The Wonder Stuff
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 19 March 1986 |
| Headquarters | Stourbridge , England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Studio albums, singles, EPs, live albums |
The Wonder Stuff is an alternative rock group originating from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, England. Their initial formation produced four studio albums and close to twenty singles and EPs, earning them notable chart positions and live acclaim within the UK. Since their reunion in 2000, the band has remained active in both touring and recording.
Songwriter Miles Hunt has been the driving force behind the band, which originally disbanded after headlining the 1994 Phoenix Festival but reassembled six years later with Hunt as the sole continuous member. Their musical style transitioned from straightforward guitar pop to incorporate sampling alongside folk and country influences. The Wonder Stuff, particularly Hunt, received considerable backing from the British music press and frequently toured alongside fellow Black Country bands like Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Pop Will Eat Itself.
On the commercial front, The Wonder Stuff achieved a UK number one single with "Dizzy," a collaboration featuring comedian Vic Reeves, in addition to 17 singles reaching the UK top 20 and three albums entering the top 10. They also conducted extensive tours internationally and attained moderate success in the United States, with six tracks charting on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart.
Formation and The Eight Legged Groove Machine (1986–1989)
The founding members included Miles Hunt (vocals, guitar), Malcolm Treece (guitar, vocals), bassist Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones (deceased July 1993), and drummer Martin Gilks (deceased April 2006). Prior to forming The Wonder Stuff, Hunt and Treece had collaborated with future members of Pop Will Eat Itself in their earlier band From Eden.
Established on 19 March 1986, the band's name is said to have originated from a comment made by John Lennon about Hunt. They self-funded their debut EP A Wonderful Day in September 1986. After securing management under Birmingham promoter Les Johnson and signing a £80,000 deal with Polydor Records in 1987, they released singles such as "Unbearable," "Give Give Give, Me More More More," "A Wish Away," and their initial Top 40 hit "It's Yer Money I'm After Baby." These tracks were compiled on their first album The Eight Legged Groove Machine released in August 1988, which reached number 18 on the UK charts. This achievement was followed by a nineteen-date nationwide tour titled 'Groovers on Manoeuvres.'
In March 1989, they released a standalone single "Who Wants to Be the Disco King?" alongside tours across the UK, Europe, and the US, including performances at major festivals like Reading and Glastonbury.
The album The Eight Legged Groove Machine was recognized by Melody Maker as one of the standout releases of 1988, noted for its blend of grebo influences with pop sensibilities.
Hup (1989–1990)
In September 1989, The Wonder Stuff released "Don't Let Me Down, Gently," marking their first Top-20 single accompanied by a video filmed in America. This preceded their second album Hup, which came out in October 1989 and climbed to number 5 on the UK charts. The album introduced multi-instrumentalist Martin Bell, who contributed violin and banjo on songs such as "Golden Green," "Unfaithful," and "Cartoon Boyfriend." During their tour that year, support was provided by Black Country bands Ned's Atomic Dustbin and The Sandkings for several dates.
Bassist Jones left for the United States in December 1989. Shortly thereafter, the single "Circlesquare" was issued before Paul Clifford took over bass duties in spring 1990. This new lineup embarked on an extensive tour during mid-1990.
With only one single released throughout that year and no new album ready for launch, the band put out Eleven Appalling Promos, a video compilation featuring informal commentary from Hunt, Treece, and Gilks. In December, rejecting an invitation to perform at Wembley Arena for a Brit Award nomination event, they instead chose to play at Minsthorpe High School in South Elmsall as a response to a fan letter; a rendition of John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth" from this show was later included on the "Caught in My Shadow" single.
Never Loved Elvis and Chart Achievements (1990–1992)
Work on the band's third studio album commenced in late 1990 and wrapped up in early 1991. The initial single, "The Size of a Cow", launched in March 1991, marked the group's first entry into the Top 10, peaking at No. 5 and receiving a Brit Award nomination for its music video. This was succeeded by "Caught in My Shadow" (UK No. 18) in May, released alongside the album Never Loved Elvis which reached No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart.
Following the album's release, the band headlined a major stadium event at Walsall's Bescot Stadium, attracting an audience of 18,000. They then embarked on an international tour covering the UK, Europe, and the United States, with keyboardist Peter Whittaker joining them for live shows.
After issuing the third single "Sleep Alone" in September, commercial success peaked with their rendition of Tommy Roe's "Dizzy", featuring Vic Reeves, which held the No. 1 spot on the UK Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks in November 1991. Touring extended into 1992 with singles such as "Welcome to the Cheap Seats" (UK No. 8), complemented by a rockumentary video of the same title that documented eighteen months of touring.
The band's momentum continued with US dates supporting Siouxsie and the Banshees, including a televised performance of "Welcome to the Cheap Seats" on Late Night with David Letterman. Their UK tour concluded with a headline performance at the 1992 Reading Festival.
Construction for the Modern Idiot Era (1993–1994)
After previewing new material at European summer festivals, the single "On the Ropes" (UK No. 10) was released in September 1993, ahead of the album Construction for the Modern Idiot, which debuted at No. 4 in October. Another single, "Full of Life (Happy Now)", was issued just before Christmas. The band toured extensively through Europe and then North America in early 1994. The third single from this period, "Hot Love Now" (UK No. 19), coincided with their comprehensive UK 'Idiot Manoeuvres' tour consisting of seventy-eight dates—their most extensive tour to date.
Disbandment and Solo Endeavors (1994–2000)
Plans for a Far East and Australian tour scheduled for May were cancelled, followed by an official announcement of the band's split via their fanclub newsletter in June 1994.
The Wonder Stuff performed their final contractual gig on 15 July 1994 as headliners at the Phoenix Festival, entertaining an audience of 30,000. In September, they issued an 18-track compilation titled If The Beatles Had Read Hunter...The Singles (UK No. 8), re-released the single "Unbearable" (UK No. 16), and put out a farewell concert video from their July performance. A live album, Live in Manchester, recorded in December 1991, was released in July 1995.
During this hiatus, frontman Miles Hunt took on hosting duties for MTV Europe's 120 Minutes, formed Vent 414 alongside ex-Senseless Things bassist Morgan Nicholls and drummer Peter Howard. Vent 414 released their self-titled debut album in October 1996 but were dropped by Polydor prior to releasing their second album. Hunt then pursued solo work, touring with Malc Treece and releasing several albums including Miles Across America, featuring acoustic reinterpretations of Wonder Stuff and Vent 414 tracks; a live album titled By the Time I Got to Jersey (1998); studio album Hairy on the Inside (1999); and The Miles Hunt Club (2002).
Concurrently, Treece, Clifford, and Gilks established We Know Where You Live with Ange Dolittle from Eat. This group toured extensively throughout 1995–96 and issued two EPs before disbanding.
Reformation and Escape from Rubbish Island (2000–2005)
In December 2000, Hunt, Treece, Gilks, Bell, Whittaker, along with new bassist Stuart Quinell, reunited for a one-off performance at London's Forum. Following two shows at JB's in Dudley—the venue of their initial gig—this event expanded into five sold-out nights. Around the same period, the band reissued their previous four studio albums, each supplemented with bonus tracks. Additionally, a compilation titled Love Bites & Bruises, featuring b-sides, demos, and live recordings, was released in November.
The band maintained their live presence into 2001, releasing the live album Cursed with Insincerity in June and continuing to perform through 2002. Highlights from concerts between 2000 and 2002 were captured in the 2003 DVD Construction for the Modern Vidiot. By December 2003, plans for another tour were announced.
Early in 2004, Hunt discovered that Gilks and Bell chose to cease collaboration with him, effectively considering The Wonder Stuff disbanded. Quinell and Whittaker were also informed of this decision. Subsequently, Hunt began working on a new album alongside Mark McCarthy (formerly of Radical Dance Faction) and Luke Johnson (ex-Amen), with Malc Treece joining later during these sessions. This collaboration culminated in Escape from Rubbish Island, the band's first studio album in over ten years, released in September 2004. Singles such as "Better Get Ready for a Fist Fight" and the title track were promoted. Drummer Andres Karu replaced Johnson for touring purposes. Between 2004 and 2005, the band toured both the UK and US, incorporating violinist Erica Nockalls into the lineup from March 2005 onward.
Suspended by Stars and anniversary tours (2006–2011)
The ensemble released Suspended by Stars in March 2006, supported by the digital single "Blah Blah La Di Dah" and a UK tour celebrating their twentieth anniversary.
Tragically, original drummer Martin Gilks passed away in a motorcycle accident in April 2006. Later that year saw the release of an album compiling demos and live tracks from We Know Where You Live, with proceeds directed to charity as per Gilks' family’s wishes. Miles Hunt's acoustic performances were recorded and issued as the live album Interloper in October 2006. The band also prepared a live album capturing their 2006 concerts and played several outdoor shows across the UK before concluding the year with a UK tour culminating at Shepherd's Bush Empire.
Following this period, the group entered a hiatus while Treece focused on family life. In 2007, Hunt released his solo album Not an Exit, featuring contributions from Nockalls and Karu; he completed two UK tours and later toured the US that year. Prior to these activities, Hunt had anticipated that new material would be developed by the band during this time.
In 2008, The Wonder Stuff collaborated with the Carling Academy Group to perform their first two studio albums—The Eight Legged Groove Machine and Hup—in their entirety at multiple shows. Hunt suggested re-recording both albums; these anniversary editions were subsequently released in 2008 and 2010 respectively. Between these releases, Hunt and Nockalls produced the album Catching More Than We Miss, which was issued in early 2009.
Drummer Karu departed toward the end of 2010 to pursue his career as a cameraman after declining touring opportunities in the US. Hunt then brought in drummer Fuzz Townshend from Pop Will Eat Itself. In 2011, the band toured across the UK to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of their third studio album Never Loved Elvis. Before this tour commenced, Treece exited following disagreements with Hunt regarding his limited involvement in new songwriting; Jerry DeBorg of Jesus Jones stepped in as his replacement.
From Oh No It's... The Wonder Stuff to Better Being Lucky (2012–present)
With both Hunt and Townshend operating home studios—Hunt concentrating on programming and rock instrumentation, and Townshend handling drums—they planned to record percussion at Townshend’s studio and other instruments at Hunt’s. Due to a shortage of new songs, they released a covers collection titled From the Midlands with Love, showcasing artists from the Midlands region, issued in three parts between April and November 2012. This endeavor honed their skills in home recording, enabling Hunt to produce their subsequent album, Oh No It's... The Wonder Stuff, which was recorded at The Wain House and The Beeches in South Shropshire. The band embarked on an extensive UK tour throughout 2013.
In December 2013, their song "A Wish Away" was featured in a television advertisement for Hoseasons.
Following a successful tour in Australia during early 2014, drummer Fuzz Townshend departed to dedicate himself fully to The Beat. By May 2014, the band unveiled a refreshed lineup: alongside Hunt, Nockalls, and McCarthy, guitarist Dan Donnelly and drummer Tony Arthy—formerly of Jesus Jones and previously collaborating with Hunt on an unreleased Miles Hunt Club project—joined the group.
March 2016 marked the release of the PledgeMusic-supported album 30 Goes Around the Sun, commemorating three decades since their initial rehearsal in The Black Country. This record became their first Top 40 studio album since 1994 and was promoted through a UK tour.
In 2019, the band underwent further lineup changes with the return of founding guitarist Malc Treece, who replaced Donnelly; Pete Howard, previously of The Clash, taking over drums from Arthy; and Mark Thwaite, formerly of The Mission, substituting McCarthy on bass. After a brief tour early that year, they announced the album Better Being Lucky slated for late 2019 release. Thwaite co-wrote multiple tracks and contributed guitar during live performances promoting the album, while Tim Sewell assumed bass responsibilities. The tour featured complete renditions of The Eight Legged Groove Machine and Hup, alongside new material.
Discography
- The Eight Legged Groove Machine (1988)
- Hup (1989)
- Never Loved Elvis (1991)
- Construction for the Modern Idiot (1993)
- Escape from Rubbish Island (2004)
- Suspended by Stars (2006)
- Oh No It's... The Wonder Stuff (2012)
- 30 Goes Around the Sun (2016)
- Better Being Lucky (2019)
Videos and DVDs
- Eleven Appalling Promos (1990)
- Welcome to the Cheap Seats (1992)
- Greatest Hits: Finally Live (1994)
- Construction for the Modern Vidiot (2003)
- Hup Live (2010)
- Never Loved Elvis Live (2012)
- Oh Yeah, It's the Wonder Stuff (2014)