Moonflowers
Encyclopedia
The Moonflowers were a Bristol
-based rock band formed in 1987. The band was active as a performing and recording unit until 1997. To date they have released eight EPs and seven LPs on their own PopGod Records label, home to numerous other Bristol-based artists including Praise Space Electric (a Moonflowers spin-off featuring members of that band), Me, Ecstatic Orange
, Mammal among others.
Famed for colourful and spectacular live shows, designed and built by Liam Yeates. They have toured extensively in the UK, Europe and Japan.
, We Dig Your Earth, in 1989. After a one-off single on Heavenly Records
the following year "Get Higher"), singer The Reverend Sonik Ray (born Sean O'Neill) set up his own Pop God label for subsequent releases. The band received publicity after appearing in court for refusing to pay the Poll Tax
, and appearing naked in the NME
to promote their "Warshag" single. The band's debut album, Hash Smits, was released in December 1991, followed two years later by second album From Whales to Jupiter: Beyond the Stars of Rainbohemia. May 1995 saw the release of the Shake it Together EP and also an album that has been credited as having the longest title in history, We Would Fly Away (We Could Fly Away Never Look Back and Leave the World to Spin Silently in a Suicide Pact and all the Colours and Sounds That Pass Through Us in Space Fall Down to the Earth and Put a Smile on its Face).
The band relocated to France where they spent time busking
, before returning to the studio for the Japan
-only releases Brainwashing and Heartists Blue Life Stripes (1997) and Don't Just Sit There...Fly (2000) before splitting up.
Guitarist Jesse D Vernon had formed Morning Star in 1997, often featuring Jim Barr and John Parish
, releasing four albums between 1997 and 2010. O'Neill formed a new band, Solar Mumuns, and released the album Breaking Waters in 2002.
Drummer Toby Pascoe died on 1 June 2001.
The Moonflowers reformed for a gig at the Cube Microplex
on 11/11/11
Compilations:
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
-based rock band formed in 1987. The band was active as a performing and recording unit until 1997. To date they have released eight EPs and seven LPs on their own PopGod Records label, home to numerous other Bristol-based artists including Praise Space Electric (a Moonflowers spin-off featuring members of that band), Me, Ecstatic Orange
Ecstatic Orange
Ecstatic Orange is a ballet made by New York City Ballet balletmaster Peter Martins to Michael Torke's Verdant Music , Purple and Ecstatic Orange for City Ballet's American Music Festival; the second movement, Purple, was to a score commissioned for the occasion...
, Mammal among others.
Famed for colourful and spectacular live shows, designed and built by Liam Yeates. They have toured extensively in the UK, Europe and Japan.
History
The band formed in 1987 and released their debut EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, We Dig Your Earth, in 1989. After a one-off single on Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
the following year "Get Higher"), singer The Reverend Sonik Ray (born Sean O'Neill) set up his own Pop God label for subsequent releases. The band received publicity after appearing in court for refusing to pay the Poll Tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
, and appearing naked in the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
to promote their "Warshag" single. The band's debut album, Hash Smits, was released in December 1991, followed two years later by second album From Whales to Jupiter: Beyond the Stars of Rainbohemia. May 1995 saw the release of the Shake it Together EP and also an album that has been credited as having the longest title in history, We Would Fly Away (We Could Fly Away Never Look Back and Leave the World to Spin Silently in a Suicide Pact and all the Colours and Sounds That Pass Through Us in Space Fall Down to the Earth and Put a Smile on its Face).
The band relocated to France where they spent time busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
, before returning to the studio for the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
-only releases Brainwashing and Heartists Blue Life Stripes (1997) and Don't Just Sit There...Fly (2000) before splitting up.
Guitarist Jesse D Vernon had formed Morning Star in 1997, often featuring Jim Barr and John Parish
John Parish
John Parish is a British musician and producer best known for his work with singer and songwriter PJ Harvey,. His sister is the actress Sarah Parish.-Partial discography:Solo*Rosie *How Animals Move...
, releasing four albums between 1997 and 2010. O'Neill formed a new band, Solar Mumuns, and released the album Breaking Waters in 2002.
Drummer Toby Pascoe died on 1 June 2001.
The Moonflowers reformed for a gig at the Cube Microplex
Cube Microplex
The Cube Microplex is a cinema and event venue in central Bristol, which operates as a non-profit volunteer-run cooperative. Since opening in 1998 it has hosted artistic and cultural events including films and music performances as well as providing a focal point for the local artistic community...
on 11/11/11
Band members
- The Reverend Sonik Ray (Sean O'Neill) - vocals, guitar
- Smokin' Sam (Sam Burns) - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
- Jesse (David Vernon) - guitar
- Yoddon (Adam Pope) - drums (1987–1993)
- Dougal MacShagger (Paul Waterworth) - bass guitar (1987–1995)
- Elmo - DJ (1987–1990)
- Praise The Electric Moonchillum (Toby Pascoe) - drums, percussion, vocals (1990–2000)
- Gina Griffin - violin, viola, vocals (1993–2000)
Singles, EPs
- We Dig Your Earth EP (1989), Electric Stars
- "Get Higher" (1990), Heavenly
- "Warshag" (1991), Pop God
- "Fire" (1991), Pop God
- Groovepower EP (1991), Pop God
- Tighten Up On The Housework Brothers and Sisters EP (1992), Pop God
- The Covers EP (1992), Pop God
- Shake It Together EP (1995), Pop God
Albums
- Hash Smits (1991), Pop God
- From Whales to Jupiter Beyond the Stars of Rainbohemia (1993), Pop God
- Colours and Sounds (We Could Fly Away Never Look Back and Leave the World to Spin Silently in a Suicide Pact and all the Colours and Sounds That Pass Through Us in Space Fall Down to the Earth and Put a Smile on its Face) (1995), Pop God
- Brainwashing and Heartists Blue Life Stripes (1997), Crue-I
- Don't Just Sit There...Fly (2000), P-Vine
Compilations:
- Black Beetles and White Bird (1996), Crue-I
- Dirty and Lost (EPs Collection) (2002), Colour and Sounds