In their relatively brief lifetime, between 1996 and 2002, Hefner enjoyed an incredibly productive four-album, multi-EP career. Their beautiful, concise, intelligent songs earned a fiercely loyal, cult audience and the long-term support of legendary DJ John Peel, for whom they recorded innumerable sessions.

Darren Hayman is an Essex-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Since Hefner he has remained prolific, releasing solo albums that veer from straight forward folk to synth-pop, such as The Violence (about the Essex witch trials), The Ship’s Piano (a collection of piano ballads), and January Songs (Darren’s project of writing and recording a song every day in January 2012).