The group was formed in 1991 when [a=Chris Murphy (3)] and [a=Andrew Scott (3)] met at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax; Patrick Pentland and [a=Jay Ferguson (2)] joined soon thereafter. In 1992, the band created their own record label, [l=Murderecords] (to release records by Sloan and other Halifax-area bands) and released their debut, "Peppermint EP".