London, England's the Early Years feature David Malkinson (vocals/guitar), Roger Mackin (guitar), and Phil Raines (drums). Equipped with an amp, an electric guitar, and an assortment of effect pedals, Malkinson needed only a random one-off solo gig as the impetus to gather together his two friends -- Mackin and Raines -- to form the Early Years in 2004. Before long, the band's demo landed in the hands of BBC Radio 1 host Steve Lamacq. Both Lamacq and XFM's John Kennedy championed the Early Years' soaring space rock stylings, which draw influence from the droning feedback of the Verve, Spiritualized, Can, and the Velvet Underground. The Early Years arrived in the U.K. in September 2006 while dates with iLIKETRAINS followed in November. Stateside fans finally got their hands on the trio's self-titled debut in January 2007; The Great Awakening EP, the Early Years' second release for Beggars Banquet, arrived that April. ~ MacKenzie Wilson