Karl Hyde

Hyde is well known for providing lead vocals for Underworld. He founded the group along with Rick Smith. Karl had a pop band, the Screen Gemz and badgered Rick Smith into joining whilst at Cardiff art college.

In 1983 they recorded two albums for CBS Records International with a proto-electroclash, new romantic band, whose name was a graphic squiggle, which was soon given a pronunciation, Freur.

Freur disbanded in 1986. In 1987 members of Freur created the band Underworld and tried a more guitar-orientated funky electropop sound on two albums for Sire Records before disbanding in 1990. (The Underworld of that period is now often referred to as "Underworld Mk1").