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The Farm was unofficially called Soul of Socialism in the early 1980s. This band comprised Peter Hooton, Steve Grimes, John Melvin and Andy McVann, who was killed in a car chase on October 1, 1986, running away from the police, and to whose parents the band's subsequent album, Spartacus, would be dedicated. The band evolved out of an earlier group called The Excitements, initially including Phil (Stinker) on bass, Neil (Cad) Campbell on drums, as well as Steve Grimes on guitar. They became The Farm after Martin Dunbar (vocals) left and Peter Hooton joined. The name came from a friend's farm where they used to practise. In the 1980s they released a single, "Hearts and Minds", produced by Graham "Suggs" McPherson, lead vocalist with Madness. In 1986, after McVann's death, Melvin left the band, to pursue a varied career as the director of his own construction firm, but he eventually returned to music in 1990 under the guise of Mr Smith, a two-piece band that would tour frequently, but not release anything of note. After the departure of Melvin and the death of McVann, Hooton promptly brought in a new line-up. They released four Indie singles but failed to earn themselves a big break until 1990