cats:for:peru

cats:for:peru

cats:for:peru are a Sheffield band that begin in early 2007, when Ad Follett asks friends in the Sheffield suburb of Dronfield to help turn his ukulele- and guitar-written songs into full-band arrangements. The group forms as a five-piece and develops a sound shaped by progressive rock, post-rock and independent pop, alongside influences such as Radiohead and Arcade Fire.

Formation and early releases

After a run of well-received live shows, the band records at 2Fly Studios with Sheffield producers David Sanderson and Alan Smyth, whose credits include work with Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and The Long Blondes. Their debut album, Attack of the Pitching Machine, is released in December 2009. The record attracts national critical praise, with comments describing it as avant-pop and suggesting it deserves wider attention.

Live work and later releases

cats:for:peru promote the album beyond Sheffield, playing in London, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham, among other places. They also support Wild Beasts, Colourmusic, Juffage, Sky Larkin and Here We Go Magic. They then release the EP We had this problem last winter on Thee SPC, the label associated with Nat Johnson and Standard Fare, and the release receives strong reviews from national blogs and publications. Later they put out a double A-side single on House vs Home Records.

Line-up

The group consists of Adam Follett on vocals, guitar, uke and synth; Richard Walton on guitar; Keith Jones on bass and vocals; Stella Medforth on synth and vocals; Lucy Williamson on drums; and Dave Cuthbertson as temporary bassist.