Guitarist Stephen Mejias and vocalist Peter Prochilo (Jim Teacher) met while studying abroad in England, both college seniors attending Fairleigh Dickinson University.

The Multi-Purpose Solution were a four-piece band for several years before recruiting their friend Alan Ten Hoeve, a bass-player.

[1] According to Mejias, shortly after Hoeve joined they began focusing more on songwriting, practicing at an all-purpose space in Jersey City and playing local venues, such as Hoboken's Maxwell's.

[3] Between 2001 and 2005 the Multi-Purpose Solution released a few EPs and two full-length albums and they appeared on the Weird NJ compilation Local Heroes, Villains, and Artists in 2004.

[4][1] They appeared on Mint 400 Records Presents the Beach Boys Pet Sounds, covering "Sloop John B", as well as Our First Compilation and Patchwork.