Although they had met before, the two finally fell together at the urging of mutual friend Pete Smith, who would contribute lyrics to some of their musical endeavors. With a stripped-down, folk-influenced sound and insightful lyrics as calling cards, the pair issued Sometimes I, which was recorded in Clee's basement, in 1994. They earned spots as on a number of tours, going on the road with acts such as The Proclaimers, The Saw Doctors, and Mary Black. By 1996, they had inked a deal with Geffen and recorded No Skin at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios. However, despite an accumulation of positive notices, the record's commercial fortunes were limited and they entered a protracted struggle to leave their label. The hassle led to the formation of their own label, Sore Thumb, and, in 2002, The Dear Janes released Skirt, which featured the track "Ship, co-written by Syd Straw and with Billy Bragg guesting. ~ Tom Demalon