Kingmaker were a British indie rock group, founded in Kingston upon Hull in 1990 by school friends Loz Hardy and Myles Howell. They began their career during their gap year after placing an advertisement for a drummer and recruited John Andrew. The band released several EPs before making their recording debut with The Celebrated Working Man EP on 7 October 1991, which was followed by the release of their first full-length album, Eat Yourself Whole. Their second album, Sleepwalking, was released in 1993 and included notable songs such as "Armchair Anarchist". Kingmaker's debut album reached number 29 on the UK Albums Chart. They also toured extensively in support of their albums, playing alongside acts like Radiohead and Suede.
Kingmaker faced conflicts with their record label during the release of Sleepwalking, which led to creative differences and a shift in musical direction. Their third album, To Hell With Humdrum was released in 1993 and featured tracks that were originally recorded for their previous albums. Despite attempts at reinvention, Kingmaker's final album, In the Best Possible Taste, was released on 17 April 1995. After touring, they disbanded later that year with a subtle shift towards urban rockabilly. In 2010, the band reformed without Hardy under the name Kingmaker MMX and re-recorded their hit "Armchair Anarchist" for an anti-politics compilation album called Electio Pop.
