Inevitably compared to the likes of Coldplay and Snow Patrol, emotive rock outfit Long-View proved they were in it for the long haul when their debut album took two years to reach its peak position. Formed in the late '90s, chief songwriter Rob McVey and bassist Aidan Banks had been schoolfriends in their hometown of Winchester where they bonded over a love of music. After going their separate ways, McVey moved to Manchester to study classical music theory and befriended drummer Matt Dobbs. Alongside various pre-Long-View incarnations, the pair toured the local circuit and quickly forged a reputation as one of Britain's best unsigned acts. The permanent Long-View lineup began to take shape when Banks moved to Manchester to join the band, and after playing a residency at the Night and Day Café, they recruited longtime admirer, guitarist Doug Morch. After signing to 14th Floor Recordings, the band flew to Seattle to work with Pearl Jam producer Rick Parashar. Forced to insert a hyphen into their original name due to a clash with an American bluegrass act, the band released their debut album Mercury in 2003. Charting at number 45, it featured the singles "Further," "Can't Explain," and "In a Dream." After a busy 2004, where they played Glastonbury, headlined their own U.K. tour, and supported Elbow, the band started to attract more attention. Due to demand, the single "Further" and its parent album were both re-released in 2005, charting at number 24 and number 29, respectively. Also gaining momentum in the U.S., they signed to Columbia Records, supported Embraceon their American tour, and scored a Specialist Alternative Radio number one. In 2007, Dobbs left the group due to personal reasons. A year later, the band played a series of intimate gigs across the U.K. and began work on their second album. ~ Jon O'Brien