Supergrass Growing Strong

Last year was relatively quiet for the Oxford trio, Supergrass. Taking time out after the success of their second album In It For The Money, the year before obviously meant their endeavours had paid off.
But lead singer Gaz Coombes had promised the world six album, so they spent last summer holed up in Sawmills studios. And now, the fruits of their labours are due on May 24 in the form of the single Pumping On Your Stereo.
It sounds typically cheeky, but Supergrass so far have earned their reputation purely on exuberant pop.
Their debut album, I Should Coco, four years ago, lived up to all expectations with some of the brashest pop music. The number two single [Alright] was one of those songs that provoked an equal amount of love and loathing; it was both catchy and tuneful and extremely irritating. Coombes' enormous side-burns prompted admiration or horror, but one thing that does stand out about the band is that so far they have never inspired indifference.
Under the name of The Jennifers back in 1990, it was a different story: the single they released with band member Danny Goffey for Nude Records was a resounding flop - but he was only 14.
With the addition of Mickey Quinn, they were finally set up, and their first single, Caught By The Fuzz, won them a deal with Parlophone and their brand of punk pop took off.
Since then, they have become one of the most decorated groups of the Nineties, from Brits to Brats and Ivor Novellos for song writing and Mercury music prizes, as well as providing music for this week's BBC1 drama The Passion.
While other bands are employing all sorts of marketing tricks to persuade the public that their music is the best thing since sliced bread, Supergrass's announcements are casual. Their new album is due out in September, and for many fans, that's all they need to know.

Dawn Jessop, Yorkshire Post Live - 07 May 1999