Trio have Fun looking back

Fun Lovin' Criminals will play their debut album Come Find Yourself in full.

Hailed for their “generation-defining blend of styles and effortless New York cool” and “refreshing cocktail of rock’n’ roll, funk, blues, soul, hip hop, jazz and Latin” the trio celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album Come Find Yourself last year with a string of live dates and festival slots.

And such was the love from their fans, the band – famous for hits such as Love Unlimited and 2001 top-five smash Loco – are doing it all again next month, including a show at Plug in Sheffield city centre.

And 48-year-old frontman Huey Morgan admits it is nice to take a look back at the band’s beginnings in the heart of New York in the early 1990s.

Huey says: “We just wanted to make enough money to have a decent life.

“We were just looking to pay our rent.

“Fast forward 20 years and it seems it was a good idea.”

Come Find Yourself reached number seven in the UK following its release in February 1996, staying in the album charts for 100 weeks as singles Scooby Snacks, The Fun Lovin’ Criminal and King of New York all reaching the top 30 – the term Scooby Snack was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary last year.

“The songs really meant something to us,” says Huey, who is joined in the band by bassist Brian “Fast” Leiser and drummer Frank Benbini

“We weren’t thinking big at all.”

Their songs often focus on life in New York, as well as urban life in general.

And Huey says it is this habit of “keeping it real” – “we start small and don’t think about what everyone is going to like” – which has led to the band’s enduring popularity.

“We keep it really personal,” he says.

“I think the honesty is key to it.”

Fun Lovin’ Criminals will play Plug, Matilda Street, Sheffield city centre, on Thursday, February 9.

For tickets, priced from £24, visit www.the-plug.comHuey says: “FLC always bring a mucho grande style.

“In my half Irish, half Puerto Rican vernacular, this means we goin’ big.

“Of course we want everybody to come along for the ride – we wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for the fans.

“Bigger the party the better, so come join us.”