Most people remember the 80s as the music industry's wilderness years. But... Back before brit pop, before Madchester, and before acid house the Midlands produced a reaction to the Stock Aitken and Waterman produced pap that was loading the charts. Grebo. From the power pop of Jesus Jones and Carter USM right through to the real grunge of Gaye Bykers on Acid, Crazyhead and Neds Atomic Dustbin it was a broad church. Typified by high ponytails, multicoloured dreads, shaved sides and army surplus it ruled for the briefest of flashes before baggy and dance music swept the nation.

Among the real heroes of the Grebo movement were PWEI (Pop Will Eat Itself). A mish mash of cultural references plucked from every geek's guide to cool (sci-fi and graphic novels mainly) combined with a furious pulsing beat, a daft sense of humour and ludicrous onstage antics made them as genuinely exciting as any other act of the time. Also, more than any of the other acts that charted in Grebo's brief heyday they've aged particularly well. This Is The Day, This Is The Hour, This Is This! still sounds remarkably fresh - something I can't say for Carter USM, for example.

With Jesus Jones and EMF they could be credited with creating the indie dance movement, taking the influences of the likes of New Order to their logical conclusion (a road that ended with Madchester), although The Shamen and Primal Scream usually get that credit.

After the band split Richard March went on to form lunatic big beaters Bentley Rhythm Ace, ably assisted by Fuzz and (occasionally) Milf from EMF. Clint went to LA to write film scores (no, really).

They reformed in 2005 for a small reunion tour but despite news that the reformation was permanent they have since failed to get it together. Instead Crabbi, Adman and Fuzz have formed a new band called Vileeviles who have just announced their debut tour. With the same instrumentation line up as the original band you get the strong sense that the sound will be pretty similar (if not the same).

In celebration of the fact that one of the dates on that debut tour is here in York here's PWEI doing "Can You Dig It?"

Alan Moore does indeed know the score.