After an early independent single, they signed to Chrysalis Records and released the 'Idiots At the Wheel' E.P., with a performance of lead track 'Really Scrape the Sky' on Channel 4's 'The Word' helping to propel the band into the lower reaches of the charts, and gain the attention and praise of the music press. Debut album 'Eat Yourself Whole' continued this trend.
Fellow Humberside resident (and member of the Beautiful South) Paul Heaton accused them of being 'middle-class pretnders', but despite this, and their decline in popularity as the fickle music critics moved on to newer bands, Hardy's songwriting seemed to be constantly maturing and improving.
'Sleepwalking' continued to display their bitter view of the world, and even their b-sides such as 'Everything's Changed Since You've Been To London' showed a maturity that could have taken them onto the heights scaled by the Manic Street Preachers had they been taken more seriously.
1995's 'In the Best Possible Taste' was unfortunate, in that it was released within four weeks of UK comedian Kenny Everett's death (the album title was his popular catchphrase), although the music press had by this time seemingly written the band off. In contrast to this attitude, the band had actually improved the standard of their live performances, and the new album hinted at a musical progression that took in rockabilly and a slicker production. Sadly, renewed interest was not forthcoming, and although Kingmaker ended as a far more attractive prospect than they had started out, the public did not seem to have followed their trajectory and they ended their days as a curious 'might have been big' phenomenon.
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU'LL LIKE KINGMAKER: The Wonderstuff, The Smiths, Blur, Elvis Costello.
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