Editors are a British indie rock/post-punk revival band from Birmingham, England, composed of Tom Smith (lyricist/vocalist/guitarist/pianist), Chris Urbanowicz (guitarist), Russ Leetch (bass guitarist) and Ed Lay (drummer), who met while studying at Staffordshire University, in Stafford, England during 2003. They take their inspiration from bands such as Echo & the Bunnymen, R.E.M., Joy Division and Elbow. Many people cite New York band Interpol as an influence but this has been adamantly denied by the band. The band were originally known as (The) Pride, before they changed their line-up and became known as Snowfield, becoming a popular unsigned band. They remained with this name until they signed with Kitchenware Records in September 2004. The band's debut single Bullets was released as a limited edition of 500 on Kitchenware Records on January 24, 2005; it quickly gained support from radio stations such as Xfm and BBC 6 Music - where it was the single of the week. Their debut album, The Back Room, was released on 25 July 2005, to critical acclaim. The band toured out most of 2005, including two jaunts with We Are Scientists. However, after a pivotal support slot on
1 | Fingers in the Factories | The Back Room |