This casual trio - Jon Langford (guitar; also leader of The Mekons, and, for the wink of an eye, a member of the [a=Sisters of Mercy]), John Hyatt (vocals, lyrics) and John Brennan (real name Phillip Brennan) (bass) - began by specializing in discordant socio-political guitar punk with trembling falsetto vocals; their career-long use of a rhythm machine which they named [url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2171115]Hugo[/url] rather than a live drummer has lent a unique tension to the group's sound.