“We did think about it a few years ago, but we’ve all got families,” he says. “At the time, Miki [Berenyi, guitar/vocals]’s children were too young. Miki wasn’t comfortable with the idea just yet, so we put it on the backburner. So now just seemed like the right time. I mean, there was talk about doing it last year, but I was doing the Psychocandy tour with The Jesus and Mary Chain, so I asked if we could delay it a year. It also makes it a clean-cut 20 years since disbanding, so it’s a lot neater.”
Originally the plan was just to get back together and play some shows. “Then Emma [Anderson, vocals/guitar] suggested we write new songs,” says King. “It was all quite effortless really. But because we’ve all got families and day jobs, it took quite a while to organise anything.”
Blind Spot was co-produced by Danny Hunt of UK outfit Ladytron and British studio wiz Jim Abbiss (Adele, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian). After spending one week in Abbiss’ studio, they came out with four songs that are undeniably Lush; dreamy guitars awash with reverberating vocal melodies and hazy pop undertones.
“Emma wanted new songs rather than playing the old numbers and it being more of a revival thing,” King says. “All the reviews of it have been very positive. We picked up from where we left off really. And hopefully, you know, we will be planning an album at some point. I hope we make it to Australia at some point. We haven’t been there since 1992.”
A photo researcher for Uncut magazine and a veteran of the British music press, King is well versed in the inner workings of the music industry. “I think the climate has changed a lot. I think in terms of music press, the press that’s around today is not as bitchy and negative. It could be quite flattering at times but also extremely vicious. It doesn’t seem to happen any more, thankfully. And also with the internet, you’ve got your audience right there. You’re in direct contact with fans. So the power of the press isn’t as overwhelming or as strong as it was, especially the English music press. At one point they could build you up and knock you down.”
Reminiscing on the times of old, in particular the band’s visits to America, King recounts one of Lush’s most memorable on the road hiccups. “I think the only time we really got heckled was at the KROQ Weenie Roast in 1996. It was Kiss’ return show. We were on a revolving stage and The Fugees were on right before us. They went over the stipulated set time and were only halfway through Killing Me Softly – which reached number one on the charts – and the stagehands rotated the stage. We came out to resounding boos and a lot of unhappy punters.”
BY AARON STREATFEILD
