The Departure was a rock band from Northampton, United Kingdom, formed in October 2003. The group consisted of David Jones on vocals and guitar, Sam Harvey, Ben Winton on bass, Lee Irons on guitar, and Andy Hobson on drums. They started as a collaboration between former Christian commune member David Jones and his friend Sam Harvey, later recruiting other members through personal connections and musician ads. The Departure signed to Parlophone after playing only three gigs and being together for just four months. Their debut single "All Mapped Out" was released in August 2004 and debuted at number 30 on the UK singles chart. The band supported notable acts such as The Killers, Feeder, and Duran Duran during their early career. Their debut album Dirty Words, produced by Steve Osborne, was released in June 2005. The album received mixed reviews but featured notable tracks like "Be My Enemy" and "Lump In My Throat". The band faced lineup changes in 2006 when Lee Irons left due to artistic differences, followed by Andy Hobson's departure later that year. They began work on a follow-up album Inventions, which was expected to release in early 2008 but never materialized due to issues with Parlophone. The Departure officially disbanded on January 30, 2008.
