Originating in the Los Angeles / Hollywood underground rock clubs, the band quickly gained interest due to their songwriting and vocalist Gary X.

Within their first year of forming the band signed with Relativity Records, established a publishing deal with (BMI), and replaced original guitar player with notable punk guitarist Duke Decter due to artistic differences.

One of the founding artists of the neo-punk movement in the early 1990s, The Ex-Idols were quickly signed by Sony Music Entertainment/Relativity Records in 1992 and released their CD single "Pill Popper" in 1993.

The single received heavy rotation radio play in all five major markets of the US: New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Bassist and drummer Sean DeMott and Lance Porter joined Frosted, the solo act of The Go-Go's guitarist Jane Weidlin.