Dead Flowers have gone through some fairly severe transformations since the heady days of 1987 / 88 when Crazyhead took them under their wing to give them national exposure, and much needed live experience. They began as a garage psych outfit with Steev on drums, Noy and Graeme Swindon (both members of Steev's previous band "Acid" who recorded a single called "Shout" that brilliantly predated the psychedelic dance scene as early as 1984) and "Psylonsimon". After various line up changes and a mere nine months the band reached number 10 in the Sounds new bands readers poll, but such a rapid rise took it's toll and the band lost their lead vocalist Noy shortly after the release of their debut single "TV"/"Fallout". A year later, with a new line-up, the band hit the press again, but unfortunately not because of their music. The lads became nationally infamous when every major paper from the NME to The Mirror told the story of their arrest in Leeds, by armed police who thought they were terrorists armed with guns. The band were infact armed with waterpistols, and were playing a prank on Crazyhead, with whom they were on tour with at the time. After a night in the cells, they were told by the police never to visit Leeds again... The bands gigging partnership with Crazyhead ended when Steev left for India.
It was a few years later when Steev - now called Baba - returned from India and the band began recording with a refreshed lineup that included Ferank Manseed on vocals, Baba Swayambhunath on lead guitar, Mark McIver on bass and "The Thing" on drums. Based around their Club God in Newcastle and a gradually evolving lineup the band had developed a much more psychedelic sound with space rock influences that oozed originality. The first album on Mystic Stones "Smell The Fragrance" was a collection of material recorded by various line-ups and had a heavy acid guitar sound whilst the second "Moontan" was highly praised by many publications all over Europe and a number of gigs in Holland went down very well indeed.
In May 1994 the 'Flowers went into the studio, with a new member Chris on keys, to record their first album for Delerium. It has proved itself to be their greatest work to date. "Altered State Circus" is an almost perfect fusion of ambient trance music and psychedelic rock....