Introduction
Andrew Lee Isaac Vowles (born 10 November 1967), also known as Mushroom, is a founding member of the British music and art collective Massive Attack.
Early years
Vowles was born in Bristol. Prior to Massive Attack, Vowles, along with Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Nellee Hooper, Adrian Thaws and others were the Wild Bunch crew, named after the western film of the same name by Sam Peckinpah. Several members of The Wild Bunch formed Massive Attack.
Career
Vowles remained a member of Massive Attack until shortly after the release of their third full-length album, Mezzanine, in 1998. Interviews with band members have pointed to differences of opinion in the creative direction the band should go.
Nickname
Vowles' nickname "Mushroom" comes from the arcade game, Centipede. The game was installed at Special K's Cafe, a popular hang-out spot in the mid-1980s for Vowles and his Wild Bunch peers.
Other work
Apart from his contributions to Massive Attack, Vowles also appears as a DJ and co-producer on Raw Like Sushi, Neneh Cherry's 1989 debut album.