Gomez began their career on Hut records (Virgin), signing in 1997. Just before their third album release "In Our Gun" Hut records was forced to downsize and on the following record, "Split the Difference", Hut records was disbanded by Virgin/EMI Records. The band were so dismayed by the music industry that they decided to go on alone and asked Virgin Records to let them go in 2004. The following year American label ATO signed the group, releasing their first live album "Out West" and their most successful records stateside "How We Operate" and "A New Tide".