SKULLFLOWER

Skullflower is the main (and most well-known) of these bands. They formed in 1985; while their personnel is somewhat fluid, the core has always been Matthew Bower (guitar) and Stuart Dennison (dru ms). Stefan Jaworzyn (bass, guitar) appeared on early albums such as BIRTHDEATH and FORM DESTROYER; he was subsequently replaced by Russell Smith on later releases. Gary Mundy contributed guitar parts on the first two albums and bassist Anthony DiFranco (aka JFK) made his initial appearance on the two new tracks on RUINS. Other participants on various releases have included Alex Binnie, Stephen Thrower (of Coil), and Philip Best (vocals). Skullflower packed it in after the release of THIS IS..., but returned in 2003 (with EXQUISITE FUCKING BOREDOM) as a largely solo vehicle for Matthew Bower.

Anthony diFranco on his initiation into Skullflower: "The first time I played in Skullflower was in February 1989 -- I was aged 16. It was Gary Mundy who got me involved, because I'd done a couple of cassettes for Broken Flag the previous year. The session was at Ian MacKay's studio in Brixton; line-up: myself, M. Bower, S. Jaworyzn, G. Mundy. At that point Matt was on drums.... It was a great session -- we recorded 'Elephant's Graveyard' and 'Black Ass Bone' plus a couple of rejects. Interestingly, Gary... spent most of the session chainsmoking and worrying about a stolen credit card -- he did some great guitar though."

And Anthony clears up the mysterious personnel questions regarding LAST SHOT AT HEAVEN: "LAST SHOT features a shifting lineup... mainly the three of us but 'Blown Dukes' is just Matt and Stuart. 'Rotten Sun 2' has got the three of us plus Gary and Philip. It was recorded live in Northampton, UK in 1992 at a gig organized by Justin [of] Cold Spring."

For more info about Skullflower, check out Sacha Colgate's comments.

CASSETTES:	SORTIES (???) [Broken Flag]
LPs / CDs:	BIRTHDEATH (ep) (1988) [Broken Flag] FORM DESTROYER (1989) [Broken Flag] RUINS (1990) [Shock] XAMAN (1990) [Shock] IIIRD GATEKEEPER (1992) [HeadDirt] LAST SHOT AT HEAVEN (1993) [Noiseville] OBSIDIAN SHAKING CODEX (1993) [RRRecords] CARVED INTO ROSES (1994) [VHF] ARGON (1995) [Freek Records] ADIEU, ALL YOU JUDGES (1995) [Broken Flag] with Ramleh INFINITYLAND (1995) [HeadDirt/PDCD] TRANSFORMER (1996) [Sympathy For the Record Industry] THIS IS SKULLFLOWER (1996) [VHF Records] EXQUISITE FUCKING BOREDOM (2003) [tUMULt] ORANGE CANYON MIND (2005) [Crucial Blast] TRIBULATION (2006) [Crucial Blast] ABYSSIC LOWLAND HISS (2007) [Heavy Blossom] IIIRD GATEKEEPER (reissue) (2007) [Crucial Blast] DESIRE FOR A HOLY WAR (2008) [Utech Records] PURE IMPERIAL REFORM (2008) [Turgid Animal]
SINGLES:	"I Live in the Bottomless Pit/Bo Diddley's Shitpump" "Rift/Avalanche" (1990) [Majora] "Slaves/Satan My Black Ass, Steve Albini = Jim Steinman" (1990) [Forced Exposure] "Rotten Sun/Spook Rise" (1991) [Toejam Records] "Evil Twin/Come In" (1991) (split w ith MTT) [Minus Habens] "Bad Alchemy/Blues for H. M." (1992) [Dying Earth] "Evel Knievel/Teenage Lightning/Diamond Bullet" (1992) [Sympathy for the Record Industry] "Ponyland/Fake Revolt" (1993) [Sympathy for the Record Industry] "Choady Foster/Spent Force" (1994) [Helter Skelter] "White Fang # 2/Glassy Essence" (1994) [Freek Records] "Village Sorting" (1995) [Self Abuse] "Total" (1996) [Way Out Sound/Vinyl Communications] split with Axolotl (2008) [Not Not Fun]
COMPILATIONS:	SHRINE (1992) [Cold Spring] "RRR-100" (1993) [RRRecords] ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH PAIN (???) [RRR] ["Hamburger Lady"] THE PORTABLE ALTAMONT (1991) [Shock] COMIN' DOWN FAST! (1993) [Helter Skelter]