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Flowered Up
Biography
The perfect representation of the baggy movement's pills 'n' thrills hedonism, within a few years Flowered Up went from working-class kids to one of Britain's most hyped groups to drug-induced flameout. Seen as London's answer to Madchester groups like the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, Flowered Up formed in 1989 in a Camden housing estate and featured vocalist Liam Maher, keyboardist Tim Dorney, guitarist Joe Maher, bassist Andy Jackson, drummer John Tovey, and Barry Mooncult, who wasn't officially a member of the band but danced on-stage with a giant flower around his neck. From their first gig at the end of 1989, the group's unpredictable but enthusiastic live shows -- as well as their enthusiastic embrace of baggy's Ecstasy-fueled culture -- earned Flowered Up an equal amount of fans, detractors, and hype. Indeed, the band appeared on the covers of both NME and Melody Maker before they released any music. After signing to Heavenly, they released the club anthem It's On in the summer of 1990 and followed up with Phobia that autumn; both singles reached the Top 40 on the U.K. charts. Riding this momentum, Flowered Up switched to London for their full-length debut -- when they signed the contract, their manager cut open a bag of cocaine and wrote "F U" with it on the tabletop of the label's office.
Selected Discography