EIGHTIES' Indie band The Wonder Stuff are coming to Wirral later this month as part of a greatest hits tour.

The band, originally from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, burst onto the music scene in the late 1980s with hits that included Circlesquare and Let Me Down Gently.

Commercial success came in 1991 with the band's cover of Tommy Roe's Dizzy with comedian Vic Reeves, which remained at the top of the charts for two weeks.

The band split in 1994 but reformed for a few live tours in the year 2000. Their first new album for more than a decade, Escape From Rubbish Island, was released in 2004 and the group is still going strong.

The new line-up features original members Miles Hunt and Malcolm Treece, plus Andres Karu, Mark McCarthy and Erica Nock.

"I'm enjoying being back with the band," Miles told me: "My memories of the original Wonder Stuff were that the period between 1986-89 was pretty good and a happy time, but after that it was troublesome, so I was glad when it ended. This time around, me and Mal are the elder members of the band. Thankfully, we haven't turned into cynical old musicians."

The Escape From Rubbish Island album takes a swipe at Britain.

Miles explained: "It's about my dislike of Britain. I think it's disappointing that intelligent people are taken in by shows like The X-Factor while the country's leaders ride roughshod over us. We are in a constant state of flux.

"I don't have any aspirations to change the world with my music and I don't have a planet-sized ego like Geldof or Bono."

The band's new single, Blah Blah La Di Dah, is only available on the album Suspended by Stars, released in February, or through most music download services, including iTunes or Napster.

Tickets for their Wirral date at Pacific Road Arts Centre, Woodside, Birkenhead, on Thursday, November 30 - it starts at 8pm - are £16 at the door or by booking early.

Members of public should note that this is a standing-only concert.