Originally a five-piece group, when De Rosa broke up in 2003, three years after their inception, vocalist Martin John Henry decided to re-form the group instead of ending things completely, bringing on brothers Neil Woodside (on drums) and James Woodside (on bass, melodica, and mandolin). After a year spent working in the studio, De Rosa's debut album, Mend, was released on Chemikal Underground, and later that year guitarist Chris Connick, who had played on much of the record, as well as having toured with them previously, officially joined the band.