 Hughes taught himself double bass (using a German string bass made of tin) and formed his own jazz group in 1930.The group was one of the earliest artists signed to Decca Records in England, and over 30 sessions were recorded between 1930 and 1933.Originally billed as Spike Hughes and his Decca-Dents, he reportedly did not like the name and after three sessions it was changed either to "his Dance Orchestra" or "his Three Blind Mice" for smaller sessions.