Since its inception,
Waking Ashland -- drawing much of its sound from
Ben Folds -- has mainly centered around vocalist/keyboardist
Jonathan Jones and guitarist
Ryan Lallier, who originally formed the band along with drummer
Thomas Lee in November 2003 while all three were music majors at California State University.
Robert Teegarden temporarily filled in on bass. In early 2004, they self-released their debut EP, I Am for You, while the lineup was completed by guitarist
Nick Rucker and bassist
Derek Vaughn replacing
Teegarden.
Rucker and
Vaughn soon left the band and bassist
Andrew Grosse joined. The bandmembers dropped out of college when finding success with the record and garnering attention from several record labels. Tooth & Nail signed
Waking Ashland and released the full-length
Composure in May 2005. In September 2005,
Grosse and
Lee left the band. Without permanent replacements,
Jones and
Lallier used temporary touring members that included drummer
Joe Greenetz from
Sherwood and bassist
Trevor Sellers from
Number One Gun. In June 2006
Waking Ashland released the
Telescopes EP on Immortal. Their next full-length,
The Well, appeared the following April, which featured new recruits
Nathan Harold (bass) and
Tim Very (drums). ~ Kenyon Hopkin, All Music Guide