Hothouse Flowers, their story

This folk-inspired Irish rock group, who took their name from the title of a Wynton Marsalis album, are based around the nucleus of Liam O'Maonlai and Fiachna O'Broainain. O'Maonlai was formerly in a punk band called Congress which would later evolve into My Bloody Valentine. 

They started performing together as the Incomparable Benzini Brothers and busked in their native Dublin. In 1985 they won the Street Entertainers Of The Year Award. Recruiting Maria Doyle they became the Hothouse Flowers and landed a regular gig at the Magic Carpet Club just outside Dublin. Their notoriety spreading, they were highly praised in Rolling Stone magazine before they had even concluded a record deal. An appearance on RTE’s Saturday night chat programme—'The Late Show'—led to the issue of a single on U2's Mother label. 

"Love Don't Work That Way" came out in 1987 and though it wasn't a great success it brought them to the attention of PolyGram who signed them up. Their debut single for the major—"Don't Go"—was a number 11 UK hit. Further hits followed, including a cover of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now", "Give It Up" and "Movies". 

Their debut, PEOPLE (1988), reached number 2 in the UK charts. The band exist as part of a larger, looser 'Raggle Taggle' musical community, and members can be heard on material by the Indigo Girls, Adventures, Michelle Shocked and Maria McKee. In the early '90s they made their 'acting’ debut in an episode of the UK television series 'Lovejoy'.