[Ed. Note- There is a Spotify playlist at the end of this long essay for those who want to listen but not read to the point of exhaustion.]

MARCH 27, 1991

Who would ever think that a gig in Detroit on that non-descript night 34 years ago involving two British bands with combined 8 musicians would still resonate so profoundly in my mind listening and music collecting today?

But it does.

THE PROMISE

1991 was the nascent period of the shoegaze scene. Two such artists who had taken over my psyche were RIDE from Oxford 🇬🇧 and LUSH, from London🇬🇧.

RIDE had released 4 perfect eps and a debut LP entitled “Nowhere” on CREATION RECORDS.

The band was powered by guitar/ vocalists ANDY BELL and MARK GARDENER with STEVE QUERALT on bass and LOZ COLBERT playing drums.

LUSH was also a 4 piece propelled by a dynamic duo of women -MIKI BERENYI and EMMA ANDERSON.

Their first release was the 6 track mini LP entitled “Scar” (1989 (4AD)

In early 1991 RIDE and LUSH did a North American co-headlining tour.

The Detroit venue was the once glamorous, but by then faded, LATIN QUARTER in east Detroit.

Group members ALAN (who owned Play It Again Records in Royal Oak), MARC and possibly PAT P. from CJAM were there with me.

And what a gig it was was! LUSH were sublime and addictive and RIDE were monumental.

To that point, the only other time I had heard guitar sounds that insane was by THE POLICE (with opener XTC who was the draw for me) at The Masonic a few years earlier

[However, I still think there was additional orchestration being pumped in for that.]

But nothing was supplementing RIDE this night. It was such a pristine and crisp sound – I can still recall it today.

DISAPPOINTMENT

The bands moved on to early 90’s indie success before each imploded.

In 1996 Lush ended after 4 LPs with band tensions running high. That was followed a month later by drummer Chris Acland taking his own life. That tragedy ended any possibility of a near- term reformation.

The last Lush LP was “Topolino” – 1996.)

RIDE’S first two LPs had them on the way to indie glory but then they misguidedly morphed into a Britpop sound LP 3- Carnival Of Light” (1994) and LP 4- “Tarantula” (1996) were disappointments to most and ended the creative partnership.

THE END?

And then there was mostly creative silence.

BELL immediately started a new outfit HURRICANE #1. They recorded two LPs and a clutch of eps on Creation Records with a sound that was more like early RIDE-but not quite. I bought all of their releases but they were, at best, very good, but not life-affirming.

GARDINER put out a solo LP “These Beautiful Ghosts” in 2005. He also worked with ROBIN GUTHRIE of the COCTEAU TWINS 🇬🇧.

BELL eventually decided to get a job by playing sessional/ touring guitar for “ODIOUS” OASIS for a number of years.

As for LUSH, BERENYI began working in the magazine business. ANDERSON formed SING SING 🇬🇧. They released 2 LPs and then she left the music business for a period.

It seemed bleak and I figured I was sentenced to listening to the early releases (which I did often).

UNLIKELY RETURNS!!

Just over 10 years ago both of these great bands reformed!!

It started for both with offers of live performances and then studio music!

The output of LUSH was brief. They released just a single 4 track ep entitled “Blind Spot”. However? The song “Out of Control” is my all-time favourite Lush track.

They toured in 2016 and I got to see them at St. Andrew’s Hall!

Then they broke up again. Butythe creativity did not stop!

BERENYI formed the outfit PIROSHKA with her husband Moose from the 90’s underrated band also named MOOSE. They released two glorious LPs.

She also authored a book entitled “Fingers Crossed: how music saved me from success” (Nine Eight Books) (2022).

Just last week, the debut LP by the MIKI BERENYI TRIO arrived!!

It is entitled “Tripla”. I have played it repeatedly already!

Listen and watch this instant classic- “Vertigo”.

EMMA released a solid solo LP in 2023 – “Pearlies” (Sonic Cathedral).

That was followed by “Spiralée (Pearlies Rearranged)”, comprising 10 remixes.

It is sensational. I am addicted to the luxurious “Willow and Mallow- Daniel Hunt Mix)-

WHEW!

The RIDE crew has been even more prolific. Just this month their time together as a reformed band exceeded the length of their original run!

The intro to the opening track of “Weather Diaries” (2017 Wichita), feels like a comet returning unexpectedly. I was exhilarated listening to that walking in Ottawa in May of that year.

Here is “Lannoy Point.”

Lead single “Charm Assault” made it clear this return was not going to be a money-grabbing nostalgic play-

They released a remix Lp the next year entitled “Waking Up In Another Town: Weather Diaries Remixed.”

This was followed by “This Is Not A Safe Place” in 2019.

That LP was curiously redone by modern classical composers Pêtr Aleksänder.

ANDY BELL has been industrious. He has released 3 remarkable solo LPs.

To boot, there are numerous 10” records.

As if that has not been enough, he has created an electronic alter- ego GLOK. In addition to being active remixing numerous artists GLOK now has a a substantial discography.

In 2023 RIDE embarked on a joint tour with THE CHARLATANS where they each presented their debut LPs in their entirely.

Their ace Soundman and Group member STU was kind enough to send me a signed playlist later.

In 2024 RIDE released their brilliant 3rd rebound LP entitled “Interplay”.

This featured my favourite song of the year- “Monaco”

Here is DJ Drew attending the RIDE gig at the Magic Stick in Detroit last May.

Bell won’t stop. He released an LP with ambient artist MASAL 🇬🇧 (produced by Mark Gardener) on Sonic Cathedral.

Now his 3rd solo LP has arrived to great acclaim. Here is a signed copy on the rex turntable…

The lead single is “I’m In Love” featuring legendary ONE DOVE vocalist and frequent Bell collaborator DOT ALLISON 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Not to be outdone in this onslaught of remarkable music, RIDE drummer STEVE QUERALT is just about to release his debut solo LP!

It is entitled “Swallow” and will be out on June 13!

Here is the lead song entitled “Lonely Town”.

It does not surprise me to note that none other than LUSH vocalist EMMA ANDERSON is providing the intoxicating vocals.

SPOTIFY-

FINISH this post rex

A on that damp but invigorating night 34 years ago that the 8 musicians on stage would go on to provide me with a lifetime of musical bliss…

Here is a quick photo I took in my backyard of most (but not all) of the vinyl I have from these artists.

[Ed. Note- we locked the music room to prevent rex from separating out his CDs on this. Even this kind of obsession has to have a limit.]

I have taken a look at my computer and can tell you that my collection of music from this astonishing group of artists totals 662 SONGS and over 54 HOURS of original music!

To commemorate, I have been working for some time (weeks actually) on both this essay AND a 34 song SPOTIFY playlist for your enjoyment.

I hope it gives you hours of listening enjoyment. Please feel free to share the playlist with others.

If you have read this far, I very much appreciate you…

The playlist is aptly entitled “A LUSH RIDE”

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7Cmd5hQJ4FilN0DQBwJ8tY?si=hNi7k851S9qTLT-qKETK6A&pi=u–plNkomSRBKb

(SONGS 1016- 1050)

Play Loud Or Perish

April 20, 2025