The Popguns

Brighton has produced plenty of guitar bands, but The Popguns hold a specific place in British indie pop. Formed in 1986 by vocalist Wendy Morgan, guitarists Simon Pickles and Greg Dixon and bassist Pat Walkington, the East Sussex group added drummer Shaun Charman, formerly of The Wedding Present, in 1988. Their records give a close view of the British indie pop scene across the decade.

Their first release was the split flexi disc "Where Do You Go?" with How Many Beans Make Five?, given away with a local zine in 1988. The following year "Landslide", on Medium Cool Records, reached number 20 on the UK Indie Chart and No. 46 in John Peel's Festive Fifty. Debut album Eugenie (1990) came out on Midnight Music, and after a hiatus following Charman's exit, Love Junky (1995) arrived on 3rd Stone. The band returned live in 2012 and released Pop Fiction in 2014 on Matinée Recordings, followed by Sugar Kisses in 2017.