The Wendys with Jonathan Renton and Ian White Part 1

The Wendys with Jonathan Renton and Ian White (part 1) in conversation with David Eastaugh

Formed in 1987, the Wendys were the second Scottish band to be signed to Factory Records, after The Wake. Their name came about after a nights drinking the evening before they were due to sign for Factory. They decided upon The Marys, but when the time came to sign for Factory, none of them could remember what they had decided upon. Believing they had chosen the Wendys, that's the name they registered. After the group opened for the Happy Mondays, Shaun Ryder's father suggested that they send in a demo tape. After they were signed to the label, Phil Saxe acted as their manager. Having felt at odds with the contemporary Scottish music scene, the Wendys found a common spirit among the Factory Records roster, saying they shared similar influences as their labelmates but still wanted to be known as their own distinct band. Although they enjoyed critical acclaim with the release of their debut album Gobbledygook in 1991 (produced by Ian Broudie), they did not achieve the widespread popularity of labelmates such as New Order or the Happy Mondays. The timing of their album's release directly preceded the demise of the label, also hurting their chances at success. Following a long hiatus, the group released their second album Sixfootwingspan (originally intended to be called Sixfootwingspan Yoga Birds) in 1999.