The Flowers - (Life) After Dark

Remember this one from way back in the late '70's when i worked at records on wheels - brilliant band/track - it's her lyrics that totally rawk - check it out!


Flowers formed in 1978, and were part of the Edinburgh scene which spawned bands such as Scars, Josef K and The Fire Engines. Early line-ups featured members of local disruptors Dirty Reds: Russell Burn (later of The Fire Engines and Win) and Dave Carson (Boots for Dancing). After bassist Graham Proctor departed, Flowers settled in early 1979 to the line-up which toured and recorded for the next year:

• Hl-Ray (Hilary Morrison) - vocals
• Andy Copland - guitar
• Fraser Sutherland - bass
• Simon Best - drums

Picking up their instruments as a result of the 1976 punk explosion in New York and the UK, Flowers attempted to fuse a punk sensibility with a love of funk and melodic pop to create a new sound. Flowers contributed two tracks ("After Dark" and "Criminal Waste") to the first Earcom compilation released by Fast Product, and recorded two singles for the Pop Aural label. "After Dark" and "Confessions" both featured on an American compilation album of Fast Product output, Mutant Pop 78/79 which also featured Human League, Scars, Gang of Four, 2.3 and The Mekons. Flowers also recorded a session for John Peel, broadcast on Radio 1 in September 1979 which featured "Living Doll", "Deep End Dance", "Tunnels" and "Tear Along".
The band played regularly throughout the UK, often opening for Human League and The Mekons, and also touring with The Beat and OMD. Simon Templar /Bloomfield (Rezillos, Boots for Dancing, Shake) replaced departing bassist Fraser Sutherland for later gigs including Futurama 1980 in Leeds before the group parted company.