The Cribs

The Cribs formed in Wakefield in 2001, brothers Ryan, Gary, and Ross Jarman developing a sound that drew on American indie rock and British post-punk in ways that felt completely contemporary. They signed to Wichita Recordings and released a series of albums that built a devoted following. Their music was energetic, melodic, and possessed of a genuine emotional directness.

'Men's Needs' (2007) was the breakthrough single — a song of extraordinary melodic energy that reached number seventeen. 'The New Fellas' (2005) and 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever' (2007) were both strong albums. The band briefly added Johnny Marr as a fourth member for 'Ignore the Ignorant' (2009) — a remarkable collaboration.

The Cribs have continued to record and tour with remarkable consistency. Their devotion to independent music and their refusal to compromise has made them one of the most respected British indie bands of their generation.