The band was originally formed by Joe Murphy in 1993 along with Chris Thomas, Cherrie Fox and Richard Cahill. This incarnation of the band ceased performing in 1996, after which Murphy continued as a solo artist on the single "Plugged In" and album Obsessive Compulsion Pour Homme, on which Murphy played all instruments. Timothy Victor would perform banjo with Murphy at this time. The album Fire Horse was again mostly a solo recording but by the time of its release Sergeant Buzfuz were performing as a full band again with Kate Arnold on hammered dulcimer, Eilish McCracken on violin, Jon Clayton on cello and Martin Parker on drums. This line-up recorded 2006's The Jewelled Carriageway. Timothy Victor contributed banjo to both Fire Horse and The Jewelled Carriageway. In 2008 Jon Clayton left to concentrate on his other many bands and was replaced by John Paul Jones. The band's fourth album was 2009's High Slang. During the recording of the album, Parker was ousted and replaced by Ian Button on drums for the remainder of the recording. Rich Keeble took over the drum stool and William Barr joined on mandolin in time for the album's release, the new line-up recording BBC 6Music sessions for Tom Robinson and Marc Riley. By the time the band recorded a second session for Tom Robinson in 2010, Keeble had left to be replaced by Ian Button, and Jones had been ousted and replaced with Stephen Gilchrist. Go ToThe Devil And Shake Yourself was a concept album documenting the history of the papacy. By the time of its release Gilchrist had left to be replaced by Andy Crowe on bass, and Kate Arnold had left to form Fear Of The Forest, teaming up again with Sergeant Buzfuz producer and ex-cellist Jon Clayton. Murphy and Polly MacLean, singer with Slate Islands, performed the album for sixteen nights at the Edinburgh Free Fringe in 2012. In the same year, Crowe left and was replaced by George Brufton on bass who played on, but left before the release of, 2015's Balloons For Thin Linda. By the time of release the band had expanded to a seven piece line-up with Polly MacLean on backing vocals, Stu Crane on electric cigar box slide guitar and Joss Cope on bass.
Blang Records
In 2002, Murphy began promoting a monthly night named Blang at London's 12 Bar Club where he regularly put on acts from the New York anti-folk scene. Blang became the hub for British anti-folk music. Murphy continued to promote his Blang nights at the 12 Bar Club until 2012, ending on the ten year anniversary. The early Sergeant Buzfuz records were released on his own Audio Gland label. In 2005 he launched a new Blang label with the Fruit Machine compilation of acts who had played at the live nights. Subsequent Sergeant Buzfuz records have all been released on Blang, which he co-runs with Jules Dakin. The label has released records by many acts including David Cronenberg's Wife, Filthy Pedro, Milk Kan, Thomas Truax, Sheepy, Lucy's Diary and Thee Cee Cees, whose singer Chris T-T originally advised Joe Murphy on how to set up a record label and recorded parts of Obsessive Compulsion Pour Homme in his bedroom back in 1999.
