Biography

Menswear are perhaps the definitive band of the Britpop era, a group who embodied the stylish excess of the mid-'90s. Image and music were inextricably tied within the Camden-based quintet: bedecked in natty threads, Menswear looked the part of a proper band. Fashion helped spur a furious bidding war between British-based major labels, each looking for the next Blur or Oasis. Menswear signed with the London Records subsidiary Laurel months after their October 1994 formation, releasing their debut album, Nuisance, a year later. With two Top 20 hits ("Daydreamer," "Stardust") and a genuine Top Ten smash (the ballad "Being Brave") to their credit, the group appeared to gain considerable momentum, but their downfall came as suddenly as their rise. By 1998, their second album, Hay Tiempo, appeared in Japan only, portending an inevitable breakup. Their time in the spotlight may have been brief, but Nuisance garnered an enduring fan base that led Menswear to reunions and revivals, highlighted by the release of a complete recorded works box set in 2020. Fittingly for a band who belonged to specific scene, Menswear first surfaced in an article about the scene, long before the group actually existed. Vocalist Johnny Dean and guitarist Chris Gentry both appeared in a Select article targeting a mod revival inspired by Blur guitarist Graham Coxon, the pair hyping their band Menswear. At that point, the group was an idea, not an actuality. Not long afterward, the duo added guitarist Simon White, then bassist Stuart Black and drummer Matt Everitt, playing their debut gig at the Britpop club Smashing. The British music weeklies raved about the concert, and a bidding war to sign the band ended with London Records as the victors; London put the group on their subsidiary Laurel. Menswear appeared on Top of the Pops the week prior to the release of their debut single, "I'll Manage Somehow," in 1994. The track peaked at 49, a position bettered by the subsequent "Daydreamer" and "Stardust," which topped out at 14 and 16, respectively. Nuisance, the band's debut, appeared in October 1995, debuting at 11 on the U.K. charts. "Sleeping In" went to 24 around its release, with the group's biggest hit "Being Brave" arriving in early 1996; it reached number ten. Despite this flurry of activity, Menswear were on shaky ground. Everitt left the group, then they released the single "We Love You" at the end of the year, reaching 22 on the U.K. charts. Laurel dropped the band the next year after hearing Hay Tiempo, a jangly pop record with country-rock undertones. Hay Tiempo appeared in Japan in 1998 but didn't see a release in either the U.K. or North America. Shortly afterward, the group split after playing a farewell show at Camden Palace. After the breakup, Menswear members continued to be active in the music industry. Johnny Dean and Stuart Black formed Messiah, which split after 2000. Matt Everitt went on to be a music news reporter for the radio station 6Music. Simon White worked as a professional musician. Following a diagnosis for Asperger syndrome in 2008, Dean worked with the National Autistic Society to raise awareness of autism. The singer formed a new version of Menswear in the mid-2010s, a venture culminating with an appearance on 2015's Shiiine On Weekender festival. Dean then pulled the plug on the band and formed a new group called Fuck Explosion. Menswear celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2020 by releasing The Menswear Collection, a four-CD box set effectively containing their complete recorded works, including the rare Hay Tiempo album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi