Arriving in the aftermath of Brit-pop, was one of the first British guitar bands to depart from the prevailing styles of the mid-'90s, leaving both light, que pop and studied trad-rock behind. had more in common with early-'90s bands like and , groups that stood defiantly outside of the pop spotlight, yet managed to cultivate a devoted fan base. By combining a dark, grandiose vision with the driving intensity of hard rock and the stylish swagger of New Romanticism, didn't sound a thing like their contemporaries. While their first singles earned a devoted audience, the British music press didn't focus heavily on the group, so it came as a surprise when their debut album, , debuted at number one in early 1997, knocking the long-awaited comeback off the top of the charts. But by that time, had been hailed as one of the best new bands of the year, and the record was praised throughout the U.K. music press, making the group one of the most respected and popular new British groups of 1997.

Led by guitarist/vocalist , formed in Chester, England in the mid-'90s. met (bass) at Wrexham Art College, discovering that the pair shared a fondness for new wave acts like and , as well as , , and . The pair, who worked at a photo lab together, met (lead guitar) at a local pub he was managing. Forming under the name Grey Lantern, the trio began playing, supported by a series of drummers. After being told by an acquaintance that Grey Lantern was the worst name he had ever heard, the group changed their name to , which was a truncation of a B-side "A Man Called Sun."

Early in 1996, the group released the limited-edition single "Take It Easy Chicken" on their own Sci Fi Hi Fi label, and it entered the playlist for Radio 1. Shortly afterward, became their permanent drummer. Initially, the U.K. music weeklies tagged as one of the crowd of post- lad-rock bands, primarily because of 's heavy drinking and alcohol-fueled antics. Over the course of the year, the guitarist sobered up and the band released a series of singles, each more ambitious than the one before. By the end of the year, they had earned their first Melody Maker cover. In February of 1997, released their debut album, , on Parlophone Records. It unexpectedly entered the charts at number one, earning enthusiastic reviews in the process. appeared two years later; it didn't fare as well as their first album, but wowed college audiences with the title track. The band's third effort, , did even worse, barely receiving recognition in the States when it appeared in summer 2000. Although work began on a fourth album in spring 2002, split up in May 2003. The results of the new material appeared on the two-disc collection in 2004.

initially laid low for the first few years following 's split. However, following production and composition work with the likes of 's , the , and he signed as a solo artist to Kscope Records in 2016. After a couple of EPs, his debut full-length, appeared in August 2017, and he subsequently maintained a clear presence on the U.K. live scene, performing in full to coincide with the 21st anniversary of its release. Then, 2020 brought a lavish and mammoth retrospective entitled Closed for Business to mark 25 years since the band's formation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Credits for Mansun