In early 1996 The Charlatans spent time at home writing material for their next album, and guitarist Mark Collins arranged for him and vocalist Tim Burgess to have use of a remote cottage in the Lake District where they could work on ideas. Upon returning home, the pair learned that bassist Martin Blunt, drummer Jon Brookes and keyboardist Rob Collins had completed three songs, and so at Easter 1996 the band travelled to Monnow Valley Studio in Monmouthshire to start recording. 'One To Another' was quickly earmarked as a single, but the progress was generally slow, and Burgess felt that it was being hindered by Rob Collins, who would intentionally ruin tracks that he did not like, and ruined songs he did like due to being intoxicated. Burgess had an argument with Collins, and confided to Mark Collins that he wished to kick Rob out of the band, but before that could happen, Collins was killed in a car crash on 22 July 1996. Returning home from the pub, he lost control of his car after hitting a kerb, causing it to slide across the road, go through a hedge and roll over a bank. As he was not wearing a seatbelt, Collins was ejected from the car, and although he managed to stand up prior to collapsing, he subsequently died in the ambulance taking him to hospital. After being told about the accident the rest of the band were distraught, and considering ending the group, but at the urging of Rob Collins' father, they agreed to continue, and enlisted the help of Martin Duffy of Primal Scream to fill Collins' role. Aware that progress on the album had stalled, the band re-focused themselves on finishing it, with Duffy playing back Collins' parts and then performing his own, and letting the band choose whichever they preferred. Burgess later said that the liner notes did not mention which songs Collins or Duffy had individually played on out of respect for Collins. As they were nearing completion of recording process, the band signed a deal with MCA Records and its parent company Universal Music Group in the US for £1 million, though they remained with Beggars Banquet for the UK. Their first US single on MCA was 'One To Another', which was released in August 1996, followed by 'North Country Boy' in March 1997, and both of these releases included a couple of otherwise unheard tracks on the b-sides.
'Tellin' Stories' itself appeared in April 1997, with the US edition following in June with an amended track listing. The band embarked on a tour of the UK that ran into May 1997, and the London show saw the debut of Tony Rogers, who was now the band's full-time keyboardist. 'How High' and the title track were released as singles, each with extra tracks on the flip, and they finished 1997 with another tour of the UK. The critical reception of 'Tellin' Stories' was even better then that for 'The Charlatans', with the general feeling being that while 'The Charlatans' was an acceptable comeback album, 'Tellin' Stories' was the real deal, with no discernible dip in the quality of the material, and it appeared high on the albums of the year charts, alongside 'OK Computer' and 'Urban Hymns'. By late 1998, the band decided to build their own residential recording studio, which they hoped would help save on the costs of recording at other studios. While this was being constructed the various members spent time with friends and family, before reconvening at the start of 1999, only to find that their studio was still being built. They had planned to start recording in late January, but had to postpone until March when the studio was finally completed. On the same day that the band christened their studio Big Mushroom, they learned that their accountant Trevor Williams had stolen £300,000 from their funds, which should have been used for paying taxes dating back five years. Sessions for the new album were held at Big Mushroom in Middlewich, and at Great Linford Manor in Buckinghamshire, with the band self-producing, and by late April 1999 recording had almost wrapped up. 'Forever' was released as the lead single on 4 October 1999, and the album 'Us And Us Only' followed on 18 October 1999 through Universal in the UK, as the band's contact with Beggars Banquet had expired. This third collection of b-sides starts with one final one from 1995, then includes all the flips from the 'Tellin' Stories' singles from 1996 and 1997, and all three b-sides from 'Forever' from 1999.
Track listing
01 Floor Nine (b-side of 'Bullet Comes' 1995)
02 Two Of Us (b-side of 'One To Another' 1996)
03 Reputation (b-side of 'One To Another' 1996)
04 Don't Need A Gun (b-side of 'North Country Boy' 1997)
05 Title Fight (b-side of 'How High' 1997)
06 Down With The Mook (b-side of 'How High' 1997)
07 Keep It To Yourself (b-side of 'Tellin' Stories' 1997)
08 Clean Up Kid (b-side of 'Tellin' Stories' 1997)
09 Great Place To Leave (b-side of 'Forever' 1999)
10 When Your Ship Comes In (b-side of 'Forever' 1999)
11 Sleepy Little Sunshine Boy (b-side of 'Forever' 1999)
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