In 1996, school-friends Ian Skelly and Paul Duffy began jamming together in the basement of Flat Foot Sams pub in Hoylake.

The band were known briefly as Hive before choosing the name "The Coral", and the line-up was completed with the addition of Nick Power, who joined as keyboard player in 1998.

The single "Dreaming of You" was included in the United States sitcom "Scrubs" episode My Monster for broadcasting and DVD, but eventually taken out again for streaming.

After a hectic year they recorded Magic and Medicine in 2003, which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and garnered critical praise.

They followed the release with UK, European, American and Japanese tours and a one-off festival Midsummer Nights Scream, held in a big top on the New Brighton promenade.

Nightfreak and the Sons of Becker marked another change in direction for the band, showcasing a darker, funkier and more lo-fi sound.

In June 2005 guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones took a break from the band and it was announced that he would not tour again, but might continue to help with future recordings.

The Coral toured with Arctic Monkeys during their 2007 summer festival gigs, releasing the single "Who's Gonna Find Me" on 30 July 2007 followed by the album Roots & Echoes on 6 August 2007.

In contrast to their frenetic early material, this album was a much more laid-back affair, and displayed a new-found maturity to the band's songwriting.

They opened the BBC Electric Proms on 24 October 2007 with "Who's Gonna Find Me" and were joined on stage by celebrity friend Noel Gallagher, who played lead guitar on their track "In the Rain".

In January 2008 Ryder-Jones left the Coral, apparently due to experiencing panic attacks before playing live, and finding that his desire to be part of a commercially successful band had disappeared.

[12] The album was produced by John Leckie, of The Stone Roses and Radiohead fame,[13] and was recorded at RAK studios in London as well as Rockfield in South Wales.

A thing of true wonderment, it's shimmering, beatific multi-coloured coats of guitars and vocal harmonies – think The Everly Brothers, Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash – dress songs that primarily concern themselves with the demystification process… this is a genuine contender for 2010 album of the year".

[15] Robert Plant a fellow MPG nominee[16] for his album with The Band of Joy, carefully scheduled his rehearsal on BBC2's Later With Jools in order to make it to the Coral's performance at the Royal Albert Hall on 15 November 2010.

On 24 August 2014, Geoff Barrow announced when standing in for Stuart Maconie on the BBC Radio 6 Music Freak Zone show that the Coral were to release The Curse of Love in September 2014.

Tracks such as "Do It Again"[27] unveiled a less abstract dimension to the artist's songwriting style and highlighted the earthy power of Skelly's distinctive vocals.

[21] Ian Skelly noted that Southall's recent fatherhood also influenced his decision to take a break from the band, and that he wanted to return once he was done with his solo record.

[20] Bassist Paul Duffy is working on a project in collaboration with Eva Petersen, to soundtrack the animation "Lunar Lament of a Haunted Heart" by John Davide.