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.
Rue The Day
The Wonder Stuff Lyrics
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But I forgotten what I came to say.
Wished I'd been somewhere else instead,
A place to get warm and a place to get fed.
Oh what a way for us to spend the day....
Happy Day oh happy, come to me, my desire,
Come out, oh come out,
You're the fuel to my fire.
The opening line of The Wonder Stuff's "Rue The Day" immediately sets a melancholic tone as the singer describes entering someone's lonely room without a clear purpose. The use of the word "forgotten" emphasizes the aimlessness of the encounter, further highlighted by the singer's wish to be elsewhere - a place that offers both physical comfort and nourishment. These desires are juxtaposed with the "happy day" refrain that creates an ironic contrast to the singer's true feelings.
As the song develops, the contradiction between the upbeat melody and the subdued lyrics becomes even more striking. The plea for "my desire" to "come out" and "fuel my fire" could be interpreted as a call for inspiration or motivation, but the repeated reference to a "happy day" that seems impossible to achieve suggests a deeper sense of frustration and hopelessness. The final verse, with its refrain of "oh what a way for us to spend the day", highlights the potential for missed opportunities and regret.
Overall, "Rue The Day" captures the sense of feeling lost, unsatisfied, and unfulfilled that many people experience at various points in their lives. The combination of poetic lyrics and an energetic melody makes for a powerful emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
I fell into your lonely room today
I couldn't avoid coming to your empty room
But I forgotten what I came to say
My mind went blank and I couldn't remember why I was there
Wished I'd been somewhere else instead
I regretted being in that room at that moment
A place to get warm and a place to get fed
I needed comfort and sustenance
Oh what a way for us to spend the day....
Our current situation is not ideal for a good day
Happy Day oh happy, come to me, my desire,
I wish for a joyful day and for my deepest wishes to come true
Come out, oh come out,
I encourage my desires to surface and manifest
You're the fuel to my fire.
My desires keep me driven and motivated
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MALCOLM ROY TREECE, MARTIN RICHARD GILKS, MILES STEPHEN HUNT, ROBERT JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind