Miles Hunt: The Wonder Stuff Diaries '90-'94, Wolverhampton Literary Festival - review, pictures and video
Rocker Miles Hunt rolled back the years with nostalgic tales of his life on the road with The Wonder Stuff, as well as performing renditions of his band's songs.
The frontman, who is now living in Shropshire, treated dozens of audience members at the Slade Rooms to a live performance which formed part of the first-ever Wolverhampton Literature Festival.
Miles read extracts from his upcoming book chronicling the years of his band between 1990 to 1994 which included tours of the United States and Italy.
The audience received Miles' performance well as he sat perched upon a stool in front of a microphone on the stage with a guitar and sheets of paper as his props.
The 50-year-old musician has pieced together his second book, due to be released sometime in the summer, from diary extracts which he wrote from his teenage years up until his mid-twenties.
He said if his first book was about the 'ascent' of The Wonder Stuff, which was originally formed in 1986, his second one would be about the band's 'descent'.
Miles picked out 'flashbacks' that he has chronicled in the book during his time in the band from the first half of the 90s.
It included the time when he first met the comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer during a party. They said they thought Miles was in Pop Will Eat Itself and praised their gig that took place in Liverpool during 1990. But the comics found out Miles was actually in The Wonder Stuff.
He also reminisced about an interview he took part in on rock radio 91X, based in San Diego which didn't turn out too well.
Miles, originally from Birmingham, performed numerous tracks to the audience in between his story telling, which included Circlesquare released in 1990.
He also recalled watching The Jam play in Birmingham when he was 12 years old, in what was one of the 'great moments' of his life. Miles also remembered how there were confrontation following the gig between 'mods' and 'skinheads' after the gig.
He finished his performance to a loud cheer and applause from the crowd, with the occasion proving a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Speaking after the event, Miles said: "To be asked to take part in the first Wolverhampton Literature Festival was a proper honour. It was a brilliant turn out. I think the festival is a great thing for Wolverhampton."
By Jamie Brassington
