The band was formed in 1997 by ex-Swimmer singer/guitarist Chris Teckkam, with Shiva Affect drummer Napoleon Catilo, and bassist Duncan Lovatt.

[3] The United Colors of Benson EP followed in November 1998, these early release seeing them described as a "geeky gaggle of quirk-rock experimentalists".

The United States debut album Benson Burner was released in 2003 on Jetset Records,[6] and was described in one review as "ZZ Top in bed with The Strokes -- infectious hooks with primal leanings"[7] and gaining comparisons with Tenacious D in another.

[8] Village Voice compared the band to Nantucket, and described them as "foreigners with bad hick accents growling, 'Mmmmmmm, hot sausage!'".

[9] A 2003 Drowned In Sound live review described them as an "inbred family of redneck truckers resplendent in mesh caps and string vests and hirsute faces".