When Oasis-mania swept the U.K. music scene, Gallagher brother wannabes cropped up all over London, and initially Athlete was no different than the other hopefuls. In 2000 four boyhood friends from South London formed a group hoping to get a piece of the Oasis pie. They were Joel Pott (vocals, guitar), Carey Willets (bass), Steve Roberts (drums) and Tim Wanstall (keyboards). Athlete's sound evolved into a sort of experimental form of indie rock that landed them a contract with Regal Recordings. They released their self-titled EP in March of 2002 and their debut "Westside" received immediate radio play on BBC Radio 1. Their initial success paved the way for a second single, "You Got the Style" which was also successful.Parlaphone records came a-calling after the success of Athlete's first two singles, and after signing the band hooked up with producer Victor Van Vugt to record their first studio album. Vehicles & Animals was released in April of 2003. Signing with a major label paid off for Athlete; not only was Vehicles & Animals loaded with four hit singles, but the band received a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. The band didn't lose momentum, releasing their sophomore studio album titled Tourist in 2005. Athlete was hailed the next Coldplay and Tourist topped the U.K. charts with the hit single "Wires" and its follow-up "Half Light." The album went double-platinum and had Athlete touring for the better half of 2006.Proving they were just a group of South London guys at heart, Athlete set up shop close to home to self-produce their next album closer to their families and friends. Athlete's experimental third studio album Beyond the Neighborhood received four and a half stars from Rolling Stone and cemented the band in the canon of Brit rockers.