When - 1986 - ...

Where - Liverpool, England

What - The Britpop blueprint

While Noel Gallagher was (allegedly) stealing car stereos, there was The La's, whose breezy neo-Merseybeat ensured legendary status when Britpop came to power in the 90s. A local following and the songwriting of near-genius leader Lee Mavers won a contract with Go! Discs, who released the waltzing 'Way Out' (1987) to rave reviews but scant sales - a feat repeated by the classic 'There She Goes' (1988), which saw John Timson replaced by Chris Sharrock, ex-Icicle Works and future Lightning Seed.

When 1989's 'Timeless Melody' appeared, Pete Cammell (guitar) and Lee's brother Neil (drums) had been installed and a long-overdue debut album was underway. The obsessive Mavers, however, seemed hellbent on 
scuppering the group, insisting on vintage equipment and interminable re-recordings.
By the time the flawed masterpiece The La's (1990) limped out, he had disowned it, although 'There She Goes' became a belated UK hit that year and radio perennial ever since.

Power left for Britpop gonks Cast and The La's disappeared amid rumours of Maver's drug problems, reappearing only for low-key gigs and in tributes from Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller and The Bluetones - who owe no small debt to Mavers' songwriting.

In a 1995 NME 'Where are they now?' feature, Mavers claimed his latest songs sounded better recorded on a dictaphone.