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 group comprise Danny Goffey (b. c.1975; drums), Gary Coombes (b. c.1976; vocals/guitar) and Mickey Quinn (b. c.1970; 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 which 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 the group 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 disk 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. Their 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." An updated Monkees' styled summer hit, accompanied by a video filmed in Portmeiron (the town immortalised in the cult '60s television series The Prisoner), "Alright" shot to the top of 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.

Microsoft Music Central 97