The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band. Originally based in Stourbridge in the West Midlands, England, the band's first lineup released four albums and nearly 20 singles and EPs, enjoying considerable chart and live success in the UK. The band have continued to tour and record since 2000.
Largely the vehicle for the songwriting of Miles Hunt, the band split up with a farewell performance as headliners of the 1994 Phoenix Festival, but reformed in 2000 and have toured and recorded since then, with Hunt the anchor member of all line-ups. The band's sound evolved from guitar pop to include sampling and elements of folk and country. The band - and Hunt in particular — were favourites of the UK music press, and were often associated with fellow Black Country acts Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Pop Will Eat Itself, with whom they have toured throughout their careers. The group scored a UK number 1 hit single, their release of "Dizzy" with comedian Vic Reeves, which peaked at that position in 1991.
Links to Peel[]
In an 2015 Northern Soul website interview with singer Miles Hunt, he mentioned the importance of Peel on the radio:
"If you grow up with the internet, there’s just too much traffic to fill your head with, it’s too difficult to single something specific out. I don’t know how anyone manages to concentrate. It was easy for us – we had the radio to listen to in the evenings. We had people like John Peel. And things like punk rock were earth-shattering for us. Again, it did feel like a normal time and it was easy to focus on it. There were a couple of radio shows to listen to and two or three magazines, that was it." [1]
Although Peel played the Wonder Stuff's music on his shows in the 80's, he rarely played any of their material in the 90's, when they started to gain popularity.
Shows Played[]
- 18 August 1987: Ten Trenches Deep (7" - Unbearable) The Far Out Recording Company
- August 1987 (BBC World Service): Ten Trenches Deep (12" Unbearable) The Far Out Recording Company
- 01 September 1987: Ten Trenches Deep (7" - Unbearable) The Far Out
- 13 September 1987 (BFBS): 'Ten Trenches Deep (12"-Unbearable)' (Far Out Recording Company)
- 21 September 1987: Unbearable (12") The Far Out Recording Company
- 30 September 1987: Unbearable (7") The Far Out
- 12 October 1987: Unbearable (7") The Far Out
- 1988
- 13 April 1988: Give, Give, Give Me More, More, More (7") Polygram
- 16 April 1988 (BFBS): Give, Give, Give Me More, More, More (7") Polygram
- 27 April 1988: Give Give Give Me More More More (7") The Far Out
- 18 May 1988 (Rockradio): Give Give Give Me More More More (12") Polydor
- 28 June 1988: A Wish Away (LP – The Eight Legged Groove Machine) Polydor
- 1989
- 27 February 1989: Who Wants To Be Disco King (7") Polydor