the waifs formed in august 1992 in albany, western australia, as a folk rock band. the simpson sisters, donna and vikki (now vikki thorn), had formed a duo, colours, in albany to perform cover versions of bob dylan and the everly brothers at local pubs. their father, jimmy simpson, was a seasonal salmon fisherman at cosy corner beach and had bought donna her first guitar when she was 15. in february 1992, 20-year-old donna and her 16-year-old sister vikki headed off in a kombi van to tour the state as colours. josh cunningham, a moruya farmer's son, had started playing guitar in 1987, he was touring australia playing bass guitar for a band. the simpsons met 18-year-old cunningham while colours were playing twelve-bar blues in broome. after a ten-minute jam session, donna invited cunningham to join colours, cunningham later recalled, "there was a connection that donna felt that i felt as well ... it's always felt very much like a family to me and i felt instantly welcomed into that right from the very start". upon return to albany, colours changed its name to "the waifs" (initially styled as "the waifs") with cunningham on guitars, ukulele, mandolin, dobro and vocals, donna on vocals, guitar and tambourine and vikki on vocals, harmonica and guitar. the waifs used the kombi van from 1992 to 1996 to travel to gigs across australia.