Fat Tulips were an indiepop band from Nottingham, England who released one album, on the Vinyl Japan label, and over 10 singles on the band's own Heaven Records and others.
Formed in the late '80s in Peterborough by one Mark D, the band's first release was a flexi disc called 'You Opened Up My Eyes' and featured Sarah C. on vocals. Sarah quickly left the band, supposedly to pursue a career designing crop circles in Peru.
Mark then recruited new members consisting of Katie Keen on vocals, cat lover Paul Huckerby on bass, Glaswegian siren Sheggi Clarkson on guitar and floppy haired, pig van driver Matthew Johnson on drums.
Soon after the release of their single 'Where's Clare Grogan Now' (played by John Peel), Katie left the band and Sheggi became the new singer.
Subsequent releases, including "A Girl Called Suicide" (co-record of the week in Sounds), the EP 'Four Songs for Simon', 'Ferensway' and 'The Tulip Explodes', led to a multi-pound recording contract with the fab, 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-on-Trent. 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.
The ex-members of the band have gone onto to various things: Matthew is currently working on his baseball skills as he has been scouted to play for the New York Yankees, hopefully replacing Jason Giambi at first base; Paul is living in London where he is molding the minds of youngsters while playing in a brilliant new band called The Cut-Outs; Mark D. is fast becoming one of Britain's top painters and his work has been highlighted in, amongst other places, the Nottingham Evening Post as well as the web site for the Stuckist movement; Sheggi, after success playing in fellow Nottingham band, the Melons, is currently in New York where she lives with a Stephen Trask wannabe, and is a jungle warfare consultant for Soldier of Fortune magazine.
