Editing Razorlight (section)

===Formation and early years (2002–2003)===
The band was formed in 2002 by [[Johnny Borrell]], after having performed across London with the likes of [[The Libertines]] as a solo acoustic singer-songwriter. It is often reported that Borrell was a member of the Libertines,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gigwise.com/photos/85049/ |title=11 years on: 11 facts about The Libertines' debut, Up The Bracket |publisher=Gigwise |date=2020-01-14 |access-date=2020-01-18}}</ref> but [[Carl Barat]] has since revealed that he was just taught the bass lines for four songs to play for a showcase for [[Rough Trade Records]] and failed to turn up for it and never played with the band live.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L20A_LU4SX8C&q=borrell&pg=PT31 |title=Kids in the Riot: High and Low with The Libertines - Pete Welsh - Google Books |date=2009-12-17 |access-date=2020-01-18|isbn=9780857126962 |last1=Welsh |first1=Pete |publisher=Omnibus Press }}</ref> Borrell first enlisted Swedish-born guitarist Björn Ågren via an advert in the NME,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/whats-on/music/love-in-the-razorlight-1-127930 |title=Love in the Razorlight - Lancashire Evening Post |publisher=Lep.co.uk |date=2007-05-18 |access-date=2020-01-18 |archive-date=9 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209001454/https://www.lep.co.uk/whats-on/music/love-in-the-razorlight-1-127930 |url-status=dead }}</ref> who then introduced fellow-Swede bassist Carl Dalemo to Borrell. They rehearsed in east London for six months before playing their first gig on 17 September 2002 at [[Dingwalls]] in Camden, London supporting the [[Von Bondies]]. Former NME journalist Roger Morton, who had been managing the band from the beginning, began looking to get the band into a recording studio and a session was booked at [[Liam Watson (record producer)|Liam Watson]]'s [[Toe Rag Studios]] to record early versions of the tracks ''[[Rip It Up (Razorlight song)|Rip It Up]]'', ''[[Rock 'n' Roll Lies]]'' and ''In the City''. The results of these sessions gained radio play on the John Kennedy Show on [[XFM]] who described the band as being "the best unsigned band in Britain", and led to A&R attention.<ref>{{cite web |author=by [redacted] May 21st, 2003 |url=http://drownedinsound.com/news/7023-razorlight-and-the-darkness-sign-to-the-man |title=Razorlight and The Darkness sign to The Man / Music News // Drowned In Sound |publisher=Drownedinsound.com |date=2003-05-21 |access-date=2020-01-18 |archive-date=9 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209170413/http://drownedinsound.com/news/7023-razorlight-and-the-darkness-sign-to-the-man |url-status=dead }}</ref> Following a bidding war to sign the band, they signed to [[Mercury Records]].