Some said that The Cravats were an acquired taste, suitable for only a refined palate. Some said they were 'sax-riddled nothings'. In any event, the band grew from 1976/77 punk roots into the highly eclectic, inventive jazz-punk colossals of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Championed by the likes of Radio 1's John Peel and journalist Mick Mercer, the band released only a handful of singles, two albums and played live only intermittently. The first Cravats album In Toytown was originally released in 1980. Recording the album on an 8-track in a hotel basement and originally released by Small Wonder in October that year. The album gained healthy reviews and made it into the Top 20 in the independent charts