Having released ten albums in ten years, Lawrence ‘Lawrence’ Hayward called time on 80s cult heroes Felt and unveiled a new project for a new decade. Denim eschewed Felt’s ornate, cerebral jangle in favour of chunky glam riffs and novelty pop (several of the musicians involved were former members of The Glitter Band, while Middle Of The Road sampled chintzy 1971 hit Chirpy Chirpy Cheap Cheap). Back In Denim was born from Lawrence’s childhood growing up in Birmingham in the 1970s, and for a record recorded at the start of the 90s, it sounds as 70s as Chopper bikes and the three-day week. The expense of recording bankrupted his label and Lawrence’s idiosyncrasies drove producer John Leckie to walk (“I’ve worked with Phil Spector and John Lennon and Syd Barrett,” the studio veteran reportedly told him, “you’re madder than any of them”), yet in its deadpan wit, examination a peculiarly British strand of life and culture — not to mention its killer pop hooks — Back In Denim laid out a blueprint from which the wave of Britpop bands about to storm the charts, not least Pulp, would build far more commercially successful careers.

– Chris Catchpole