China Drum was formed in 1989 in Ovingham, Northumberland, by brothers Bill McQueen (guitar, backing vocals) and Dave McQueen (bass, backing vocals), with Adam Lee (vocals, drums) completing the trio; the band began rehearsing in a farm pig shed powered by a generator. Their first single, "Simple", was self‑released in 1993 and received airplay from BBC Radio One and support from John Peel, followed by the Barrier EP in 1995 and the single "Fall Into Place" on the Mantra label. China Drum signed with Beggars Banquet’s Mantra imprint and released the album Goosefair on 26 April 1996, which peaked at number 53 on the UK Albums Chart and was accompanied by a UK tour with Green Day, Ash and Supergrass; the single "Can't Stop These Things" reached number 65 on the UK Singles Chart. The group followed with the album Self Made Maniac in 1997, which received mixed reviews, and later added drummer Jan Alkema in 1998, prompting a name change to The Drum in 1999 and the release of Diskin in 2000, a shift toward alternative rock that drew lukewarm responses; the band disbanded in September 2000. China Drum reformed in 2013, returned to the original name, and performed a 2024 Japan tour with Bill McQueen and Adam Lee, while continuing to tour the United Kingdom and release new material such as the single "Water" in 2014.
