The band formed in 1988 with an initial lineup of James Johnston (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Mike Delanian (bass), who by 1990 had recruited Nick Combe (drums).

The band released three singles in 1991, one of which ("Some Fool's Mess") was named 'Single of the Week' by the NME,[1][3] by which point Combe had been replaced by Max Décharné.

[3][4] The following year they enjoyed popularity in the wake of their second album, the Mercury Prize-nominated From The Heart of Town, which saw the band sign to Sire Records and play venues in the U.S., such as the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden in New York, as a guest of Morrissey.

[3] The band returned in 2000 with the Blood Is Red EP, with Jeremy Cottingham having replaced Mike Delanian on bass.

After Simon Wring's death in 2011, the band recorded The Road Gets Darker From Here (released in 2012) in Hamburg's leading analogue studio Clouds Hill.

[15][16] In early 2015 Johnston and Edwards recorded with PJ Harvey at Somerset House for her album The Hope Six Demolition Project which was released in 2016.