 The band were originally called Dogdrill, until they played a show with The Wedding Present at The Tunbridge Wells Forum, on 24 August 1994.Dogdrill were renamed 'Groop' Dogdrill by Wedding Present drummer Simon Smith, and they played as Groop Dogdrill from that day onwards.They entered a 'battle of the bands' competition in their hometown of Doncaster, as they were unable to afford the bass gear that would allow them to start working the live circuit.