Lush

Formed in London in 1987, Lush became central figures in what the music press would dub "The Scene That Celebrates Itself," pairing shoegaze's wall-of-sound textures with a real pop instinct. Ivo Watts-Russell signed them to 4AD after catching a show at The Camden Falcon in April 1989. Their early sound was a scrappy, chaotic thing until Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins produced their Mad Love EP and sharpened it into something he called "beautiful, primitive." They were regulars at Camden Underworld and the Syndrome club on Oxford Street, turning up in each other's videos and each other's audiences, part of a scene as much social as musical.

At a glance

Active

1987–1996, 2015–2016

From

London, UK

Listen

In the issues

• 008
  Shoegaze and Dreampop

  Principal · 1982-1997

  Shoegaze and Dreampop is a genre from Thames Valley and London, UK, 1982–1997. Its principal artists include My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Ride and Cocteau Twins. This issue covers 10 essential albums and 16 dated events.

Family tree

Bands that shared members with Lush, and who.

• Pale Saints1987–1996
  Meriel Barham
• The Jesus and Mary Chain1984–
  Philip King
• Elastica1992–2001
  Justin Welch
• Suede1989–
  Justin Welch

Terms

Wall of Sound

A dense, layered recording production technique developed by producer Phil Spector, using multiple instruments doubling the same parts to create a thick, reverberant, orchestral sound.