 Du Cann and Hammond had left Atomic Rooster due to disagreements with Vincent Crane over the increasingly bluesy, soulful direction in which he wanted to take that band.Consequently, compared with Atomic Rooster's more progressive leanings, Hard Stuff were based more heavily on aggressive guitar.Originally, Du Cann, Hammond and Shaw had formed a band provisionally entitled Daemon, with the intention of eventually touring and recording under the name Atomic Rooster.