Idon Bryant, a friend of the band's, joined on second guitar soon after and they went to Dancing Dog Studios in Emeryville, California to record their debut album in April.
[4] Although the recordings were turned down by Lookout, the band added tracks from previous sessions and released Lame Gig Contest in Germany on the label Musical Tragedies.
The tour was a contentious one, with Idon Bryant and Pete Rypins abruptly leaving the band in Gainesville, Florida and heading home.
Paul Curran was then courted to join Crimpshrine on bass, so he and his brother Jack drove out in a Ford Pinto and finished the tour with the band.
[6] After the tour in January 1989, they went to Dancing Dog Studios again and recorded what would end up being their final release, the Quit Talkin' Claude... EP.
Cometbus went on to perform in Pinhead Gunpowder among many other bands, Ott went on to front Fifteen, Curran joined Monsula and Rypins became the bassist for Tilt and later The Tantrums.
In recent years, the band has been regarded as influential by many of their peers, including Operation Ivy, Green Day, Jawbreaker, Screeching Weasel and Less Than Jake, among others.