The High came into existence in Manchester, England, during October 1987 when guitarist Andy Couzens—born 15 July 1965 in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England and formerly of the still-unproven Stone Roses—assembled the group. Vocalist John Matthews, born 23 September 1967 in Torquay, Devon, England, bassist Simon Davies, born 24 January 1967 in Manchester, England, and drummer Chris Goodwin, born 10 August 1965 in Oldham, Lancashire, England, completed the lineup. Rather than follow the usual route of relentless live work that traps most emerging acts, the quartet concentrated on writing direct, melodic guitar-pop numbers. A single prominent hometown performance proved enough to secure a deal with London Records.
This uncomplicated style enabled rapid progress, and three singles appeared throughout 1990, each one lifting the band closer to wider recognition. A remixed take on their debut single, ‘Box Set Go’, reached number 28 on the UK charts at the start of the following year, giving the members space to focus on new recordings during 1991. Yet the backlash against the baggy movement soon placed the High, alongside the less distinguished Northside, at the top of critics’ targets for dismissal. As a result, their album Hype arrived with almost no promotional attention.
