THE CANDYSKINS released their first single for Ultimate in June of 1996 after escaping the clutches of Geffen Records. The band, along with SUPERGRASS and RADIOHEAD represent the cream of the burgeoning Oxford scene, and if it wasn't for time spent fulfilling their touring commitments in the U.S., would already be as familiar as their counterparts.

The campaign started at last year's In The City when Ultimate heard "Mrs Hoover" and managed to lure the band to sign on the dotted line earlier this year. With an increase in awareness around bands coming out of Oxford, a local label released the "OXCD" album featuring all the upcoming new bands from the area, including of course THE CANDYSKINS. Publicity for this album came thick and fast in the week after the signing, with hundreds of youngsters turning up at The HMV Megastore to see the band play, culminating in a frenzy that security described as a 'mini riot'.

The release of the glistening "Get On" in June - their first Ultimate single - roused Space into asking The Candyskins to tour with them. This was a major success, resulting in every single promoter asking for the band to return and headline their own dates. THE CANDYSKINS have played with Dodgy on a couple of occasions and they came down to check out the band at some of the Space dates and immediately booked The Candyskins to appear at some of their Dodgy Big Top Days Out. Since then the bands have become friends and Karl has guested on bass for Dodgy at several of their shows. A couple more singles were released "Circles" and "Mrs Hoover each taking the band a few more places higher in the charts.

Then came the hit single, "Monday Morning" an instant pop classic, which, with its lush Jimmy Webb-style arrangement put the band all over the radio, playlisting countrywide. A paean to the 'joys' of hangovers, "Monday Morning" is a sprightly thing, and with its strings, brass, timpani and angelic backing vocals (courtesy of Amelia from Heavenly).

"Monday Morning" set the pace for their debut album on Ultimate "Sunday Morning Fever" an instantly classic and varied pop album. An album launch was held on Sunday morning at the unearthly hour of 7.30. A wild bar in East London's Columbia Road flower market was filled with clubbers still going for it from the night before and eager fans venturing out early to catch the band's acoustic set. Still riding on the success of that morning THE CANDYSKINS went on to finish mixing the follow up single "Hang Myself On You" and then on to perform with Dodgy, Cast and The Lightning Seeds at a charity concert in aid of the Liverpool dockers!

Since June last year they must have performed over 200 shows, including festival performances, a tour with Del Amitri and most recently with My Life Story. In the midst of this touring frenzy the band had a brain wave, inspired by the mass suicide by members of the Heaven's gate cult during the appearance of the Hale-Bop comet earlier this year, a song formed in Nick's mind. THE CANDYSKINS amassed together a team to record the track in record time, with Richard Payne from Dodgy on Keyboards, the Kick Horns playing brass and Sam Williams(Supergrass producer) twiddling the knobs. A master was then bought in to Ultimate who loved it, and put it out straight away. "FEED IT" was a fairly low key release that received huge radio support and was an excellent showcase for what's to come.

Now the band are back in the studio, and the first song recorded is another perfect record this time influenced by Northern soul and proving yet again that the Candyskins can turn their hand and musicianship to anything and create classic pop records. Either this track or another will be released early next year followed by their second album on Ultimate.