Lotus Crown

Lotus Crown took its name from an ancient Chinese fable and served as the primary outlet for singer and guitarist Jimi Shields, formerly of the Irish noise-pop band Rollerskate Skinny. Shields departed that group after the release of its 1994 EP Threshold, moved from Dublin to Chicago, and paused en route to handle drumming duties in his brother Kevin’s band My Bloody Valentine. Once established in the United States he assembled guitarist Paul Dillon, bassist Lennie Dietsch, and drummer Zack Kantor; the newly formed quartet soon toured in support of the Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev. Late in 1995 the band entered the studio to cut its debut EP, Alvar Aalto, whose title paid homage to the Finnish architect. Working with producer Dave Fridmann, the four-piece completed the full-length album Chokin’ on the Jokes, which appeared in the spring of 1997.