Steadman, an indie rock group from Hastings, England, formed in 1998. Initially known as the Dharmas, they changed their name after switching labels from Atista to Freeloader Recordings, the label of Simon Steadman, the band's vocalist. The group consisted of Simon Steadman (vocals), James Board (guitar), David Walton (bass), Russel Field (drums), and Chris Murphy (keyboards). Their debut album Loser Friendly was released in 1999, followed by Revive in 2003. Their music was compared to British pop-rock bands like Oasis and Radiohead. Steadman gained critical acclaim, and they were endorsed by Paul McCartney. The band released all their music as free downloads on their website under a Creative Commons license.