Fat Tulips were an

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...

band from

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

, England, who released one album, on the Vinyl Japan label, and over 10 singles on the band's own Heaven Records and others.

History

The Fat Tulips were formed in the late 1980s in

Peterborough Peterborough ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is north of London, on the River Nene. A ...

Mark D Mark D, born Mark Randall,Deedes, Henry ''The Independent'', 13 February 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2008. is a British punk musician (guitarist and songwriter). He is also associated with the Stuckist group of artists. Mark D was born and spen ...

. Their first release was a

flexi disc The flexi disc (also known as a phonosheet, Sonosheet or Soundsheet, a trademark) is a phonograph record made of a thin, flexible vinyl sheet with a molded-in spiral stylus groove, and is designed to be playable on a normal phonograph turntable. ...

called ''You Opened Up My Eyes'' and featured Sarah C. on vocals. Sarah quickly left the band. Mark then recruited new members consisting of Katie Keen on vocals, Paul Huckerby on bass, Shelagh Clarkson on guitar and Matthew Johnson on drums. Soon after the release of their single "Where's Clare Grogan Now" (played by

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...

), Katie left the band and Sheggi became the new singer. Subsequent releases, including the EP ''Four Songs for Simon'', ''Ferensway'' and ''The Tulip Explodes'', led to a recording contract with the London based Vinyl Japan label, home and future home of BMX Bandits, the McCluskey Bros, and Thee Headcoats. The first of their Vinyl Japan output was an EP entitled ''Nostalgia'' and was recorded by Ken McPherson at his studio in

Burton upon Trent Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a market town in the borough of East Staffordshire in the county of Staffordshire, England, close to the border with Derbyshire. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 censu ...

. A tour of Germany supporting Throw That Beat in the Garbagecan soon followed. The band's debut album, ''Starfish'', also recorded by Ken McPherson, came out in 1994 and was followed by two more singles, "New Spring Rites for Sarah" and "Driving Me Wild" before the band called it a day.

Heaven Records

The Heaven Records

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

was started by the Fat Tulips in 1989 to release their own debut 7-inch single "Where's Clare Grogan Now?", the band's homage to the singer in

Altered Images Altered Images is a Scottish New wave music, new wave/post-punk band who found success in the early 1980s. Fronted by singer Clare Grogan, the group branched into mainstream pop music, having six UK top-40 hit singles and three top-30 albums ...

. The label is co-owned by guitarist / songwriter

of the Fat Tulips,

Confetti Confetti are small pieces or streamers of paper, mylar or metallic material, usually thrown at celebrations, especially parades and weddings. The origins are from the Latin ''confectum'', with ''confetti'' the plural of Italian ''confetto'', ...

and Fat Tulips drummer Matthew Johnson. Heaven is based in

Burton Joyce Burton Joyce () is a large Village#United Kingdom, village and civil parish in the Borough of Gedling, Gedling district of Nottinghamshire, England, east of Nottingham, between Stoke Bardolph to the south and Bulcote to the north-east. The A61 ...

. The label went on to release 7-inch singles by other bands including The Melons, Vicarage Garden,

, Strawberry Story, Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can, The Golden Dawn,

Velocity Girl Velocity Girl was an American indie rock band formed in 1989 in College Park, Maryland, and active in the Washington, D.C., area. The band released three albums before splitting up in 1996. The band reunited for a one-off concert in 2002 and f ...

, Unisex, The Rosehips, and Girl of the World.

Discography

Albums and EPs

*'' Early Years EP'' (1987) 7-inch EP *''Four Songs for Simon'' (1990) 7-inch EP *''Ferensway'' (1991) 7-inch EP *''The Tulip Explodes'' (1991) 7-inch EP *''Take Me Back to Heaven'' (1991) 7-inch EP *''Nostalgia'' (1992) 7-inch EP *''Albie'' (1992) 7-inch *''Driving Me Wild'' (1994) 7-inch/CD *''

Starfish Starfish or sea stars are Star polygon, star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class (biology), class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to brittle star, ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to ...

'' LP/CD

Singles

*"Sweet William" (1989)

split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...

flexi w/ The Rosehips *"Where's Clare Grogan Now" (1989) 7-inch single *"4 Bands 4 Songs" (1990) split flexi w/ The Applicants, The Haywains, Paintbox *"The Way Things Are" (1991) flexi *"Heaven" (1992) split flexi w/ Confetti *"New Spring Rites for Sarah" (1994) 7-inch single

Compilation appearances

*''El Dorado'' (1990) Various artists *''The Waaaaah! CD'' (1991) Various artists

External links

Fat Tulips websiteFat Tulips labelPaintings by Mark D.Fat Tulips Myspace page
* {{Authority control English rock music groups Musical groups from Nottingham English indie pop groups Musical groups established in 1987