Wunderhorse

Jacob Slater left home at age 17 and lived in London for five years.[1][2] He was the frontman for the punk trio Dead Pretties before the group disbanded in 2017.[1] After the Dead Pretties broke up, Slater moved to Cornwall, where he found odd jobs as a laborer and worked as a surfing instructor while continuing to write music.[2][3] During this time Slater also landed an acting role, playing drummer Paul Cook in Pistol, a six-part miniseries about the Sex Pistols directed by Danny Boyle.[4][2] Slater has cited Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Frank On Tap and Elliott Smith as musical influences[1][3]

Slater began Wunderhorse as a solo project during the COVID-19 pandemic. He later joined with drummer Jamie Staples, guitarist Harry Fowler, and bassist Pete Woodin to form the current band.[5][6][7] Guitarist Oscar Browne recorded with the band but later left the group.[8][9]

Wunderhorse's debut album Cub was released 7 October 2022 by Communion Music,[10] and was produced by Kevin Jones and Pete Woodin.[11]

Cub was named one of the best albums of 2022 by NME,[12] Riot,[13] and Far Out.[14] Critics described the album as "a warming blues/garage/indie fire... an album best enjoyed in its entirety and at high volume",[7] "some of the most well-crafted and interesting rock songs of this decade",[15] "a brilliant catalogue of teenage life - ill-fated love, drugs, self-destruction, depression as well as youthful joy - all to a rousing soundtrack that harks back to the 1990s",[2] and "melodic reflection from a man growing into himself".[3]

Asked about the band's name, Slater told Hero: "There's this old TV show from the 50s or 60s called Champion the Wonder Horse... I started using the name as a joke and it was one of those things that stuck".[8]

In 2022, Wunderhorse toured as a supporting act for other bands, opening for Irish punk band Fontaines D.C.,[4][2] Pixies,[2] Foals,[4] and fellow UK singer-songwriter Sam Fender.[4] In spring 2023, Wunderhorse toured the United States, with concert dates in several cities. They also played at Glastonbury Festival 2023 on the Woodsies and BBC Introducing stages.[16][17][18]

The band has a second album in the works.[4]