Sugarcoma martin

Early career

In March 1999 the band formed when vocalist Jess Mayers joined forces with guitarist Claire Simson, who had previously played in a band called Little Green Pants. Simson's childhood friend James Cuthbert joined as a drummer, while Heidi McEwen (later Fisk) became the bass player. The four members were all teenage pupils at St Edward's Church of England School and they recorded a demo tape using the school's facilities.^[1][2]

The band was named after a Hole song.^{[3][note 1]} They played their first gig at The Walthamstow Standard, supporting a Metallica tribute act.^[1]

Velocity Recordings

The band started sending their demo out and, as they did so in alphabetical order, the first record label to show interest was the first to receive the tape, Abuse Records.^[4] Reading-based club promoter and music executive Sid Siddle had started a zine called Abuse and then an eponymous record label. He later established a business relationship with Tony Defries' management company MainMan and changed the name of his label to Velocity Recordings. Defries had engaged

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