Miki's Mum

as Suki in 'The Protectors'

As many of you know, Miki's mum is of Japanese heritage. What some of you may not know is that she, like her fab daughter, was no slouch and no stranger to fame either.

Says Miki: "My mum, Yasuko Nagazumi, was an actress and had a very small role in You Only Live Twice (me too - she was 3 months pregnant). She was also in Space 1999, and The ProtectorsThe New Avengers. And a film called Wombling Free which I was very excited about at the time because I was about 9 and got to meet Bernard Cribbins."

Here's an expanded version of her bio from Wikipedia...

Yasuko Nagazumi (永積靖子, Nagazumi Yasuko, b 1943) is a producer and manager in Hollywood responsible for print advertising campaigns for clients such as Armani, Donna Karan, Guess?, Pirelli, Vogue Magazine and working with photographers Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton and others.

as Yasko in 'Space 1999'

A former actress, Yasuki is best known for her roles in British television as a regular cast member of The Protectors (as Suki) and Space: 1999 (as Yasko), and appeared in other programs such as The New Avengers (ep. "The Trap"). She was also featured in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice.

See more at: Yasuko Nagazumi - IMDb

Anniversary - Version One

Depending upon which school you have joined up with (the 1987 vrs. the 1988 chronical of events) right about now would be the 20th anniversary of a date that carries some significance to the Friends of Lush.

Going by an interview/story written by Pat Gilberts for "Record Collector" magazine (sorry, no date) we have evidence for the year 1987 as being the date for the creation of Lush. I'll pick up the interview where the 'date of somewhat significance' appears:

... Miki was adding primitive guitar to rockabilly garage band the Bugs, and even accompanied them on a European tour to promote their August 1987 album, 'Darkside' (which she didn't actually play on). Around this time, Miki and Emma began hatching a plan for their own band, initially called the Baby Machines. Recruiting two of Miki's classmates, singer Meriel Barham and Kendal-born drummer Chris Acland (then Miki's paramour), they began rehearsing in Miki's bedroom. After a few weeks, they realised they needed a proper bassist, and approached another student, Steve Rippon, who was five years older than the others and originally from Bracknell. 'I was in their class as well,' recalls Steve, phoning from Ireland. 'I was sitting in the college canteen one day, and they sidled up to me, really embarrassed. They said can you play bass? I said, no. They said, great, can you learn in six weeks?

'I went down to an audition at this place behind the Holloway Road,' he continues. 'They were possibly the worst group I'd ever seen in my life. It was an absolute cacophony. The songs were really simple and had titles like 'Female Hybrid', 'See-Saw' and 'He's A Bastard'. I thought, yeah, I can play bass to this.'

The urgency to recruit Steve was because of an impending gig at the Camden Falcon on 6th March 1988, supporting the Rosehips. In the event, the night passed as smoothly as could be expected, and the band branched out to play other venues on the London toilet circuit. They even supported Ted Harris from 'Playschool' at Ealing College. After they cut a four-song demo, internal tensions bubbled over and Meriel was given the push. 'She just wasn't interested,' sneers Emma. 'We'd organise all these gigs and she couldn't play them because her boyfriend was going away the next day or whatever. He came first. But she also felt uncomfortable playing guitar.' Meriel went on to join fellow 4AD shoe-gazers, the Pale Saints.

You know the rest of it. Miki took over the lead vocals position vacated by Meriel when no replacement could be found. And the rest is music history.

You can read the entire article reproduced here: http://www.curve.demon.co.uk/lush/press/p_art3.html