Searle had been bass player with Doctor and the Medics, who topped the UK Singles Chart in 1986 with a cover version of "Spirit in the Sky".
Searle had joined the Addison twins in the final incarnation of Boys Wonder, before the band gradually evolved into Corduroy in 1991, initially forming for a one-off New Year's Eve party.
On the release of their first album Dad Man Cat, Paul Moody wrote in the New Musical Express: "Whereas the rest of the Acid Jazz roster fidget around in a world of skinny ribbed roll-necks comparing sideburn growth, Corduroy manage to swagger through the same po-faced domain with a couldn't-care-less braggadocio... Corduroy have got their collective tongue stuck firmly in someone else's cheek here and it feels staggeringly good.
Corduroy performed a show on 17 April 2017 as the last night headliners of Le Beat Bespoké 2017 weekender at 229 The Venue in London, where they premiered 4 new songs from an upcoming album.
In 2018 Corduroy announced their first album in 18 years entitled Return of the Fabric Four which was praised by Record Collector's Lois Wilson as being "groovy" and "thrilling".