Indie rock band formed in Manchester, England by Stuart Ogilvie (vocals/drums), Jon Fearon (bass), and Lee Gale (guitar). The trio met while studying at Manchester University in 2001, and formed the Longcut with a temporary vocalist. Their name was taken from a line in a song by alt country band Uncle Tupelo. It took the trio two years to perfect their sound, which developed from a Joy Division-inspired approach to a more dance orientated aesthetic, driven by their use of a Dr. Groove drum machine. In late 2004 they released "Transition", which, with a respectful nod to their Manchester heritage, created notable waves of expectation. In June 2005 Longcut released "A Quiet Life", which with its glacial snare drums and New Order-inspired bass line, seemed like the perfect follow-up to the debut single.
Everything then went quiet just as the music industry media were expecting an album. Following a series of festival appearances during summer 2005, rumours circulated that the band had imploded, and did not desire the limelight with all of its pitfalls. In the meantime bands such as the Klaxons and Justice were releasing indie/dance crossover music to huge acclaim, and it seemed as if the Longcut had quit too early. The rumour mill cranked into life in early 2006 with stories of an imminent album, and A Call And Response was finally released the same June. Produced by Jonny Dollar of Massive Attack, the 10-track album built on the singles to achieve an impressive crescendo of sound, with notable standouts including "Holy Funk" and "A Tried And Tested Method".
