Cud

Few Leeds guitar bands of the late 1980s built such a distinctive identity so quickly. Formed in 1986 around vocalist Carl Puttnam, guitarist and keyboardist Mike Dunphy, bassist William Potter and drummer Steve Goodwin, the group first drew attention through a demo that reached John Peel, whose sessions gave them an early platform. Their songs pair melody with a playful streak that set them slightly apart from their peers.

Their debut single, "Mind the Gap", came out on Reception Records, the Wedding Present's label. A 1988 Peel Sessions EP on Strange Fruit included a cover of Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing". After albums on Imaginary Records and a move to A&M Records, they reached the top 40 in 1992 with "Rich and Strange" and "Purple Love Balloon", and "Neurotica" followed in 1994 before they split in early 1995. They returned in 2006 with a greatest hits double album, and in 2023 toured with The Boo Radleys. A 40th anniversary tour is set for autumn 2026.