Miki Berenyi has opened up about how a “falling out” led to the end of the iconic shoegaze band Lush, saying the break up “still hurts”.
In a new reader interview with The Guardian, the musician spoke about the band’s break up following their highly anticipated reunion gigs in 2016. The shoegaze band initially split in 1998 following the death of drummer Chris Acland in 1996, but reformed in 2016, releasing an EP, ‘Blind Spot’, containing their first new music since 1996.
However, Lush then broke up for the second time in 2016 after returning for their first run of shows in two decades earlier that year.
In a joint statement at the time, the group wrote: “It’s been wonderful to revisit our old music and to create new material. However, it is now time for us to return to our families and homes, and bring our time together as a band to a close.”
Speaking to The Guardian, Berenyi said the reunion shows were only meant to be a one-off but a difficult relationship between herself and the band’s singer/guitarist Emma Anderson led to a falling out and the split.
In response to a fan who asked why the reunion was over so quickly, Berenyi explained: “The tour was always intended as a one-off, partly because I’ve got two kids, was the main breadwinner and wasn’t going to give up my job in publishing for the precarious finances of a band. Emma [Anderson] had her daughter, too.
“We had a great time making the EP and it was lovely to sell out the Roundhouse, but the problem in bands is always how you navigate bumps in the road. Without Chris [Acland] as a balancing influence, Emma and myself had a difficult relationship.
“Sometimes it was great. Sometimes it could be nasty. I didn’t write about it in my book because I didn’t want it to be like Morrissey’s autobiography, with pages of boringly minute detail on the trial. But there was a falling out and, if I’m honest, it still hurts.”
Following the second split, in 2018, Berenyi formed a new supergroup called Piroshka with Elastica’s Justin Welch, Moose’s KJ McKillop and Modern English’s Michael Conroy. Their debut album, ‘Brickbat’, was released in early 2019 via Bella Union.
Since then, the musician has released a memoir, Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success and is back with new music currently with the Miki Berenyi Trio. They release their debut album, ‘Tripla’ on April 4.
Last year, Anderson meanwhile shared a new remix of her 2023 song ‘Inter Light’. The original version of the track appeared on Anderson’s acclaimed debut solo album, ‘Pearlies’, which was released in October 2023.
Brighton-based duo Memorials – aka Matthew Simms and Verity Susman – brought some “’60s spy movie vibes” to ‘Inter Light’ by adding “fuzzed out guitars, drums and distorted tape noise for a much more exhilarating listen”.
Speaking about the reimagining, Anderson explained: “It kind of slims down the structure but increases the dynamics of the track overall which I love.
“There are real drums and more overdriven guitars. Also, the original fades but Matthew and Verity have put an ending on it which is almost my favourite part of the track. It really is a great rework.”
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