One of the handful of bands that successfully negotiated the musical shifts that led from punk to mod at the end of the 1970s, the Carpettes originally formed while at school in 1974, as the heavily Stones-influenced Brown Sugar. Based in Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, the founding lineup of Neil Thompson (vocals), George Maddison (bass), and Kevin Heard (drums) went through a succession of names (and minor lineup changes) before re-forming in spring 1977 as the Carpettes. A locally recorded demo brought the band to the attention of the Small Wonder label, and late 1977 saw the release of the band's debut, the four-song EP How About Me and You. The group relocated to London around this same time, but a period of unrest saw the Carpettes' initial impetus fade. Heard departed, to be replaced by ex-Young Bucks drummer Tim Wilder, who himself was then replaced by former Merton Parkas percussionist Simon Smith. But Smith was only passing through, and Wilder returned in time for the band's next single, "Small Wonder."