The Lush – It means "beautiful." At least, that's what we like to think. More so than the somewhat negative connotation people can give it. In truth, none of us would touch a drop of alcohol. Not necessarily because of outstanding morals or beliefs, but instead because we don't really like the taste or what it does to our friends. We like to think we stand for a lot of things – putting our fans first, getting to know each and every one of them if they so desire. That's how the four of us met to begin with. We used to be friends. It didn't take long for us to become a family. Our story doesn't stray much from the average group of guys trying to "make it big" in a world that wants to keep you down. But where we differ is extraordinary.
Jeremy (vocals and guitar) played bass for former StL band, The Cause. They found success in St. Louis and most of the Midwest through a heavy touring regimen and constant hometown shows. Along with experience on how to lead a band to success, this is where Jeremy realized that this life was the kind of life he intended to lead. As things changed, the scene saw the ugly demise of The Cause. Once recovered, Jeremy immediately began to formulate how he could take St. Louis by storm and show them something they were craving – a high-octane live show, good recordings that are pure and not over-produced, and a group of guys that care not just about the music they give to their listeners, but also about the message it sends. If you've ever seen The Lush live, you too can be witness - Jeremy puts every ounce of himself into this band and its show.
The answer he was looking for came in the form of a childhood friend. Andrew (bass and vocals) and Jeremy had played in Little League together from the age of 9, but as mentioned before, things changed and they lost touch. They were reunited years later, when a mutual friend made them each realize that as time passed, they had each retained the same interest – a passion for music. As the tree branches, Andrew introduced Jeremy to the two people that would become the heart and soul of The Lush.
Gabe (drums and vocals) and Alex Wilkinson (guitar), brothers from South St. Louis, were known to their friends and acquaintances as being prodigies in their respected fields. Gabe, only 17 years old, has been playing drums for what seems like only a handful of years, but a better drummer there can't be found, boasting of his ability to perform what sounds like "double-kick" with only one foot. We like to think of Gabe as the backbone of The Lush. Not just because he's the drummer. Everyone knows that the drummer is the battery that drives a band. No, Gabe is our backbone because he often gets dragged into carrying our heaviest equipment. And not once have I ever heard him complain about it, even as he lifts our heavy Marshall cabs into the back of a truck on a 100+ degree day.
Alex Wilkinson is a story all his own. At the age of 15, he's accomplished more in the Rock scene than many do in a lifetime, becoming the co-captain of this "business." And don't by any means let the age fool you. If you're put-off or doubt for one second, the talent possessed by either Alex or Gabe, I put you to the challenge of simply listening to the lead line in "Circles" or the solo at the end of "Fake It 'Til You Make It" and keep in mind that Alex wrote them when he was 12 years old. Or have a listen to any of the drums fills in "The Good Die Alone" and just try to recreate them for yourself. These guys are no longer kids. And they haven't been for some time now. They are talents that are forcing the world to reckon with them. And chances are…they are better than you!
The four of us entrust our lives to each other. That's the kind of kinship we expected to have among each other. It's a certain chemistry that allows us to anticipate a movement during a jam session just by looking at each other. No words need be spoken. Just a glance says "pick it up," or "half-time, or even "don't do what your about to do…do this instead!" It's a kind of connection that allows all of us to become better as we continue to mature. We feel that we'll never be bound by our physical limitations as long as we continue to do this thing we love. When we play together, it just works.
"Lost In Between", our debut EP is set to release in late December of '07. The whole album was really a hodge-podge of ideas that occurred over the summer of '07. We see it as more of a life-long goal than a debut EP. We pulled out all the stops, bringing in cellists, pianists, a solo vocalist, and a choir, in our attempt to show the world our versatility. This is the album we've always wanted to create and we created it in our first attempt. That begs the question - "what can we possibly do next?"
The future of The Lush is a bright one. Even with our sweeping harmonies, catchy choruses, and melodic, yet soaring dual-guitar assault, the extent of our talents remains to be seen. Our intention is to have our second EP make "Lost In Between" sound like a joke. We want to be embarrassed to have created it. If that's not saying something, then I don't know how else to convey my message. In our nine short months (as of November 2007), we've developed wonderful friendships, recorded an album, and shared a stage with the likes of Mayday Parade, Josephine Collective, Amber Pacific, Monty Are I, The Junior Varsity, Street To Nowhere, not to mention some of St. Louis' biggest names – The Vanity Affair, Ava, Wait, Rushmore Academy, Fairwell, Nothing Still, Novella, and Machree. We're here to take the scene by storm. We're here to stay. So keep The Lush in your mind because soon you won't be able to forget us. We've only just begun.