The Cribs

The Cribs

The Cribs are an English indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. They form in 2001 as a three-piece made up of twin brothers Gary Jarman and Ryan Jarman, with their younger brother Ross Jarman on drums. The group later expands to a four-piece in August 2008 when Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths and Modest Mouse, joins as an official member. He leaves in April 2011, after which the band continues again as a trio.

Recordings and releases

The Cribs sign to Wichita Recordings and release five albums on the label: The Cribs, The New Fellas, Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever, Ignore the Ignorant, and In the Belly of the Brazen Bull. Their fifth studio album is recorded at Abbey Road in London and EAR Studio in Chicago with Steve Albini, and at Tarbox Road Studio in New York with David Fridmann.

Commercial recognition

Although they start as an underground band, The Cribs achieve chart success in the UK. Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever reaches number 13 on the UK albums chart, while Ignore the Ignorant becomes their first top ten album, reaching number 8. The band also has seven top 40 singles, with “Men’s Needs” as their highest-charting single at number 17. In 2008, Q magazine describes them as “the biggest cult band in the UK”.

Later activity

In 2020, The Cribs release Night Network. Earlier, they face a period in which they nearly lose the rights to their back catalogue and come close to ending the group.