Biography
Jacob Slater first gained traction amid England’s early-21st-century punk circuit before stepping forward as frontman of indie-rock band Wunderhorse. Their 2022 debut Cub, built around melodic guitar lines and inward-looking lyrics, quickly cultivated a loyal domestic audience, and the quartet returned in 2024 with the follow-up Midas.
During his teenage years Slater had drummed for the short-lived punk outfit Dead Pretties, which dissolved in 2017 after issuing several frenetic singles. He then stepped away from music entirely, renouncing substances and regaining equilibrium by working part-time as a surfing instructor in the seaside English town of Newquay. A brief return to punk-related terrain came when he portrayed Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook in Danny Boyle’s limited series Pistol. Eventually, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Slater launched Wunderhorse—taking its name from Gene Autry’s horse Champion the Wonder Horse—as a vehicle for his own material. He assembled guitarists Harry Fowler and Oscar Browne, bassist Pete Woodin, and drummer Jamie Staples to realize the desired sound, though Browne exited before the group formally coalesced. Listeners responded to Slater’s youthful outlook and the matching rock & roll drive; English outlets lauded Cub, spotlighting tracks such as “Teal,” “17,” and “Leader of the Pack.”
Wunderhorse expanded their reach through high-profile support slots with Pixies, Fontaines D.C., and Sam Fender, several of whom publicly commended the band’s performances. An American tour arrived in 2023, followed by an appearance on the Woodsies stage at that year’s Glastonbury Festival alongside the Last Dinner Party, Maneskin, and a Smiths cover collective organized by Blossoms and Rick Astley. Early 2024 saw the release of the single “Midas” ahead of the sophomore album bearing the same title. Produced by Craig Silvey (The National, Arcade Fire), Midas appeared in mid-2024, after which the band embarked on a headline U.K. tour.
During his teenage years Slater had drummed for the short-lived punk outfit Dead Pretties, which dissolved in 2017 after issuing several frenetic singles. He then stepped away from music entirely, renouncing substances and regaining equilibrium by working part-time as a surfing instructor in the seaside English town of Newquay. A brief return to punk-related terrain came when he portrayed Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook in Danny Boyle’s limited series Pistol. Eventually, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Slater launched Wunderhorse—taking its name from Gene Autry’s horse Champion the Wonder Horse—as a vehicle for his own material. He assembled guitarists Harry Fowler and Oscar Browne, bassist Pete Woodin, and drummer Jamie Staples to realize the desired sound, though Browne exited before the group formally coalesced. Listeners responded to Slater’s youthful outlook and the matching rock & roll drive; English outlets lauded Cub, spotlighting tracks such as “Teal,” “17,” and “Leader of the Pack.”
Wunderhorse expanded their reach through high-profile support slots with Pixies, Fontaines D.C., and Sam Fender, several of whom publicly commended the band’s performances. An American tour arrived in 2023, followed by an appearance on the Woodsies stage at that year’s Glastonbury Festival alongside the Last Dinner Party, Maneskin, and a Smiths cover collective organized by Blossoms and Rick Astley. Early 2024 saw the release of the single “Midas” ahead of the sophomore album bearing the same title. Produced by Craig Silvey (The National, Arcade Fire), Midas appeared in mid-2024, after which the band embarked on a headline U.K. tour.
Singles
