Gleave went on to study BA Media Arts at Royal Holloway, University of London, graduating in 2003. It was during this period that he met Joseph Gardner, AKA Rusher, the producer whom he would go on to work with during his time releasing tracks independently through his All The Chats imprint, and later on Mike Skinner's label The Beats. Gleave and Gardner made a concept album in the audio booth of the University film department; this concept album contained the track which would go on to be Example's first white-label vinyl release, "A Pointless Song."