Cud (band)

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Cud
Origin	Leeds, England
Genre(s)	(Indie) rock
Years active	1987 — 1995, 2006 —-
Label(s)	Reception (1987–1988), Imaginary (1988 –1991), A&M (1991–1995).

Cud are a British indie rock band formed in Leeds, England in 1987, consisting of vocalist Carl Puttnam (born Ilford, Essex), guitarist/keyboardist Mike Dunphy (b. Northumberland), bassist William Potter (b. Derby), and drummer Steve Goodwin (b. Croydon, Surrey).

Though an indie rock band, their music incorporated elements of funk. They were critically acclaimed throughout their career, but never broke through to a mainstream UK record-buying audience. Perhaps this was in part due to their eccentric lyrical concerns, which occasionally led to their dismissal as somewhat of a "joke" band.^{[citation needed]}

1 Biography
- 1.1 No more CUD!
2 Discography
- 2.1 UK Singles
- 2.2 UK Albums
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Biography

The four-piece formed in Leeds in 1987, reportedly when they discovered a discarded drum kit in a skip. They recorded a Peel Session on the 16 June 1987 before they had released any records, John Peel being sufficiently impressed by the demo tape that they had sent him. The band signed to The Wedding Present's Reception label for their first single "You're The Boss", with their second release being the "Peel Sessions" EP (notable for a cover version of Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing"), released on Strange Fruit Records in February 1988.

After building up a strong local fanbase, their popularity grew more widely, and they were signed by Imaginary Records in 1989, who would release their first two albums, When in Rome, Kill Me and Leggy Mambo. 1991 saw Cud beginning to make an impact on the UK Singles Chart, and they signed to the major label A&M, the big-label budget being sufficient to propel them into the Top 40 in 1992 with "Rich and Strange" (#24) and "Purple Love Balloon" (#27), as well as reaching number 30 in the UK Albums Chart with third album Asquarius. A further top 40 hit single followed in 1994 with "Neurotica", however, their moderate success and cult status was shortlived after they failed to overcome musical differences, as well as major label A&M having a problem with the bands attitude.^[1] This would then ensue that 1994 Showbiz album be their last, with Potter being replaced by Mick Dale (who would later join Embrace) shortly before the band split in early 1995.

On 21 November 2001 Carl Puttnam returned to the music scene with Donkey With a Fez On, an album of previously un-released demo material originally intended for release after the Showbiz album. This was followed by a live performance at the 12 Bar Club in London. Puttnam was accompanied by Alaric Neville and David Lazenby on guitars, and Michael Hurst on melodion and percussion. The performance was subsequently released on CD in 2002 as Chateau de Carles. Both Donkey With a Fez On and [Chateau de Carles were not on general release, and could only be obtained by mail order from the mysterious Gabriel Tonka (almost universally believed to be Puttnam).^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, Cud reformed to support the release of a double album of their Greatest Hits entitled Rich and Strange - The Anthology which was released in August 2006 on Universal Records alongside a brief UK tour to promote it. Mike Dunphy was replaced by Felix Frey on guitar for the tour. The same line-up again reformed for a short tour early in 2008 to support the expanded re-releases of Elvis Belt (Now a double album entitled Elvis Belt/Elvis Handbag), Leggy Mambo and Showbiz. At Cud's gig at the barfly (club) in Liverpool on 6th March, 2008 singer Carl Puttnam suggested, contrary to suggestions on Cud's homepage "(See you again in 10 years time!)", that the latest tour would be Cud's last. At what is expected to be their final gig at the Rios Club in Leeds on 3rd May, 2008, Puttnam has also promised that he will reveal the true meaning of "Not Exactly D.L.E.R.C", the name of a popular track from their album Leggy Mambo. (Widely thought to be 'not exactly' the initials of a previous girlfriend of the singer.)

[edit] No more CUD!

On 27 April 2008, Cud announced that their final ever gig (entitled "No more CUD!") would take place in the Rios venue in Leeds on 3 May 2008. To commemorate the event, a limited-edition CD single will be released featuring a new recording of Punishment-Reward Relationship, along with live versions of Now!, Only, Living in the Past and Strange Kind of Love.

[edit] Discography

[edit] UK Singles

"Mind the Gap" (Reception 1987)
"The Peel Sessions: Cud" (UK Strange Fruit 1988)
"Under My Hat" (UK Ediesta 1988)
"Slack Time" (UK Dug/Nightshift 1988)
"Lola" (UK Imaginary MIRAGE 1989)
"Only (A Prawn in Whitby)" (Imaginary MIRAGE 1989)
"Hey! Wire" (UK Imaginary MIRAGE 1990)
"Robinson Crusoe" (UK Imaginary MIRAGE 1990) UK #86
"Backdoor Santa" (1990)
"Magic" (UK Imaginary MIRAGE 1991) #80
"Oh No Won't Do" (UK A&M 1991) #49
"Through the Roof" (UK A&M 1992) #44
"Rich and Strange" (UK A&M 1992) #24
"Purple Love Balloon" (UK A&M 1992) #27
"Once Again" (UK A&M 1992) #45
"Cud's Ode to Christmas Joy" (1992)
"Neurotica" (UK A&M 1994) #37
"Sticks and Stones" (UK A&M (1994) #68
"One Giant Love" (UK A&M 1994) #52

[edit] UK Albums

When in Rome, Kill Me (1989)
Elvis Belt (1990)
Leggy Mambo (1990)
Asquarius (1992) UK #30
Showbiz (1994) #46
Rich and Strange - The Anthology (2006)

[edit] References

Idiot Dog Discography. (Accessed 14 January 2006).
BBC h2g2 Biography (Accessed 14 January 2006) - The author of the BBC h2g2 article wishes to express reservations about its accuracy regarding William Potter leaving the band.