Formed in Blackburn, Lancashire, UK indie rock band the Burn was founded in 2001 by Daniel Davidson (guitar/vocals), Michael Spencer (guitar/vocals), Graham Rodgerson (guitar), Jason Place (bass), and Lee Walsh (drums/vocals). After struggling around the local indie circuit for the best part of a year, the band were offered studio time by Damon Gough aka Badly Drawn Boy after he had seen them playing in Manchester. Their demo material sparked major label interest and led to a recording contract with the Virgin Records subsidiary Hut. A series of support slots with leading UK artists followed, including being asked to join Oasis on their 10th anniversary tour, which helped to raise the Burn's profile even further. Their debut, Sally O'Mattress, which was released in March 2003, drew comparisons to the previous year's debut by Merseyside's the Coral with its eclectic mix of indie rock, folky sing-a-longs, and slick harmonies.