After being a Frantic Elevator for sometime in the early 80s, Mick Hucknall formed Simply Red with members of the early Durutti Column line-up (the one that recorded for Factory Sample EP). With three excellent pop albums ('Picture Book', 'Men & Women' and 'A New Flame') nineties saw rapid line-up changes finally featuring Hucknall as a sole representator with his, now-obvious alter ego. 'Stars' did not disappoint, but with every next album it was more and more a self-indulgent affair obscured with Hucknall's excellent but often affecting vocals that reached certain degree of irritation. Now heavily into the new millenium's plastic r'n'b Simply Red or whatever remained of 'them' sound no longer as distinctvie as they once were.