[1] Playing a mix of folk, punk and indie music they developed a strong following on the festival circuit and on the crusty/traveller scene, but never managed to achieve a commercial breakthrough.

[6][7][8] The band's style blended elements of folk, punk and indie with lyrics generally focusing on the vagaries of Northern working-class life.

Their chaotic, frenetic live shows were generating much interest, but they also began a series of regular line-up changes, with only Anderton and the three Kettle brothers remaining constant members.

In 2001 there were reports that the band had reformed once again, with Anderton now replaced by a teenaged vocalist named Laura Follin, but no new recordings surfaced.

Former bass player Ed Jones, who returned to journalism after leaving the band in 1994,[13] wrote a book, This is Pop: The Life and Times of a Failed Rock Star, detailing his time in the band and the personality clashes which he felt caused their career to fail.

They include early workings of songs which would later be re-recorded for the albums and B-sides, some of which vary quite markedly from the final versions.