Senseless Things

The Senseless Things emerged on the British music landscape in the early 1990s with an exuberant fusion of roaring guitars, rapid-fire punk rhythms, and sugary pop hooks. Following several independent releases, among them the driving “Too Much Kissing,” the group produced three distinctive albums whose Jamie Hewlett-illustrated artwork framed a combination of punchy singles and more reflective, occasionally politically charged deeper cuts.

The quartet came together in 1987 in Twickenham, West London, with Mark Keds handling guitar and vocals, Ben Harding on guitar and vocals, Cass Browne on drums, and Morgan Nicholls on bass. They issued a run of brisk, tuneful, and upbeat singles on the Way Cool imprint. Their 1988 full-length debut, Postcard C.V., crystallized their buoyant punk approach, evoking a blend of the Buzzcocks and the Undertones with a dash of the Archies. During this period they befriended Jamie Hewlett, creator of Tank Girl, whose artwork soon adorned their sleeves. The track “Too Much Kissing,” lifted from the album, became a notable indie success, prompting Decoy—home to fellow British pop-punk outfit Mega City Four—to sign them.

In 1990 the band delivered two acclaimed EPs. A fiery Reading Festival set and a sold-out club tour across the U.K. led Epic Records to acquire them. Their songwriting was evolving, and the first Epic album incorporated acoustic instruments and more measured pacing. Released in 1991, First of Too Many achieved moderate commercial success, as did its singles, placing the group on the cusp of wider recognition. The follow-up, 1993’s Empire of the Senseless, revealed further lyrical growth; its lead track, “Homophobic Asshole,” signaled potential beyond bubblegum punk even though it did not become a major hit. One additional album, 1995’s Taking Care of Business, appeared before the members disbanded after a final tour, feeling they had exhausted their shared sound.

Keds launched Jolt in late 1995 and later played with Deadcuts and the Wildhearts; Harding joined 3 Colours Red; Nicholls issued a solo record before serving as live bassist for the Streets and Muse; Browne spent a decade with Gorillaz and formed Loup GarouX with Ed Harcourt in 2019. Brief reunions occurred in 2007 and again in 2017, the latter yielding the new single “Lost Honey.” Further activity ended with Mark Keds’s death in January 2021.