The Birth and Death of Flesh of the Lotus

In 2005 I was freelancing as an independent events producer and I was the Technical Logistics Manager, amongst other things, for Revelation Perth International Film Festival.

The idea of adding a live music component was being considered and given my musical background and industry contacts, I began searching for a house band to perform during the festival in July. It was hard finding one to fit the bill at the time, so I approached my friends at TAFE Music Campus in Leederville from where I graduated in 2001. They were cool to assist and introduced me to five hand-picked top students to put under my wing. I was in the thick of my events exploits and this was a challenging opportunity to customize a band.

Simon Hallet on Bass, Matt Mclean on Keys, Cameron Dobie on lead guitar, John Costello on rhythm guitar and from Japan Shinok Mizuno on drums. These guys were aged between 17 and 19 and got along fine but never played live or written music before. Fortunately, TAFE were associated with Lounge Guitars Rehearsal Studios at the time, so we had regular access to rooms. I had about 3 months left to get a solid band off the ground from scratch, so we got to work immediately. This was going to be an instrumental outfit providing the right ambiance for a film festival and these guys needed direction, so I came up with a couple of melodies to build from and guided the compositions along. I was manifesting an action, crime, romance, blast onto the screen vibe and I had the right kind of inspirational material too.

I was heavily into alternative film culture at the time and I created a video library downstairs with over 2000 obscure VHS tapes from the golden eras of the 70’s and 80’s. They needed a name and given the nature of their sound I had the perfect one sitting on the shelf saved for this very occasion. I christened the band Flesh of the Lotus. It was the title of an old porno film made in 1971, coincidentally also the year I was born, starring John Holmes as Johnny Wadd Private Detective. Mixed together with the music of the Blaxploitation film movement around the same time, both genres produced some iconic revolutionary and provocative cinema with progressive funky soundtracks. That vibe inspired our underling sound spiked with the lad’s own personal flairs and flavours.

Meanwhile back at Rev, the boss struck a deal with The SBS Movie Show, an independent film critic television show from Sydney, to broadcast live on opening night from The Fly By Night Club in Fremantle. I knew the Fly quite well through my own events and they were typically hospitable. As things progressed, the band was asked to play opening night. By the time the TV crew and hosts turned up in Perth, Flesh of the Lotus wrote and recorded 6 kick-ass songs. The guy’s talents really shone through and the music turned out perfect for its purpose. It's very visual music which produces a voyage through different emotions like a movie. But it also had a magic. I noticed people had an instant positive reaction to it. Good sign.

Flesh were almost ready to play their first gig on national live TV. Almost. I hired the help of a fashionable friend of mine to help dress them smart but cool. Opening night sold out. I was really excited for us and it was such a great opportunity to work with a professional TV production crew and the three presenters Megan Spencer, Jamie Leonarder and Fanella Kernabone. The band were set up to the right of the hosts Letterman style. Lights, camera, action and Boom! The show went extremely well. This was a very proud moment for a first-time band manager and these talented young promising musicians. Such an amazing launch for an unknown local band. The tv show aired twice. I was on such a high. Flesh played brilliantly throughout the festival collecting many compliments and more fans. This was truly a magnificent thing and I had to keep it rolling.

After Rev, I registered the band to compete in the National Campus Bands Competition. By this time the band managed to gain a loyal following amongst their fellow students and friends. We played last at our first competition gig to a decent size crowd punching the air chanting Flesh! Flesh! Flesh! We took out first place that night and won every heat making it to the finals at the Rosemount Hotel. That night we performed last again and as usual a crowd of chanting fans created an electric atmosphere as the band played a killer set blowing everyone out of the way. When the time came for the competition rep and a couple of Jim Beam skimpy chicks holding a giant cheque to announce the winner, I was sure we’d win.

However, we came second. First place was given to an average three-piece indi-rock outfit with hair to go with their guitars. Their name escapes my memory, but I think they disappeared soon after. Completely gutted, I stood there bewildered. Eventually the head of WAM at the time approached me. How do you feel? Swindled I said. Welcome to the music industry he replied.

Flesh of the Lotus were clearly the winners. I heard accusations of us having a rent a crowd and apparently the lack of a vocalist didn’t score points with the judges. Rubbish. This band was blatantly the fucking greatest with so much potential. We were worthy. But as usual people put in control tend to hinder progress for stupid reasons. At the end of that year, Flesh headlined New Year’s Eve at The Funk Club one of the most popular nightclubs in town and played to over a few hundred people dancing into 2006.

Eventually, as bands cruise along, the wheels start to fall off and without going into specifics the engine ceased.

Despite everything, Flesh of the Lotus created some fucking great music and thankfully it was captured.

I learnt band management is self-inflicted slavery and the best bands don’t enter comps.

Enjoy

Flesh of the Lotus