Flesh for Lulu

Flesh for Lulu was an English rock band formed in Brixton, London, England, active between 1982 and 1992.[2] They reformed from 2013 to 2015 with a new lineup. Their music was a mix of the New York Dolls and the Rolling Stones, with gothic rock's gloomy atmosphere and aesthetics, while also encompassing shades of punk, pop, country and western, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, rockabilly and garage.

Nick Marsh onstage in San Francisco, 1987

Flesh for Lulu
Nick Marsh and Kevin Mills of Flesh for Lulu during a dinner interview in San Francisco, 1987
Background information
OriginBrixton, London, England
Genres
Years active1982–1992, 2007–2009, 2013–2015
LabelsPolydor, Beggars Banquet, Capitol Hybrid Records
WebsiteOfficial website
Past membersNick Marsh
Rocco Barker
James Mitchell
Kevin Mills
Derek "Del Strangefish" Greening
Will Crewdson
Mark Bishop
Keith McAndrew
Glen Bishop
Mike Steed
Hans Persson[1]

History

Nick Marsh (vocals and guitar) and James Mitchell (drums) formed the band and soon recruited Rocco Barker (originally from Wasted Youth, guitar and vocals), and Glen Bishop (bass),[1] taking their name from an American cult movie.[3] 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 EP, "Roman Candle" did well, but the label dropped them a year later after their eponymous first album failed to find any commercial success.[1]

In 1985, the band signed to Hybrid Records and released the mini LP Blue Sisters Swing,[2] 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.[3] Flesh for Lulu then joined Statik Records, which released Big Fun City later that year.[2]

The following year, the band signed to Beggars Banquet Records,[2] 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)[4] became their biggest U.S. hit, reaching the top 10 of the Modern Rock chart, but the song failed to chart on any other U.S. 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 Barker formed a band they named 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 Barker joined a band named The Space Police with reggae/jungle artist General Levy and Italian keyboardist and producer Dr. Cat (aka Luca Gatti).

In 2007, Gigantic's 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, but the track did not appear on the 1996 album.

Rocco was featured on the Channel 4 series A Place in Spain: Costa Chaos (2008).[5]

Stylized tribute art of Nick Marsh as frontman of Gigantic

Reformation and death of Nick Marsh

In 2013, Nick Marsh reformed Flesh for Lulu[6] 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, aged 53.[7]

Discography

Albums
  • Roman Candle EP (1983, Polydor)
  • Flesh for Lulu (1984, Polydor)
  • Blue Sisters Swing EP (1985, Hybrid)
  • Big Fun City (1985, Statik)
  • Idol EP (1986, Beggars Banquet)
  • Long Live the New Flesh (1987, Beggars Banquet UK, Capitol US)
  • Plastic Fantastic (1989, Beggars Banquet UK, Capitol US)
  • Gigantic (2007) (1996's Gigantic 'Disenchanted' album reissued under Flesh for Lulu name)
  • The Best of Flesh For Lulu [Re-Recorded] (2009, Corporate-Risk Products)

Singles
  • "Roman Candle" (1983, Polydor)
  • "Subterraneans" (1984, Polydor)
  • "Restless" (1984, Polydor)
  • "Baby Hurricane" (1985, Statik)
  • "Idol" (1986, Beggars Banquet)
  • "I Go Crazy" (1987, Beggars Banquet)
  • "Siamese Twist" (1987, Beggars Banquet)
  • "Postcards from Paradise" (1987, Beggars Banquet)
  • "Decline and Fall" (1989, Beggars Banquet) #15 Billboard Modern Rock
  • "Time and Space" (1990, Beggars Banquet) #9 Billboard Modern Rock
  • "Every Little Word" (1990 Promo, Capitol)
  • "She Was" (1991 Promo, MCA)
  • "Cold Flame/Big Love" (2007, Corporate-Risk Products)

Compilation appearances

Soundtrack appearances

References
  1. Strong, Martin C., Philip Ames, John Bartel, Justine, Angus Fergusson, Mark Ambler: "The Great Alternative & Indie Discography", 1999, Canongate, ISBN 0-86241-913-1
  2. Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 197. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
  3. Larkin, Colin: The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music, 1992, Guinness Publishing, ISBN 0-85112-579-4
  4. "BMI Repertoire Search". repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  5. "Dawn & Rocco – A Place in Spain: Costa Chaos, Channel 4". Dawnandrocco.com. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  6. "Flesh for Lulu Official". Facebook.com.
  7. "Nick Marsh of the Urban Voodoo Machine Dead At 53". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
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