The Moonflowers were a Bristol-based indie 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.
The band formed in 1987 and released their debut EP, 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.
Links to Peel[]
Peel discovered the band in late 1990 when he played a track from their 'Get Higher' single. Further material from the band, included a session recorded in 1991 were played on his shows, but by the beginning of 1992, he didn't play any further records by the group.
Sessions[]
THE MOONFLOWERS John Peel 23rd January 1991
1. Recorded: 1991-01-23. First Broadcast: 16 February 1991. Repeated: 14 April 1991
- My Baby / Groove Power / Back Where We Belong / Higher
Other Shows Played[]
- 1990
- 01 December 1990: Get Higher (The "Rather Large In The Bristol Area" Mix) (12") Heavenly
- 09 December 1990: Get Higher (12") Heavenly
- 16 December 1990: Get Higher (The "Get Dubber" Mix) (12") Heavenly
- 1991
- 05 January 1991 (BFBS): 'Get Higher (12")' (Heavenly) (JP: 'These are, you will remember, the people who tried to get out of paying their Poll Tax by claiming that they were from another planet. Unfortunately, they didn't get away with it.')
- 06 January 1991: Get Higher (The "Get Dubber" Mix) (12 inch) (Heavenly)
- 13 January 1991: Warshag (12 inch limited edition) Pop God
- 19 May 1991: Fire (12") Pop God
- 14 December 1991: We Dig Your Earth (album - Hash Smits) Pop God