Formation and early sound (1987–88)[edit]
The band formed in 1987 in London, initially named The Baby Machines (after a line in the Siouxsie and the Banshees song "Arabian Knights"), with a lineup of Meriel Barham (vocals), Anderson (guitar, vocals), Berenyi (guitar, vocals), Steve Rippon (bass) and Chris Acland (drums).[2][3]

Anderson and Berenyi had been school friends, having known each other since the early 1980s, and together published the Alphabet Soup fanzine.[3] In 1986, Anderson joined The Rover Girls as bassist, and Berenyi joined The Bugs, also as a bass player. Neither band lasted long, and in 1987, they joined Barham and Acland in The Baby Machines.[2] Rippon joined shortly thereafter, and the band members decided on a change of name to Lush, making their live debut at the Camden Falcon on 6 March 1988.[2][3] Barham left the band and later joined Pale Saints. Berenyi then took on lead vocal duties.[2]

Anderson said of the band's beginnings: "We were kind of punk rock in one way. We did think, 'Well, if they can do it, why the fuck can't we?' Basically, our idea was to have extremely loud guitars with much weaker vocals. And, really, the vocals were weaker due to nervousness – we'd always be going 'Turn them down! Turn them down!'"[3] Berenyi said, "We started by writing crappy riot grrl anthems... which was probably charming in a juvenile way. But there was a very rapid shift from the minute we started to write for records. The music, the lyrics became much more thoughtful and expressive, more important, really. I remember that change beginning when Emma wrote "Thoughtforms," it certainly made me think I needed to get my act together."[3]

Scar, EPs and Spooky (1989–92)[edit]
In 1989, the band signed to 4AD and released Scar, a six-track mini-album. Critical praise for Scar and a popular live show established Lush as one of the most written-about groups of the early 1990s UK indie scene. Anderson told Everett True in Melody Maker, "I remember when I couldn't play, I wasn't in a band, didn't know anyone else who could play, and now we've got a record out on 4AD. I sometimes find it impossible to come to terms with what's happening."[3]

Not long after, the British music press tagged them with the "shoegazing" label. The following year, the EPs Mad Love (produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins) and Sweetness and Light (produced by Tim Friese-Greene) were released.[4] All three releases were eventually combined into the Gala compilation album, which was produced mainly for the US and Japanese markets. The band recorded a live session for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show in 1990 and contributed a cover version of "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" later that year to the anti-poll tax album Alvin Lives (In Leeds).[2]

The band's profile was raised by extensive touring, including an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival in June 1990 and tours of Japan in late 1990 and the US (with Ride) in the spring of 1991.[2][5] Preceded by the Black Spring EP issued in October 1991, Lush's first full-length album of completely new material, Spooky, was released in January 1992. Again produced by Guthrie, Spooky featured a sound very similar to Guthrie's band Cocteau Twins, with walls of sound and a great deal of guitar effects. Reviews were mixed and critics of the album held that Guthrie's production brought the sound away from the band's original creative vision, although it sold well, reaching number 7 in the UK Albums Chart.[2] The album was preceded by the band's first UK top 40 single, "For Love."[2] Rippon left the band during the final mixing of the album to concentrate on writing, though his book Cold Turkey Sandwich—a fictionalised chronicle of his time touring—was rejected by publishers. He was replaced by Phil King.[3] Also in 1992, Lush toured America as part of the second edition of the Lollapalooza festival.[2] Lush was added to the roster by Lollapalooza organiser Perry Farrell, the Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros frontman, who personally requested Lush.[3]