Goldrush was formed in Oxfordshire, England, by brothers Robin Bennett (vocals, guitar) and Joe Bennett (keyboards, guitar, vocals) alongside bassist Jef Clayton in the late 1990s under the name Whispering Bob before adopting the Goldrush moniker; the band later added guitarist Garo Nahoulakian, bassist Nick "Growler" Fowler, and drummer Graham Roby. Their early work, including the self‑released mini‑album Another Fine Mess, garnered attention that led to a contract with Virgin Records in August 2001. Goldrush’s first full‑length album, Don't Bring Me Down, was released in 2002 and entered the UK charts at Number 99. After parting ways with Virgin, the group released the EP Ozona in 2004 on Truck Records, later expanded into a full album on Better Looking Records; Ozona was issued in the United States by Low Transit Industries and City Slang. Subsequent albums The Heart Is The Place (2007) continued their output, with the band collaborating with former Ride singer Mark Gardener as a backing ensemble and performing live with him on the These Beautiful Ghosts tour. Goldrush also contributed to the annual Truck Festival, organized by the Bennett brothers, which began in 1998 and became a cultural fixture in Oxfordshire.
