core band members qureshi and white first met in the context of the cambridge music scene. qureshi invited white to join the fledgling outfit after white's previous band, colonel bastard, folded in 2006. roadside poppies released their first ep on scottish indie label weepop! before recording their first album, "one day you won't feel a thing", as part of the 2007 rpm challenge. after a series of gigs played in cambridge, oxford and london, uk, the band undertook their first european tour in the summer of 2007, playing two dates in denmark and sweden. they played the indietracks festival in butterley, derbyshire on 27–28 july 2008. the white-penned single "cute susan" was included on the official festival compilation album, issued by make do and mend records.