As one of the most traditional guitar bands to emerge during the Brit-pop era of the mid-'90s, Cast has weathered negative criticism from certain quarters of the media, who labeled them as mere revivalists. But the criticism didn't prevent Cast from becoming a very, very popular band within Britain following the success of Oasis and Blur. Led by... [+] Read More

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Heavy Stereo was among a number of British guitar bands signed in the wake of Oasis' worldwide popularity in the mid-'90s; in fact, their only album, Deja Voodoo, was released on Creation Records, the label that discovered Oasis. What separated Heavy Stereo from their peers was their unapologetic affection for '70s glam rock; they were massively... [+] Read More

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After the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets were arguably the third most popular band to emerge from the late-'80s/early-'90s Madchester scene. Like the Charlatans UK, they weren't quite as innovative as the city's two standard-bearers, relying less on the contemporary dance club beats that became Madchester pop's identifying... [+] Read More

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Menswear signed a record contract before they played more than five gigs. That alone tells you everything you need to know about the band. Menswear were an outgrowth of the post-Blur pop scene in London, England, a group of charming, handsome young men that wanted to be in a pop group more than they wanted to play music. Consequently, they... [+] Read More

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Just as Nirvana inspired a legion of yelping, angry youths with loud, fuzzy guitars in America, Oasis' Beatles-like popularity in Britain unleashed a flock of imitators in the mid-'90s. Northern Uproar was among Oasis' spiritual offspring. Northern Uproar formed in Oasis' hometown of Manchester, England, in 1995. Featuring Leon Maya (vocals,... [+] Read More

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Primal Scream's career could in many ways be read as a microcosm of British indie rock in the '80s and '90s. Bobby Gillespie formed the band in the mid-'80s while drumming for goth-tinged noise rockers the Jesus and Mary Chain, who were the exact opposite of Primal Scream -- the latter specialized in infectious, jangly pop on its early records.... [+] Read More

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The Bluetones filled the gap that the Stone Roses left behind, providing graceful but muscular guitar pop with slightly psychedelic overtones. The band appeared during the waning days of Brit-pop, which guaranteed them a considerable amount of press coverage that helped their debut album rocket to the top of the charts upon its release in early... [+] Read More

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For many years, the Charlatans UK were perceived as the also-rans of Madchester, the group that didn't capture the zeitgeist like the Stone Roses or the band that failed to match the mad genre-bending of the Happy Mondays. Of course, they were more traditional than either of their peers. Working from a Stonesy foundation, the Charlatans added... [+] Read More

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Before Scotland's Soup Dragons hit the mainstream with their reggae-infused cover of the Rolling Stones' "I'm Free," the Glasgow four-piece were poised to carry the torch first lit by the Buzzcocks and the Adverts. Formed in the mid-'80s around singer/guitarist -- and eventual programmer -- Sean Dickson, the band included guitarist Jim... [+] Read More

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Meshing '60s-styled guitar pop with an understated '80s dance beat, the Stone Roses defined the British guitar pop scene of the late '80s and early '90s. After their eponymous 1989 debut album became an English sensation, countless other groups in the same vein became popular, including the Charlatans UK, Inspiral Carpets, and Happy Mondays.... [+] Read More

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