Band's History
Alex Davies and Ed Minton entered School House, Uppingham School in September 2000 as music scholars, where they were inevitably heavily involved in the school's formal musical activities as singers and instrumentalists. Spending a lot of time together, they quickly became close friends. Ed introduced Alex to what was at that time to the latter the unfamiliar world of rock music, and they soon started writing songs and performing in school concerts as an acoustic duo.[3]During their last year at school, Alex and Ed built a simple recording studio in their attic flat, where they spent as much time as their A-level studies allowed them writing songs and recording demos. After leaving Uppingham, they both took a gap year to develop the band, during which time Alex built a more sophisticated studio in his garage.In October 2005, Alex Davies and Ed Minton arranged to have a band practice in Alex's garage along with Dan Hetherton as the drummer. Hetherton was soon accepted as a regular member of the band, and the three began recording new songs, improving old songs and sending out demos.During live performances both keyboard player and a bass player were needed, so the band recruited Ali Paul and Teddy Hetherton, Dan's brother.The members of Elliot Minor are all classically trained and between them play the violin, piano, clarinet, cello, double bass and saxophone. Alex, Dan and Ali were choristers at York Minster Choir School, while Ed Minton, born in Japan, began his education in England at the age of 8 as a chorister at St John's College, University of Cambridge, becoming head chorister in 1999/2000.[4]In November 2006, they flew out to Los Angeles to record the first single with producer Jim Wirt (Hoobastank, Incubus, Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin). After hearing the track, Neal Avron (Yellowcard, Fall Out Boy) offered to mix the record and, of course, the boys accepted.