(c’88-93) Andy Clark (vocals / guitar), Pat Evans (guitar), Chris Wareham (bass) and Boris the drum machine.

The Flowers of Sacrifice on stage.

Clark and Evans were in Neverland with Gary Henderson (guitar) and Mark Hopgood (keyboards). Following Hopgood’s death in a car accident the remaining three formed The Brethren. A difference in musical direction led to Henderson leaving in ’88 and the formation of Farnborough based 2-piece Goth band The Flowers of Sacrifice.

The band’s first gig was on 28 September ’90 at The George, Ash Vale supporting Explodehead; playing four songs – two originals (Midnight Red, and Nowhere Train), and two covers (New Model Army’s 51st State and Demolition Man by the Police) – between the headliners two sets. Their second gig followed six months later.

At some point in 1990 Krissi Gould (sax / guitar / backing vocals) and multi-instrumentalist Lee Rumble (bass) – he was the drummer with After the Dream, and Suck Henry – joined the band. They competed in the battle of the bands at the White Hart, Frimley – at which Mick Magic was one of the judges; another judge, who was purportedly a devout Christian, thought the band were Satanists and gave them zero points – they didn’t win. In ’91, Farnborough Groove Vol.1 published the bands track “16 Roses”.

1991’s poster that caused the Flowers a call from the police and the threat of legal action.

’91 was also the year the band got into a little bother thanks to a poster. Compiled by Giant Arc‘s Geoff Hawkes and based on a Blast magazine cover with white space for venue and date/s the band used it to promote their half a dozen or so gigs a month in the local area. However, the police intervened, and legal action threatened, for potentially inciting violent acts and the poster had to be changed, but not without a bit of local publicity out of all the furore. The band replaced ‘violence’ with ‘freedom’. On 29 October ’91, the band performed a special Halloween bash at Ragamuffins, Camberley; then two days later, on Halloween night they were at The George, Ash Vale. The following week they appeared in Aldershot’s Army & Navy. Around this time Gould and Rumble, who was starting work at Von’s Studio, Islington, left and Chris Wareham (bass) joined, after dabbling with Parmaviolet, bringing the group to the fully fledged 3-piece that gigged locally, with excursions to Southampton and Birmingham.

The Flowers of Sacrifice’s “Flower Power” cassette EP inlay.

The following year the cassette EP: “Flower Power”, was released, carrying the six tracks “Word Politik”, “Dark Carnival”, “Never & Ever”, “Body Betrayal”, “Nowhere Train”, and “Monochrome”. ’92 also saw The Flowers of Sacrifice’s “Dark Carnival”‘ and “Monochrome” appear on the German goth rock compilation cassette ‘Dragon’s Born Tonight’ [BT 38] on the Beton Tapes label and “Asylum” included on Farnborough Groove Vol.2, of which The Gossville Arsonist was not overly complimentary. This was either side of Barney Rubbles at Lakeside Cabaret Club, Frimley on 17 April ’92, where The Flowers of Sacrifice appeared with Peachrazor, Giant Arc, Nuss, and Girls on Dextrose. Halloween, 31 October ’92, was spent at the Halloween Goth Spectacular at The George, Ash Vale, where the Flowers… were joined by Girls on Dextrose and Different Drummer.

Another year passes before their second cassette EP, “Never Loved Eldritch” is released. This included “Sometimes Cold”, “Asylum”, “Under” and “Don’t Drift Away”. Also in ’93 the band’s track “Never & Ever” is included on Return of Farnborough Groove Vol.3.

Somewhere there is a video titled “The Carnival of Darkness” and a third cassette titled “Succubus”. Towards the end of the band’s life, they played a gig at The Moonlight Club, London and their final performance was at Ragamuffins, Camberley. In July 2015 “Shadows to Whisper” was e-released via Jindivik’s Bandcamp page, compiling The Flowers of Sacrifice’s two cassette EPs and the track published on Farnborough Groove Vol.1.

Clark and Evans recently reformed the Flowers of Sacrifice as a 2-piece. On the 28 March 2021, Mick Mercer featured the bands’ “Midnight Red” as part of Mick Mercer Radio Broadcast 215.

Wareham, went on to play in a number of gothic and industrial bands: Cathedral Lung, Complicity, Killing Miranda, and The Faces of Sarah. He ended up in a Joy Division tribute band Shadowplay, portraying Peter Hook; and more recently plays in, female fronted, X Ray Love. Clark is in Jindivik.

Tracks:

Gallery:

Adrian Creek’s Pop Scene article from 1991 on the Flowers poster problems
n ’92 Son of Farnborough Groove Vol.2 included “Asylum” by The Flowers of Sacrifice. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole
In ’91 Farnborough Groove Vol.1 published The Flowers of Sacrifice’s track “16 Roses”. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole
Both cassette EPs by The Flowers of Sacrifice. Picture from Kodak Ghosts Run Amok courtesy of Matthew Faulkner.
The Flowers of Sacrifice’s “Never Loved Eldritsh” cassette EP
Side A and B of The Flowers of Sacrifice’s “Flower Power” cassette EP
Page one of Donna Crow’s review of “Flower Power” and interview with The Flowers of Sacrifce for the Necroscope fanzine
Page two of Donna Crow’s review of “Flower Power” and interview with The Flowers of Sacrifce for the Necroscope fanzine
17 April 1992: Flowers of Sacrifice with Peachrazor, Giant Arc, Nuss, and Girls on Dextrose are at Barney Rubbles at Lakeside Caberet Club, Frimley. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter
The Flowers of Sacrifice at The George, Ash Vale
Flowers of Sacrifice, with Girls on Dextrose and Different Drummer, played the Halloween Goth Spectacular at The George on 31 October 1992 according to this unidentified fanzine gig list. Picture courtesy of Steve Porter
The Flowers of Sacrifice at an unknown venue. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole
In 1992 The Flowers of Sacrifice “Dark Carnival”‘ and “Monochrome” appeared on the German goth rock compilation cassette ‘Dragon’s Born Tonight’ [BT 38] on the Beton Tapes label
In 1992 The Flowers of Sacrifice “Dark Carnival”‘ and “Monochrome” appeared on the German goth rock compilation cassette ‘Dragon’s Born Tonight’ [BT 38] on the Beton Tapes label
1992 The Flowers of Sacrifice “Dark Carnival”‘ and “Monochrome” appeared on the German goth rock compilation cassette ‘Dragon’s Born Tonight’ [BT 38] on the Beton Tapes label
Flowers of Sacrifice’s track “Never & Ever” is included on Return Of Farnborough Groove Vol.3. Picture courtesy of Pete Cole
The Gossville Arsonist fanzine’s one-line review of The Flowers of Sacrifice track “Asylum” from The Son of Farnborough Groove Vol.2