Bradford special with Ian Hodgson & Ewan Butler in conversation with David Eastaugh

The line-up was Ian H. (Ian Michael Hodgson, vocals), Ewan Butler (guitar), John Baulcombe (Keyboards),Jos Murphy (bass guitar), and Mark McVitie (drums). The band's debut single, "Skin Storm" was released in 1988, and had the distinction of being the first independently financed recording to be released on compact disc. They followed this with "Tattered, Tangled & Torn" before signing to Midnight Music, although their only release for the label, a self-titled mini-LP, was withdrawn. The band were then signed to Smiths producer Stephen Street's Foundation label. Street produced the major share of Bradford's material during their two-year association before the band signed with Sire Records/Warner Bros. Records. The band opened for Morrissey at his first post-Smiths concert at Wolverhampton Civic Hall. 1989 saw two further singles, both hits on the UK Indie Chart, and an album, Shouting Quietly, produced by Stephen Street and released on Sire Records label in the United States followed in 1989, reissued in 1990. Sales of the album were disappointing, and the band were dropped by Sire. An album collecting tracks from their early singles was also issued. In 1991, Morrissey recorded a cover version of "Skin Storm", released as a B-side on his "Pregnant for the Last Time" single and also featured on the "My Love Life" and "The CD Singles '88-91'" albums.