[1] In the summer of 1979, former Tír na nÓg songwriter Sonny Condell (vocals and guitar) was sharing a flat in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin with Greg Boland (guitarist), whom he had befriended during the recording of Camouflage, his debut solo album on the Mulligan label.
[2] They were joined around this time by Philip King (vocals and harmonica) who, having decided to quit teaching for a career in music, had also become their flatmate.
At Curtis' suggestion, Jimmy O'Brien Moran (pipes) was brought in to add a Celtic musical tone to the sound and the band was expanded to four.
There followed a busy period of live performances, including an appearance at the Lisdoonvarna Music Festival in County Clare, which was to expand the audience base to national level.
The band also spent a couple of months in the Netherlands, during which time they played some support concerts to John Martyn, whom they subsequently approached to produce their second album Balance and Control (1981) on the newly established Warner Bros. (Ireland) label.
At some time, throughout a twelve-month gap, they were approached by Nicky Ryan, who had just finished working as sound engineer and manager of Clannad.