The Housemartins were an English indie rock group formed in Hull who were active in the 1980s[2] and charted three top-ten albums and six top-twenty singles in the UK.

[3] Many of their lyrics conveyed a mixture of socialist politics and Christianity, reflecting the beliefs of the band[4] (the back cover of their debut album, London 0 Hull 4, contained the message, "Take Jesus – Take Marx – Take Hope").

After breaking up in 1988, Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway formed the Beautiful South, while bassist Norman Cook became an electronic dance music DJ and producer, founding the groups Beats International, Pizzaman, and Freak Power, before rebranding himself as Fatboy Slim.

[2] With the start of the UK miners' strike in 1984, Heaton felt the angrier political songwriting that resulted from this required a full band lineup.

[12] The single's success was helped by a claymation animated pop promo of a type that was in vogue at the time, featuring a cameo by comedian Phill Jupitus, who toured with the band under his stage name of "Porky the Poet".

[citation needed] Drummer Hugh Whitaker left in 1987 on amicable terms, and suggested his school friend Dave Hemingway as replacement.

Norman Cook has enjoyed significant success with Beats International and then as Fatboy Slim, while Heaton, Hemingway and roadie Sean Welch formed The Beautiful South.

[6] Cullimore became a children's author,[6] and in December 2009 co-wrote songs for (and appeared in) a pre-school music series called The Bopps, which first showed on Nick Jr. in the UK in April 2010.