Longtime mates Sam Herlihy (vocals/guitar), Anthony Theaker (guitar), and James Lawrence (guitar) grew up in the market town of Chichester in West Sussex, England, in the late '80s and early '90s. To keep themselves entertained, the three of them obsessed over the latest Brit pop phenomena. Paul Wilson (bass) joined the group around their mid-teens, and expanded their love for music. He and Herlihy landed a development deal with Parlophone during this time; however, only sheer luck worked in their favor.