Anderson and Berenyi had been friends since the early 1980s, and published the Alphabet Soup fanzine together. In 1986 Anderson joined The Rover Girls as bassist and Berenyi joined The Bugs as guitarist but neither band lasted long.
Lush formed in 1987, initially named The Baby Machines, with a line-up of Meriel Barham (vocals), Emma Anderson (guitar), Miki Berenyi (guitar), Steve Rippon (bass), and Chris Acland (drums). After Rippon joined, the band members decided on a change of name to Lush, making their live debut at the Camden Falcon on 6 March 1988. Barham was fired, with the rest of the band deciding she lacked commitment (she later joined Pale Saints). Anderson and Berenyi then took on lead vocal duties.
Lush gained recognition when Robin Guthrie helped the band sign to 4AD. The band's first release was Scar, an EP, in 1989. Critical praise for Scar and a wildly popular live show established Lush as one of the best-selling alternative bands of the period. That year the EPs Mad Love, produced by Robin Guthrie, and Sweetness and Light, produced by Tim Friese-Greene of Talk Talk fame, followed.
In 1990 the compilation Gala, which combined the material from the first three EPs, was released by Reprise in the United States, this being the first exposure of Lush in North America.
Lush's first full-length album of completely new material was Spooky in 1992. Produced by Robin Guthrie, Spooky featured a sound very similar to Guthrie's band Cocteau Twins, with walls of sound and a great deal of flange. Reviews were mixed and critics of the album hold that Guthrie's production brought the sound away from the band's original creative vision. Bassist Steve Rippon left the band at this stage in order to concentrate on writing, though his book Cold Turkey Sandwich - a fictionalized chronicle of his time in touring - was rejected by publishers. He was replaced by Phil King. Also in 1992, Lush toured America as part of the Lollapalooza festival.
The band's second studio album Split was released in 1994 and featured a harsher sound alternated with long and softer tracks as "Desire Lines" and "Never-Never". Despite critical praise, the album sold poorly.
After adapting to the newly popular sounds of the Britpop era, Lush's 1996 Lovelife became the biggest seller of their career, including the hit singles "Ladykillers", "500" and "Single Girl", which was released in several different versions with different tracks along with the title track. Also on this album, Jarvis Cocker from Pulp contributed guest vocals to "Ciao!" and the record included the now classic/melancholic favorite "Last Night".
In 1996, drummer Chris Acland committed suicide by hanging, at his parents' house, allegedly due to depression. The situation proved too hard for the band, and in 23 February 1998 the three remaining members of Lush decided to disband.
Emma Anderson has since formed a new band, Sing-Sing, who have released two full-length albums to date.
On September 28th 2015 Lush announced their reunion. The reunited band consists of Anderson, Berenyi & King with the addition of Justin Welch on drums, an old friend of Acland.
Lush discography:
Scar EP (1989)
Mad Love EP (1990)
Sweetness and Light EP (1990)
Gala compliation of the above EPs (1990)
Spooky (1992)
Split (1994)
Lovelife (1996)
Never-Never
Lush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Loneliness can often be a friend
Have to shut yourself in
Don't know how to begin
Telling it to someone
Who doesn't fit in
I cannot control that part of me
I don't want to hurt you
But I know I will do
Maybe we could find out
What are we to do
I don't have long fingernails to use
Would we care if we were black and blue?
We're both sick but still you hold my hand
We're together but I understand
Walk along the seaside
This is not a joyride
Tell me in the meantime
It's okay
The lyrics to Lush's song "Never-Never" are about loneliness and the struggle to connect with others. The first verse suggests that loneliness can sometimes be comforting to children who may not yet understand the complexities of relationships. The second verse expresses a feeling of being stuck, unable to communicate with others who don't seem to fit in. The line "I am sunken in biology / I cannot control that part of me" suggests a sense of powerlessness, as if the singer is trapped by their own nature.
The chorus, "I don't want to hurt you / But I know I will do / Maybe we could find out / What are we to do," seems to be an admission of the difficulty of relationships and a plea for understanding. The bridge raises questions about the nature of love and how much pain can be tolerated in a relationship. The final verse speaks to the idea of shared suffering, and the comfort of knowing that someone else understands what you're going through. The last line, "It's okay," suggests that despite the difficulties, there is still hope for connection and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Only children sometimes comprehend
Children may understand what loneliness is better than adults do.
Loneliness can often be a friend
Sometimes being alone can be a good thing.
Have to shut yourself in
Sometimes you need to isolate yourself.
Don't know how to begin
You may not know where to start.
Telling it to someone
To confide something in someone else.
Who doesn't fit in
Someone who may be an outsider.
I am sunken in biology
I am controlled by my natural instincts.
I cannot control that part of me
I am not able to suppress my true nature.
I don't want to hurt you
I don't intend any harm.
But I know I will do
I am aware that I may cause harm.
Maybe we could find out
Perhaps we can discover something together.
What are we to do
We need to figure out what our next steps should be.
I don't have long fingernails to use
I don't have any weapons at my disposal.
Would we care if we were black and blue?
Would we still be willing to endure the pain even if it is obvious?
We're both sick but still you hold my hand
Despite our flaws, we still support each other.
We're together but I understand
We are in this together, but I know it won't be easy.
Walk along the seaside
Go for a walk by the ocean.
This is not a joyride
This is not meant to be fun.
Tell me in the meantime
In the meantime, let's talk about something else.
It's okay
Everything is alright.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EMMA VICTORIA JANE ANDERSON, EMMA ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lordcripplus4751
Lyrics
Only children sometimes comprehend
Loneliness can often be a friend
Have to shut yourself in
Don't know how to begin
Telling it to someone
Who doesn't fit in
I am sunken in biology
I cannot control that part of me
I don't want to hurt you
But I know I will do
Maybe we could find out
What are we to do
I don't have long fingernails to use
Would we care if we were black and blue?
We're both sick but still you hold my hand
We're together but I understand
Walk along the seaside
This is not a joyride
Tell me in the meantime
It's okay
@alexanderarnaud1310
This song and Desire Lines are this band's twin masterpieces.
@tosev85
I couldn't agree more!
@duewhit310
I listen to them on repeat
@polderdebanjan
And to think both of them are on Split. That album truly is a shoegaze classic but a little underappreciated.
@Reno_SF
And people wonder how.
@billvrabel1502
So beautifully melancholic, they got the guitar tone and everything else just perfect. Lush's Split it one of the finest in rock history and sadly it is often overlooked.
@fuggybootnling
I remember 10 years ago pointing out to a friend "No listen - it's two guitars tuned the same way interplaying with one another." Split is such an underrated album.
@danstudebaker7927
Absolutely beautiful and entrancing.
@SerenaBlackCat
Split is definitely in my top albums of my life
@robyourtime
Slowdive and Lush were light years ahead of Blur and Oasis. Not even comparable.