Biography
Emerging amid the U.K.'s early-2000s angular movement of post-punk-inspired groups, the Futureheads displayed a singular approach to that heritage. Although Wire, XTC, and Gang of Four left clear marks on their jagged guitars and economical compositions, the band's layered four-part harmonies and irregular structures remained distinctly theirs. Their 2004 debut, The Futureheads, captured this balance of immediacy and refinement on tracks such as the exuberant cover of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love," injecting fresh energy into the scene. Subsequent releases explored varied textures, from the closer feel of 2006's News and Tributes to the tighter focus of 2008's This Is Not the World and the unadorned vocal arrangements of the 2012 a cappella set Rant. After a lengthy break through much of the 2010s, the group's buoyant spirit resurfaced intact on 2019's Powers.
The founding lineup of vocalist/guitarist Barry Hyde, vocalist/bassist David "Jaff" Craig, and drummer Peter Brewis first connected while attending City of Sunderland College. Hyde and Brewis also served as instructors at the lottery-supported Sunderland City Detached Youth Project, an initiative designed to steer young people toward music rather than street life. Still teenagers themselves, the musicians used the project's facilities as a rehearsal space shared with other local acts. Vocalist/guitarist Ross Millard and Barry's younger brother Dave Hyde, who later replaced Brewis on drums before the latter formed Field Music, both joined via the same program.
Although the Futureheads played their inaugural concert in December 2000 at a cricket and rugby club, they delayed recording until late 2002, when the debut EP Nul Book Standard surfaced on Project Cosmonaut. Two further EPs followed on Fantastic Plastic in 2003: March's 123 Nul and August's First Day, the latter reaching number 58 on the U.K. Singles Chart. After signing with 679, they enlisted Paul Epworth and Gang of Four's Andy Gill for their first full-length. Released in September 2004, The Futureheads earned praise for its precise harmonies and angular riffs; in February 2005 the Kate Bush cover "Hounds of Love" climbed to number eight on the U.K. Singles Chart and was later voted NME's Single of the Year.
Most of 2005 was spent touring, including support slots with Foo Fighters, Oasis, and Pixies, though the band found time to cut the single "Area," issued in the U.K. that November and as a U.S. EP the next May. Their second album, News and Tributes, arrived the following month. Produced by Blur and Depeche Mode collaborator Ben Hillier, it adopted a smoother palette while addressing subjects from fleeting encounters to the 1958 Munich air disaster that claimed numerous Manchester United lives.
News and Tributes likewise drew positive notices, yet its commercial performance prompted 679 to part ways with the band. The Futureheads promptly established Nul Records and offered "Broke Up the Time" as a free download from their site in November 2007. Their third album, This Is Not the World, emerged on the new imprint in May 2008 with a more unvarnished sound than its predecessor. Two years afterward, The Chaos brought a modestly expansive character that recalled the eccentric spirit of their debut. In 2012 they issued Rant, an entirely a cappella collection that reworked earlier material alongside vocal-only versions of songs by Kelis and the Black Eyed Peas.
The group soon fell quiet, with Barry Hyde declaring in 2015 that the Futureheads had ceased to operate. A 2019 reunion produced the single "Jekyll," slated for their sixth album, Powers, which appeared later that year.
Following the Rant tour, the Futureheads entered hiatus in 2013 so Barry Hyde could address mental-health concerns that had intensified during the band's run. Members turned to separate endeavors: Craig took up teaching and performed with School of Language, the solo outlet of Field Music's David Brewis; Millard entered theater and the arts while joining Frankie & the Heartstrings, contributing to their 2015 album Decency; David Hyde qualified as a tiler and launched Hyde & Beast alongside former Golden Virgins member Neil Bassett; and Barry Hyde became a music instructor, completed an M.A., and continued releasing music, beginning with the 2015 Ivor Cutler covers EP Ivory Cutlery and the 2016 full-length Malody, which chronicled his experiences with mental illness through a song suite.
The former colleagues stayed in touch without reunion plans until late 2017, when Barry Hyde's solo performance featuring Futureheads numbers rekindled interest in collaborating. They regrouped in mid-2018 to record Powers, an invigorated collection addressing Brexit, parenthood, and longstanding themes. Late in 2024, Cherry Red released Decent Days & Nights: The Singles, the band's first career-spanning compilation.
The founding lineup of vocalist/guitarist Barry Hyde, vocalist/bassist David "Jaff" Craig, and drummer Peter Brewis first connected while attending City of Sunderland College. Hyde and Brewis also served as instructors at the lottery-supported Sunderland City Detached Youth Project, an initiative designed to steer young people toward music rather than street life. Still teenagers themselves, the musicians used the project's facilities as a rehearsal space shared with other local acts. Vocalist/guitarist Ross Millard and Barry's younger brother Dave Hyde, who later replaced Brewis on drums before the latter formed Field Music, both joined via the same program.
Although the Futureheads played their inaugural concert in December 2000 at a cricket and rugby club, they delayed recording until late 2002, when the debut EP Nul Book Standard surfaced on Project Cosmonaut. Two further EPs followed on Fantastic Plastic in 2003: March's 123 Nul and August's First Day, the latter reaching number 58 on the U.K. Singles Chart. After signing with 679, they enlisted Paul Epworth and Gang of Four's Andy Gill for their first full-length. Released in September 2004, The Futureheads earned praise for its precise harmonies and angular riffs; in February 2005 the Kate Bush cover "Hounds of Love" climbed to number eight on the U.K. Singles Chart and was later voted NME's Single of the Year.
Most of 2005 was spent touring, including support slots with Foo Fighters, Oasis, and Pixies, though the band found time to cut the single "Area," issued in the U.K. that November and as a U.S. EP the next May. Their second album, News and Tributes, arrived the following month. Produced by Blur and Depeche Mode collaborator Ben Hillier, it adopted a smoother palette while addressing subjects from fleeting encounters to the 1958 Munich air disaster that claimed numerous Manchester United lives.
News and Tributes likewise drew positive notices, yet its commercial performance prompted 679 to part ways with the band. The Futureheads promptly established Nul Records and offered "Broke Up the Time" as a free download from their site in November 2007. Their third album, This Is Not the World, emerged on the new imprint in May 2008 with a more unvarnished sound than its predecessor. Two years afterward, The Chaos brought a modestly expansive character that recalled the eccentric spirit of their debut. In 2012 they issued Rant, an entirely a cappella collection that reworked earlier material alongside vocal-only versions of songs by Kelis and the Black Eyed Peas.
The group soon fell quiet, with Barry Hyde declaring in 2015 that the Futureheads had ceased to operate. A 2019 reunion produced the single "Jekyll," slated for their sixth album, Powers, which appeared later that year.
Following the Rant tour, the Futureheads entered hiatus in 2013 so Barry Hyde could address mental-health concerns that had intensified during the band's run. Members turned to separate endeavors: Craig took up teaching and performed with School of Language, the solo outlet of Field Music's David Brewis; Millard entered theater and the arts while joining Frankie & the Heartstrings, contributing to their 2015 album Decency; David Hyde qualified as a tiler and launched Hyde & Beast alongside former Golden Virgins member Neil Bassett; and Barry Hyde became a music instructor, completed an M.A., and continued releasing music, beginning with the 2015 Ivor Cutler covers EP Ivory Cutlery and the 2016 full-length Malody, which chronicled his experiences with mental illness through a song suite.
The former colleagues stayed in touch without reunion plans until late 2017, when Barry Hyde's solo performance featuring Futureheads numbers rekindled interest in collaborating. They regrouped in mid-2018 to record Powers, an invigorated collection addressing Brexit, parenthood, and longstanding themes. Late in 2024, Cherry Red released Decent Days & Nights: The Singles, the band's first career-spanning compilation.
Albums
Good Night out / Listen, Little Man!
2019
This Is Not the World (Deluxe Edition)
2008
This Is Not the World
2008
News and Tributes
2006
The Futureheads
2004
Singles
