As Grand National, the duo of Rupert Lyddon and Lawrence Rudd combines the electro-pop of bands like New Order and Depeche Mode with sweet harmonies and laid-back grooves. The two first met in a Police tribute band based out of London. Rupert eventually became friends with the band Primal Scream and was offered some free studio time from the group. Whenever the Scream weren't actively working on their upcoming XTRMNTR album, Lyddon and Rudd were busy recording their own tunes and becoming Grand National. They made their debut in 2003 with the self-explanatory EP1 featuring key track "Playing in the Distance," a NME pick for Single of the Week. The debut full-length, Kicking the National Habit, arrived a year later, earning positive reviews that nostalgically mentioned bands like Duran Duran, Talk Talk, and A.R. Kane. They were soon being hired for remix work by the likes of Snow Patrol and Client and having their own work remixed by the likes of Sasha and the Glimmers. A 2006 American re-release of their debut album featured the Sasha and Glimmers remixes, which would also appear on the 2007 collection B-Sides, Remixes & Rarities. That year their second album, A Drink and a Quick Decision, was released, first as a digital download and then as a physical CD with bonus tracks.