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.
Piece Of Sky
The Wonder Stuff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got so high you almost touched the sky
Lady luck couldn't wish you more luck than I
So take a jump and steal your piece of sky
If luck was a bird then you shot it down
It's blood and it's feathers they lay spread on the ground
I won't look at you and ask why
'cause you'd take a piece and stick it in your eye
No it'll never be the same
But we're not to blame
So what's the point in making starts
When making starts just tears your heart
And where's the sense in recompense
When recompense don't make no sense at all
So take a jump and steal your piece of sky
Yeah, take a piece and stick it in your eye
CHORUS
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The lyrics of The Wonder Stuff's song "Piece of Sky" seem to be about someone who has reached great heights and achievements, but at a cost. The lines "How did you get so very high? / You got so high you almost touched the sky" suggest that this person has accomplished something impressive, but they may have done so at the expense of others or their own values. The reference to "Lady luck" implies that luck played a role in their success, and the singer acknowledges that they feel lucky to know this person. However, the next lines "If luck was a bird then you shot it down / It's blood and it's feathers they lay spread on the ground" paint a darker picture. It seems that this person's success came at the cost of others, perhaps through selfish or unethical means.
The chorus of the song suggests a sense of resignation or acceptance about the situation. The lines "No, it'll never be the same / But we're not to blame" indicate that something has been lost or damaged, but the singer recognizes that it's not entirely their fault. The lines "So what's the point in making starts / When making starts just tears your heart" suggest that the pursuit of success is not always worth it, especially if it comes with negative consequences. Finally, the lines "And where's the sense in recompense / When recompense don't make no sense at all" convey a sense of futility - even if some kind of compensation or reconciliation were possible, it wouldn't necessarily solve anything. In the end, the singer advises this person to "take a jump and steal your piece of sky" - to continue pursuing their goals, but perhaps with greater consideration for the cost.
Line by Line Meaning
How did you get so very high
How did you achieve such a high level of success?
You got so high you almost touched the sky
Your success has been almost limitless.
Lady luck couldn't wish you more luck than I
I have wished all the luck in the world for you.
So take a jump and steal your piece of sky
Go ahead, take a risk and claim your own share of success.
If luck was a bird then you shot it down
You have achieved success through your own hard work and determination rather than relying solely on luck.
It's blood and it's feathers they lay spread on the ground
Your hard work has resulted in success but not without sacrifice.
I won't look at you and ask why
I won't question how you've achieved your success.
'cause you'd take a piece and stick it in your eye
Because you are willing to take risks and go to great lengths to secure your success.
No it'll never be the same
Things will never go back to how they were before your success.
But we're not to blame
We are not responsible for the changes that have taken place.
So what's the point in making starts
What use is beginning something new and potentially risky?
When making starts just tears your heart
When pursuing something new can cause emotional pain.
And where's the sense in recompense
What's the point in trying to make amends?
When recompense don't make no sense at all
When making amends is pointless.
Yeah, take a piece and stick it in your eye
To succeed, one must be willing to take risks and endure sacrifices.
CHORUS
Repeating the chorus of the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MALCOLM ROY TREECE, MARTIN RICHARD GILKS, MILES STEPHEN HUNT, ROBERT JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andy Langley
One of my favourite songs of all time
The Wild Birds
We've just covered this song. Can't touch the original though. Stuffies for ever.
N2 King
Always loved this song. Great clips of the band. 💜
Jennie Short
I'm enjoying TWS on YouTube today after using the word "inertia" in a conversation this morning. A band you can just fall back into, sing every lyric and be embraced by. My tattoo reads "take a jump and steal your piece of sky".
Mike Grant
Fist album I'd ever heard by the Stuff and managed to catch their show at Liverpools Royal Court.... They came on to a taped Gary Glitters 'Dya wanna be in my gang'!! I'll never forget it, I was on my own coz all my mates thought I was a wierdo for digging The Wonder Stuff!!
English Heart
I would've gone with you mate
gav hinds
A classic..
Lazer Machine
Loved this song for ... decades I guess? Never searched on YouTube for it - nice to see a vid!
Yvette Clark
Best gigs ever xxx
ThatGuy
Great!