b. Newcastle, Tyne & Wear, England. Singer-songwriter Armstrong grew up in Newcastle before relocating to Nottingham to start a course in fine art. He played in a series of doo-wop covers bands while studying and stayed in his adopted city to pursue a career in music. His breakthrough came about when he submitted a demo recording to a nationwide talent competition organised by the magazine Dazed & Confused. Armstrong's raw talent was immediately noted and a management deal and recording contract with One Little Indian Records followed. His debut album was recorded on vintage analogue equipment at Liam Watson's Toe Rag studios in London, in keeping with Armstrong's natural inclination towards a retro songwriting style. The first release to be drawn from the session was the double a-side single "Natural Flair"/"Down Home Girl", issued on 7-inch vinyl in November 2003. The Broken Mouth Blues EP, issued in March 2004, featured the title song and three tracks that did not appear on the following month's The Greatest White Liar. All these releases demonstrated Armstrong's flair for upbeat, pop rock.