Hothouse Flowers

Ireland's Hothouse Flowers first rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s through an impassioned, high-volume blend of rock & roll, Irish folk traditions, and American gospel. School friends Liam O'Maonlai, who handled vocals and keyboards, and Fiachna O'Broainain on guitar launched the project in Dublin as a street busking outfit named the Incomparable Benzini Brothers; O'Maonlai had previously performed with Congress, the band that preceded My Bloody Valentine. After claiming the Street Entertainers of the Year prize in 1985, the duo recruited bassist Peter O'Toole, saxophonist Leo Barnes, and drummer Jerry Fehily, then adopted the name Hothouse Flowers. Rolling Stone published an enthusiastic profile of the group even before it secured a recording contract. That situation changed once U2's Bono spotted the musicians on a late-night television broadcast; a subsequent release on U2's Mother imprint led directly to a PolyGram deal. The 1988 debut album People quickly reached number one on the Irish charts and climbed to number two in Britain. Success persisted with the follow-up releases Home and Songs From the Rain, although the band never progressed past cult-level recognition in the United States. Hothouse Flowers has remained largely inactive since 1993, during which time various members have contributed guest performances to recordings by other artists.