Sleaford Mods are an English post-punk music duo, formed in 2007 in Nottingham. The band features vocalist Jason Williamson and, since 2012, instrumentalist Andrew Fearn. They are known for their abrasive, minimalist musical style and embittered explorations of austerity-era Britain, culture, and working class life, delivered in Williamson's East Midlands accent. The duo have released several albums to critical praise.

History

Williamson was born 10 November 1970, and raised in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Inspired by the mod subculture and musical sources like the Wu-Tang Clan, he spent several years pursuing music unsuccessfully, both with various groups and as a solo singer-songwriter. He had also worked as a session musician with local artists as well as Spiritualized and Bent. Fearn (born 1971 in Burton upon Trent) grew up on a farm in Saxilby, Lincolnshire.

Williamson first met Fearn in 2009 after hearing him DJ at a small Nottingham club called the Chameleon, where he was playing his own rough-edged and minimal grime-inspired tracks. Sleaford Mods began when Simon Parfrement, a friend of Williamson's, suggested he combine his vocals with a music sample from a Roni Size album. The project was originally called "That's Shit, Try Harder", but was later changed in reference to Sleaford, a town in Lincolnshire, not far from Grantham.

Williamson formed the band with Simon Parfrement, with whom he worked alongside a studio engineer at Rubber Biscuit Studio in Nottingham on their first four albums. Parfrement left the music production to Andrew Fearn after the release of the 2012 album Wank, the first album to feature Fearn, but Parfrement continues to play an important role with the band as their photographer and media producer. On 10 December 2014, Williamson published the lyrics collection Grammar Wanker: Sleaford Mods 2007-2014,Williamson, Jason (2014). Grammar Wanker: Sleaford Mods 2007-2014. Bracketpress. . followed by Jason Williamson's House Party: Sleaford Mods 2014-2019Williamson, Jason (2019). Jason Williamson's House Party: Sleaford Mods 2014-2019. Bracketpress. . in 2019.

A collaboration between Sleaford Mods and the Prodigy was announced at the end of 2014. They recorded a track together, "Ibiza", which appears on the Prodigy album The Day Is My Enemy, released in March 2015.

The Leftfield album Alternative Light Source, released on 8 June 2015, also features a collaboration with Sleaford Mods, a track called "Head and Shoulders". The video for "Head and Shoulders" is a stop-motion/animation hybrid that debuted in August 2015. In July 2015, the band released a new album, Key Markets. It was one of the 19 records nominated for the IMPALA Album of the Year Award. The band featured in two documentary films, Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain, released in 2015 and Bunch of Kunst. A Film About Sleaford Mods, released in 2017.

In 2016 the Sleaford Mods left Harbinger Sound and signed with Rough Trade Records. Their first release on the new label was the T.C.R. EP in 2016. In 2017, following the release of English Tapas, Sleaford Mods embarked on their first North American tour. The following year the band left Rough Trade, which eventually led to the dismissal of their long-time manager (and owner of Harbinger Records), Steve Underwood.

After releasing Eton Alive on their own label Extreme Eating Records in 2019, the band returned to Rough Trade. This renewed cooperation resulted in the release of the compilation All That Glue in 2020 and Spare Ribs in 2021 (including the single "Mork n Mindy", which was released on 30 October 2020, and reached the top of the UK vinyl singles chart). In 2019, Williamson lent his vocals to the track "Talk Whiff" by Scorn. In 2022, Williamson acted as Lazarus in the series finale of Peaky Blinders. Sleaford Mods appear alongside Orbital on the song "Dirty Rat", released on 20 October 2022.

Their twelfth album, UK Grim, was released on 10 March 2023. During a concert in Madrid on 3 November 2023, the duo abruptly ended their performance after a keffiyeh was thrown on stage. The band later posted on social media saying they believed the cloth throwing was an attempt to make them "pick sides" in the conflict in Palestine.

In October 2025 the band released "The Good Life", a single that was slated to be the first track on their next album, The Demise of Planet X. It featured additional vocals from fellow Midlands band Big Special and the actress Gwendoline Christie.

Musical style Sleaford Mods have described their work as "electronic munt minimalist punk-hop rants for the working class." Williamson is responsible for the words, Fearn for the music. Sleaford Mods songs have been described as embittered rants about such topics as unemployment, modern working life, celebrities and pop culture, capitalism and society in general. The lyrics usually contain profanity, which is, according to Williamson, the way in which he speaks and "not just fucking swearing". Fearn's music has been described as "purgatorial loop[s]" of "pugilistic post-punk-style bass; functional but unprepossessing beats; occasional cheap keyboard riffs and listless wafts of guitar."

Williamson's voice on Sleaford Mods songs is sprechgesang, rapped with his recognisable East Midlands accent. His vocal and lyrical style has variously been compared to Shaun Ryder, John Cooper Clarke, Mark E. Smith, Ian Dury, Mike Skinner and Nigel Blackwell as well as various punk and oi! artists. Williamson has cited influences including the mod subculture, the Wu-Tang Clan, Stone Roses, Nas, Red Snapper, Trim, Two Lone Swordsmen, and rave.

Members Current Jason Williamson – vocals, rap (2007–present) Andrew Fearn – computer, samples, loops, programming, production (2011–present)

Former Simon Parfrement (aka Simon Claridge) – computer, samples, loops, programming, production (2007–2012)

Discography Studio albums Title Details Peak chart positions UK UKIndie AUS BEL(FL) BEL(WA) FRA GER IRE NZ SWI Sleaford Mods Released: 2007 Labels: A52 Sounds Format: Digital download, CD — — — — — — — — — — The Mekon Released: 2007 Labels: A52 Sounds Format: Digital download, CD — — — — — — — — — — The Originator Released: 2009 Labels: A52 Sounds Format: Digital download, CD — — — — — — — — — — S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Released: 2011 Labels: Deadly Beefburger Format: Digital download, CD — — — — — — — — — — Wank Released: 2012 Labels: Deadly Beefburger Format: Digital download, CD — — — — — — — — — — Austerity Dogs Released: 3 January 2013 Labels: Harbinger Sound Format: Digital download, CD, LP — — — — — — — — — — Divide and Exit Released: 19 May 2014 Labels: Harbinger Sound Format: Digital download, CD, LP — 2 — — — — — — — — Key Markets Released: 24 July 2015 Labels: Harbinger Sound Format: Digital download, CD, LP 11 3 — 90 — — 74 — — — English Tapas Released: 3 March 2017 Labels: Rough Trade Format: Digital download, CD, LP 12 3 — 93 — 164 60 91 — 87 Eton Alive Released: 22 February 2019 Labels: Extreme Eating Format: Digital download, CD, LP, cassette 9 1 — — 191 — 58 — — — Spare Ribs Released: 15 January 2021 Labels: Rough Trade Format: Digital download, CD, LP, cassette 4 2 47 30 112 — 10 30 — 19 UK Grim Released: 10 March 2023 Labels: Rough Trade Format: Digital download, CD, LP, cassette 3 1 — 64 150 139 15 — 28 47The Demise of Planet X Released: 16 January 2026 Labels: Rough Trade Format: Digital download, CD, LP, cassette 6 1 36 178 — — 13 — 39 48 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays Title Details Peak chart positions UK Tiswas EP Released: 24 November 2014 Labels: Invada Format: Digital download, Vinyl — T.C.R. Released: 14 October 2016 Labels: Rough Trade Format: Digital download, Vinyl — Sleaford Mods Released: 14 September 2018 Labels: Rough Trade Format: Digital download, Vinyl 42 More UK Grim Released: 20 October 2023 Labels: Rough Trade Format: Streaming, 12" pink vinyl —

Live albums Title Details Live at SO36 Released: 4 November 2016 Labels: Harbinger Sound Format: Digital download, CD, LP

Compilation albums Title Details Peak chart positions UK Chubbed Up – The Singles Collection Released: 14 February 2014 Labels: Self-release Format: Digital download — Retweeted – 2006–2012 Released: 10 May 2014 Labels: Salon Alter Hammer Format: LP — Chubbed Up +(With additional tracks) Released: 24 November 2014 Labels: Ipecac Records Format: CD, LP — All That Glue Released: 15 May 2020 Labels: Rough Trade Records Format: Digital download, LP 10

Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Album/EP UK Sales UKPhys. "Fizzy" 2014 — 13 Divide and Exit "T.C.R." 2016 — — T.C.R. "Stick in a Five and Go" 2018 — — Sleaford Mods (EP) "Kebab Spider" 2019 — — Eton Alive "O.B.C.T." — — "Discourse" 84 3 "Mork n Mindy" 2020 35 1 Spare Ribs "Dirty Rat" 2022 — — Optical Delusion "The Violent Economy" 2023 — — rowspan=3 "West End Girls" 9 6 "Nom Nom Nom" / "Cat Burglar" 2024 — — "Megaton" 2025 10 2 The Demise of Planet X "The Good Life" — — "Bad Santa" — — "No Touch" — — "Elitest G.O.A.T." 2026

Music videos +YearAlbumTitleDirectorOther featured artist2014Divide and ExitTied Up in NottzSimon ParfrementTiswasJames Turner2015/Jolly FuckerDavid Sillitoe Andrew FearnKey MarketsTarentula Deadly CargoSimon ParfrementNo One's BotheredAdam Bibilo2017English TapasB.H.S.Simon ParfrementMoptop2018Sleaford ModsBang Someone OutChris Floyd (photographer)2019Eton AliveKebab SpiderRoger Sargent (photographer)/Discourse2020All That GlueSecondRobin LeeSpare RibsMork n MindyBen WheatleyBilly NomatesShortcummingsIan Tatham Sonder Design2021Nudge ItEddie the WheelAmy Taylor2023UK GrimUK GrimCold War SteveForce 10 From NavaroneEddie WhelanFlorence ShawSo TrendyJohn MintonPerry FarrellMore UK GrimBig PharmaSean Sears AKA Prawnimation/West End GirlsEwen Spencer

References

External links