Miles Hunt on 40 Years of The Wonder Stuff, Burnout, Vent 414 and Starting Over (#281)

Miles Hunt joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to reflect on 40 years of The Wonder Stuff — from the band's rise through the late '80s and early '90s to what it means to still be carrying it forward today.

With The Wonder Stuff set for a major 40th anniversary UK tour in October 2026, Miles looks back on audience loyalty, writing the early records, the impact of albums including HUP, Never Loved Elvis and Construction for the Modern Idiot, and why the band still feels like a real band rather than a nostalgia act.

He also talks about burnout, the point where life in the band started to feel heavier than it should, how Vent 414 gave him a different creative outlet, and what he learned from stepping away from music to work in a brewery.

It's a warm, funny and insightful conversation about songwriting, survival, creative restlessness and starting over.

In this episode, Miles Hunt talks about:

• 40 years of The Wonder Stuff
• audience loyalty and the bond with fans
• writing the early records
• HUP, Never Loved Elvis and Construction for the Modern Idiot
• wider success and changing audiences
• burnout and the band's first split
• why The Wonder Stuff still feels like a real band
• Vent 414 and the new album Second
• Things Can Change and creative exhaustion
• working in a brewery after music
• patience, ageing and starting over

About The XS Noize Podcast

Hosted by Mark Millar, the XS Noize Podcast features in-depth conversations with some of the most influential artists in modern music.

With over 270 episodes, guests have included Steve Lillywhite, Matt Berninger, Gary Numan, Peter Hook, Bernard Butler, The Charlatans, Sleaford Mods, Snow Patrol, Elbow, Travis and many more.

New episodes drop weekly.