Supergrass

Biography: Initially regarded as new entrants in the UK's indie guitar band movement of the mid-90s, Oxford's Supergrass suddenly found themselves thrust into the rock mainstream. The band comprises Danny Goffey (drums), Gary Coombes (vocals/guitar) and Mickey Quinn (bass). Previously Goffey and Coombes had been part of Ride-influenced upstarts the Jennifers, who recorded one single for Suede's label, Nude Records. With the addition of Quinn, rehearsals took place in early 1994, inspired by the Pixies, Sonic Youth and Buzzcocks. They eventually worked their way up to a ramshackle half-hour live set that made up in enthusiasm what it lacked in musical accomplishment. Their debut single, "Caught By The Fuzz", about being arrested by the police for cannabis possession, brought them to much wider attention, though not before it had been released on three separate occasions. Bedroom label Backbeat first supplied 250 copies in the summer of 1994. Fierce Panda then included it as part of aInitially regarded as new entrants in the UK's indie guitar band movement of the mid-90s, Oxford's Supergrass suddenly found themselves thrust into the rock mainstream. The band comprises Danny Goffey (drums), Gary Coombes (vocals/guitar) and Mickey Quinn (bass). Previously Goffey and Coombes had been part of Ride-influenced upstarts the Jennifers, who recorded one single for Suede's label, Nude Records. With the addition of Quinn, rehearsals took place in early 1994, inspired by the Pixies, Sonic Youth and Buzzcocks. They eventually worked their way up to a ramshackle half-hour live set that made up in enthusiasm what it lacked in musical accomplishment. Their debut single, "Caught By The Fuzz", about being arrested by the police for cannabis possession, brought them to much wider attention, though not before it had been released on three separate occasions. Bedroom label Backbeat first supplied 250 copies in the summer of 1994. Fierce Panda then included it as part of a six-track EP of various teenage bands on the advent of Supergrass signing to Parlophone Records. Re-released by the major in October, it climbed to number 42 in the UK charts, and by the close of the year it was voted number 5 in disc jockey John Peel's Festive 50 selection. They also toured with Shed Seven and supported Blur at their Alexandra Palace gig, before the release of a second single, "Man Size Rooster", in early 1995.
The band's debut album was produced at Sawmills Studios, Golant, with Mystics singer Sam Williams, while the band also contributed to the Sub Pop Records Singles Club with "Lose It". However, all was eclipsed by the astonishing success of "Alright" (b/w "Time"). An updated Monkees-styled summer hit, accompanied by a video filmed in Portmerion (the town immortalized in the cult 60s television series The Prisoner), "Alright' shot to number 2 in the UK charts and made instant celebrities of the band. The resultant interest in Supergrass pushed I Should Coco to number 1 in the UK album chart and it remained on the play-list for the best part of 1996. In 1997, the band rose to the pressure of producing a follow-up with the magnificent In It For The Money, confirming their standing as one of the country's brightest new talents. The album displayed a heartening collection of good, melodic hooks, each song flowing into the next with assured energy. The opening title track was followed by the hard rock/surfin" "Richard III", which is how the Beach Boys might have sounded if they had plugged in their guitars. "Tonight" utilised a delicate coating of brass, while "Late In The Day" brought to mind piano-inspired Beatles. Derivative it may have been, but the album represented a highlight of the musical year, with the band hitting an early peak on an outstanding, polished pop collection. They returned in May 1999 with a punchy new single, "Pumping On Your Stereo", taken from their self-titled third album, although ultimately this release did not enjoy the commercial success of their previous efforts. Coombes admitted in 2001 that he was "disappointed" with some of the tracks.… Expand