The Envy Corps first got together six years ago around the nucleus of Luke and David. The former had been a web developer, the latter studying English at the local university. The next couple of years were spent playing with a constantly revolving selection of local musicians. Occasionally they would play live, sometimes attracting a paying audience, other times not. But they were learning and growing and developing all the while. Then, in 2004, David’s brother Scott became a full-time member, and they subsequently poached Brandon from another band, To My Surprise. 'Was I happy to be poached?' Brandon says now of the experimental rock act he was involved with, an outfit fronted by Slipknot’s Shaun Crahan. He smiles enigmatically, and what he doesn't say speaks volumes. 'You could say that, yes...' Brandon not only brought his guitar, but also a vision that would help coalesce the band's ambition, and quickly they became a viable proposition with a tangible future. Initially, their inspiration came from across the Atlantic, specifically the shoegazing bands of the early 1990s along with the likes of New Order, The Verve and Radiohead. [Photo: danmcclanahan.com]