website
Past members Nick Marsh
Rocco Barker
James Mitchell
Kevin Mills
Derek "Del Strangefish" Greening
Will Crewdson
Mark Bishop
Keith McAndrew
Glen Bishop
Mike Steed
Hans Persson[1]

Flesh for Lulu was a rock band formed in Brixton, London active between 1982 and 1992. They reformed from 2013 to 2015 with a new lineup. Their music was a mix of the New York Dolls and Rolling Stones, with gothic rock's gloomy atmosphere and aesthetics, while also encompassing shades of punk, pop, country and western, Bolan, Bowie, rockabilly and garage.

History

Nick Marsh (vocals and guitar) and James Mitchell (drums) formed the band and soon recruited Rocco (originally from Wasted Youth, guitar and vocals), and Glen Bishop (bass),[1] taking their name from an American cult movie.[2] After a well received John Peel session, they signed to Polydor Records in 1983, and soon thereafter, bassist Glen Bishop left to join Under Two Flags, and was replaced by Kevin Mills (formerly of Specimen).[1]

Their first E.P., Roman Candle did well, but the label dropped them a year later after their eponymous first album failed to find any commercial success.[1]

Nick Marsh onstage in San Francisco, 1987

In 1985, the band signed to Hybrid Records and released a mini LP, Blue Sisters Swing, which was produced with Craig Leon. The cover image of two nuns kissing resulted in the album being banned in the United States and Europe.[2] Flesh for Lulu then joined Statik records, who released Big Fun City later that year.

The following year, the band signed to Beggars Banquet Records, and their song "I Go Crazy" was featured in Some Kind of Wonderful and received some airplay on American college rock radio stations. This allowed Flesh for Lulu to sustain a successful tour of the US.

In 1989, "Decline and Fall" followed and became a top 15 hit on the new Modern Rock Tracks chart. The next year, "Time and Space" written by newest member Del Strangefish (ex-Peter and the Test Tube Babies guitarist)[3] became their biggest US hit, reaching the top 10 of the Modern Rock chart, but the song failed to chart on any other US chart. After Capitol Records dropped the band, a record deal with Hollywood Records fell through. The band disbanded soon after with singer Nick Marsh stating, "The reason Flesh really split up is because there wasn't a definite...to coin the oldest cliché of them all, there were musical differences. That's true, there were two separate trains of thought."

The song "Postcards from Paradise" was covered by Paul Westerberg as a secret bonus track on his 2002 album Stereo. The Goo Goo Dolls also covered the same song, which is part of a "deluxe edition" release of their 2010 album Something for the Rest of Us available on the band's website.

Gigantic

In 1996, Nick Marsh and Rocco formed a new band they called Gigantic, recruiting Dave Blair on bass and Al Fletcher on drums. Columbia Records signed them, and put them on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls and Bush. Their first album was a commercial flop, and the group disbanded in 1998.

After the breakup of Gigantic, Nick Marsh released a solo album and performed with the bourbon-soaked gypsy bop and stroll band Urban Voodoo Machine. Rocco joined a band called The Space Police with reggae/jungle artist General Levy and Italian keyboardist and producer Dr. Cat (aka Luca Gatti).

In 2007, Gigantic's one and only album, Disenchanted, originally released in 1996 on Columbia Records, was repackaged and reissued on Corporate Risk as Gigantic under the Flesh for Lulu name. A single titled 'Phenomenal' was released in 1997, the track did not appear on the 1996 album.

Rocco was featured on the Channel 4 series A Place in Spain: Costa Chaos.[4]

Reformation and death of Nick Marsh

In 2013, Nick Marsh reformed Flesh for Lulu[5] with a new line-up consisting of Marsh (vocals/guitar), Mark Bishop (drums), Keith McAndrew (bass) and Will Crewdson (guitar).

Marsh died on 5 June 2015 from cancer.[6]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Compilation appearances

Soundtrack appearances

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Strong, Martin C., Philip Ames, John Bartel, Justine, Angus, Mark Ambler: "The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", 1999, Canongate, ISBN 0-86241-913-1
  2. 1 2 Larkin, Colin: "The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music", 1992, Guinness Publishing, ISBN 0-85112-579-4
  3. ↑ "BMI Repertoire Search". repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 2008-03-17.
  4. ↑ "Dawn & Rocco – A Place in Spain: Costa Chaos, Channel 4". Retrieved 2008-03-17.
  5. ↑ Official Facebook page
  6. ↑ "Nick Marsh of the Urban Voodoo Machine Dead At 53". Retrieved 2015-06-05.

External links

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