The band formed as a trio shortly after Slowdive's breakup in 1995, with Forrester and Rowe joining after the release of their debut album. Mojave 3 released five albums before going on a hiatus and returning to live performances in 2011, but have been inactive since.
The band initially existed as a trio, consisting of Neil Halstead, Rachel Goswell, and McCutcheon. After Slowdive were dropped by Creation Records, the trio decided to change musical direction to a dream pop/country rock/folk music style, and were signed by 4AD Records. They took on the new name "Mojave,"[6] but upon the discovery of another band already using the name, the "3" was added (in reference to the group's three members). Rowe (formerly of Chapterhouse) and Forrester joined shortly after the release of their first album.
Both Halstead (the main songwriter for the band) and Goswell have released solo albums, also for 4AD. McCutcheon founded the band The Loose Salute, who are signed to Heavenly Records and Graveface Records.
In 2006, Mojave 3 did a Take-Away Show session with Vincent Moon. Halstead said the band was on hiatus as of 2008, but were planning to release at least one more album in the future. The band returned to playing live in 2011, including gigs supporting Band of Horses.[7] During a radio interview on Israeli radio station Kol HaCampus on 7 May 2011, Halstead said the band were working on new material, and may be recording during the summer; however, nothing materialized.[8]
