The original line-up was Miles Hunt (whose uncle Bill Hunt was keyboard player with Wizzard), Malcolm Treece, Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones (d. 1993) and Martin Gilks (d. 2006). The group originated from an earlier collaboration with group members of Pop Will Eat Itself (aka PWEI), called From Eden, which had Miles Hunt on the drums.
In 1990, Martin Bell (aka, Fiddlie), an accomplished fiddle and banjo instrumentalist, joined the band and Paul Clifford replaced Rob Jones on the bass after Jones left the band.
The band initially split on July 14, 1994 at the Phoenix Festival near Stratford-on-Avon, with Miles Hunt forming Vent 414 and Malc Treece, Martin Gilks and Paul Clifford teaming up with ex-Eat frontman, Ange Dolittle, to form We Know Where You Live.
Following the split of Vent 414, Miles Hunt took to touring an acoustic solo show performing old favourites and new material. During this period, he toured and released an album under banner of The Miles Hunt Club, featuring Stuart Quinnel and Andres Karu (who would later featuring in subsequent line-ups of The Wonder Stuff) as well as Michael Ferentino fom the Amazing Meet Project.
The band later reformed for a few live tours from 2000 onwards including a sell out 5 night residency at The Forum, London. For this incarnation, Stuart Quinnel took over on bass from Paul Clifford.
Their first new album for over a decade, Escape From Rubbish Island, was released in September 2004. The line-up for this album was Hunt and Treece plus Andres Karu and Mark McCarthy (formally of Radical Dance Faction).
This line-up (plus Erica Nockalls on violin) continued into 2006 with the release of their new album Suspended By Stars.
Scheduled for 2011 is a tour supporting The Levellers for which the line up has changed again, with Andres Karu being replaced on drums by ex-Pop Will Eat Itself member Fuzz Townshend.
Mission Drive
The Wonder Stuff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and I don't car who wants to stare these days.
To realize, to be brought back down to size,
the wicked lies and all the shite you say.
I'm not losing my mind,
no I'm not changing my lines,
I'm just learning new things with the passage of time.
I'm looking on the bright side,
I've never loved Elvis,
and I've never sung the blues.
I'm thinking of another man,
I remind myself of him,
I wear him like a hairstyle,
or a stain upon my skin,
but, my flesh is getting cleaner,
and my hair is growing thin.
The lyrics to The Wonder Stuff's “Mission Drive” are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation, but at their core, they seem to convey a sense of personal transformation and growth. The singer is on a mission to “open up my eyes” and see things more clearly, regardless of what others may think of him. He wants to be “brought back down to size” and shed the “wicked lies” that he's been told, suggesting that he's been living in a kind of delusion or ignorance. Despite this, he's not completely losing his mind or changing who he is, but instead learning new things and evolving over time.
The singer then goes on to express a kind of defiance or rebellion against traditional norms, saying that he doesn't care about things like loving Elvis or singing the blues – he's focused on his own path and looking on the bright side, even when it might be painful or uncomfortable (as indicated by the bruise simile). He also mentions “another man” whom he seems to identify with in some way, likening this connection to a hairstyle or stain. Finally, he states that his body is physically changing – his flesh is getting cleaner (perhaps suggesting a newfound purity or clarity), and his hair is growing thin (which could symbolize aging, transformation, or letting go of old patterns).
Overall, “Mission Drive” seems to be a song about personal growth and transformation, as well as a rejection of societal norms and expectations. The singer is on a journey to become more aware and honest with himself, even if it means challenging his own beliefs and letting go of past patterns of behavior. While some of the lyrics are ambiguous, the overall sentiment is one of empowerment and self-exploration.
Line by Line Meaning
My Mission Drive, is to open up my eyes,
My goal is to become more aware of the world around me and see things from a different perspective.
and I don't care who wants to stare these days.
I am confident in my newfound perspective and I am not afraid to show it, even if it means being judged by others.
To realize, to be brought back down to size,
I want to confront the truth about myself and be humbled by it.
the wicked lies and all the shite you say.
I want to see past the falsehoods and negativity that people throw at me.
I'm not losing my mind,
Despite my intense desire for change, I am not losing my grip on reality.
no I'm not changing my lines,
I am staying true to myself and my beliefs, even as I seek personal growth.
I'm just learning new things with the passage of time.
I am constantly evolving and growing as a person, and I embrace the wisdom that comes with time.
I'm looking on the bright side,
I am choosing to focus on positivity and hope.
I wear it like a bruise,
My optimism is not always easy to maintain; it requires effort and resilience, like a bruised body part that still must be used.
I've never loved Elvis,
I refuse to follow the trends and popular opinions of others simply because it is expected of me.
and I've never sung the blues.
I am not one to dwell on negativity or sorrow, but instead choose to maintain a positive attitude.
I'm thinking of another man,
I aspire to be like someone else who embodies the virtues and qualities I admire.
I remind myself of him,
I use this person as a role model to guide my own behavior and personal growth.
I wear him like a hairstyle,
I model myself after this person in both my actions and my outward appearance.
or a stain upon my skin,
This person's influence on me is deep and lasting, like a permanent mark on my body.
but, my flesh is getting cleaner,
Despite my continued admiration for this person, I am becoming more of my own person with time and growth.
and my hair is growing thin.
As I mature and develop, I am letting go of superficial concerns and embracing what truly matters in life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MALCOLM ROY TREECE, MARTIN BELL, MARTIN RICHARD GILKS, MILES STEPHEN HUNT, PAUL CLIFFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind