Miles Hunt, former frontman of Stourbridge band The Wonder Stuff, is returning to the fore-front of the rock scene at the helm of a new trio called Vent 414.
Singer and guitarist Hunt, the outspoken star of the Black country rock scene that also produced Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Pop Will Eat Itself, had become a satellite TV host after the Stuffies split.
But he has returned to recording, making Vent 414's debut album with new colleagues Morgan Nicolls (bass) and Pete Howard (drums) at the legendary Abbey Road studios.
The album, due to be released on October 7, features 13 songs recorded in as many days, which aims to capture a raw, live sound.
Asked if he felt any pressure for Vent 414 to equal the success of his previous band, Hunt said: "Let us have it understood that what I do is a paid hobby. There's nothing and nobody that says I have to do this - there is always the alternative of working for a living to see the rent covered. There is a criminal amount of pleasure involved in what we do," said the shaven-headed singer.
"What Vent 414 presents Morgan, Pete and I with is new quandaries, new plans of attack and a whole bunch of new songs that are finer than any of us have a right to."
A single from the eponymous debut album was released earlier this month and is called Fixer.
VENT 414 (Poldydor)
Former Wonder Stuff front man Miles Hunt returns, after a spell as an MTV
host, and he sounds as fired up and fearsome as ever on this band's debut.
With 13 songs recorded in as many days, producer Steve Albini has captured
the raw sound wanted by this trio, which features Morgan Nicolls on bass and
Pete Howard drums. Sometimes it gets close to a cacophony, a la Bowie's Tin
Machine venture and is spikier and punkier than the latterday Stour pop stomp
of the Stuffies. But fans of Hunt's previous band will recognise the wordy
breathless way with lyrics and relish the 100 per cent effort he throws into
the vocals - released on Monday.
(Submitted by Tim Astley)
|
|
|
|
|
|