Prior to joining Green River, they had played for a variety of rock, punk, and hardcore groups, often with overlapping lineups.

[5] Determined to start a new band together, they first recruited Vincent, whom Turner had briefly played with in Spluii Numa, as drummer, and then set about convincing Ament to join.

[5] He and Turner worked at the same Seattle coffeeshop, and Arm had befriended him after a DJ set by Ament at Metropolis, a local club.

[6] To Alice Wheeler, a band photographer, the name reflected undercurrents of depression and danger that would come to characterize grunge;[6] Turner later came to see it as "a dumb joke.

From all accounts the experience was less than positive, though it helped cement alliances with other emerging American indie rock bands.

However it is often considered the first record to be released by a "grunge" band, as it predated both the Melvins debut EP and the Deep Six compilation album.

Alongside two Green River songs, the compilation features the music of fellow Washington bands Malfunkshun, Melvins, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, and The U-Men.

[9] Steve Huey of AllMusic called it Green River's "strongest individual release...perfecting their sleazy, raucous fusion of '70s hard rock and post-hardcore punk".

[10] Almost immediately following the release of Dry as a Bone, the group re-entered the studio to begin production on its first full-length album, Rehab Doll.

[11] A Green River reunion occurred on November 30, 1993 during a Pearl Jam concert in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Participating in the reunion were Arm, Turner, Gossard, Ament and Chuck Treece, who filled in on drums for Vincent, who at that time was living in Japan.