One of the UK's first punk groups, Subway Sect toured extensively with The Clash, recorded two Peel sessions and released two singles before disbanding in mysterious circumstances.
Symmons, unable to retrieve his guitar from the band lockup, gave up professional music for over twenty years until persuaded out of retirement by old friend, Rob Green.
Green had built a reputation singing at Bernie Rhodes' "Club Left" and by performing with Vic Godard's later version of the Subway Sect, once supporting Siouxsie and the Banshees at the Music Machine in 1980.
The Leaves made their debut at the Stripes Bar at Brentford Football Club on 9 July 2004 – opening for Vic Godard & The Subway Sect.
Swiss eccentric Daniel Strittmatter, former drummer for Mike Scott, Ian McNabb, The High Llamas and Koala, began drumming for the band around this time.
By September 2007, the increasing workload of Strittmatter's other projects, including ex-Adam and The Ants sidemen, The Wolfmen, led to his departure from the group to be replaced by Ian O' Sullivan, formerly of psych pop garage band, The Aardvarks.
On Bill Lewington's departure from the band towards the end of 2015, The Fallen Leaves were joined by former Chords drummer Brett "Buddy" Ascott, who remained behind the kit until his final appearance at the Fighting Cocks, Kingston on 11 Nov 2023.
Each Parliament Club evening features The Fallen Leaves, who have been joined by the likes of Billy Childish and the Buff Medways, The Masonics, John's Children, A Nation Mourns and Eater, to name a few.