[2][3][citation needed] The break-up of X-Ray Spex triggered an advertisement placed in Melody Maker, searching for a new lead singer.

With publicity growing for the band, their dramatic and heavily made-up image led to the music press associating them with the burgeoning New Romantic movement.

This attracted the interest of the United Artists record company (then part of the EMI group), but as negotiations dragged on, the band decided to release the track as their debut single on their own ESP label.

The group filmed a colourful music video for "Guilty" directed by Russell Mulcahy, that caught the attention, and received airplay on MTV in America.

[10] After the tour supporting La Verité, Classix Nouveaux hired Finnish guitarist Jimi Sumen to replace Gary Steadman.

He went on to record and perform with the French space-rock and electronic band Rockets, before becoming heavily involved in Catholicism and releasing several Christian-oriented albums.

Mik Sweeney moved to Los Angeles where he built fretless bass guitars and did studio session work; he currently lives in Ireland.

The first Classix Nouveaux compilation album was released in 1997 via EMI Records and was reissued with a slightly different track listing in 2003.

On 17 November 2023 the line-up of Sal Solo, BP Hurding, Mik Sweeney and Gary Steadman released their first studio album in 40 years, "Battle Cry".