Originally a four piece comprising Viv Strachan (vocals), Gordon McIntyre (guitar), Nick Reynolds (bass), and Alexis Beattie (drums), ballboy played gigs around Edinburgh, UK for a few years, and recorded tracks for the Edinburgh indie compilation it's a life sentence..., released by the newly formed SL Records label in 1997. By 1999 Gordon, the band's main songwriter, had taken over vocal duties. Katie Griffiths had joined on keyboards and Gary Morgan had taken over the drums.
