The group's line-up included vocalist and guitarist Jeremy Bolen, formerly of Punjab and The Hertzsprung Gap, guitarist Nathan Snydacker, formerly of Nymb, bassist Chris Saathoff, drummer Chris Dye, and keyboardist Greg Sharp.
After positive local reviews, the band opened for and toured with a variety of bands, including: Appleseed Cast, the Mercury Program, Pedro the Lion, the American Analog Set, Broken Social Scene, Smog, Minus the Bear, and Pinback.
Late at night on February 14, 2004, Chris Saathoff was killed in a hit and run accident as he was leaving a Ponys show at a local bar, the Empty Bottle, with his girlfriend.
However, nine months later, in March 2009 lead singer Jeremy Bolen announced on the band's Myspace page that Chin Up Chin Up had indeed broken up and would play their last show on May 15: "I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we really had intentions to keep making music together for an infinite amount of time, but just as this band began in a natural way it is naturally coming to an end.
The band reunited to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of their album, We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers, and to pay tribute to former bassist Chris Saathoff, who passed away in February 2004.