They are infamous for their outrageous lyrics and behavior which are deliberately explicit, offensive and intended to shock, though usually in a humorous and sarcastic manner.

Singer Mark Adkins performed in the La Habra punk rock band Republic in 1982 with guitarist and classmate Scott Sheldon.

Adkins joined guitarists Eric "Derek" Davis and Barry Burnham, bassist Paul "Fang" Denis, and drummer Tim Baulch in their band Critical Noise.

Baulch suggested the name Guttermouth for the new lineup, and this early incarnation of the band played shows, parties and skateboard demo's during 1988 until Davis relocated to nearby Huntington Beach in 1989, effectively dissolving the group.

[5] By the summer of 1989, Guttermouth began performing in Huntington Beach and Orange County, building a small but enthusiastic local following.

Their music was heavily influenced by the Los Angeles and Orange County punk rock scenes of the 1980s which included bands like the Adolescents, The Vandals, Social Distortion, Fear, the Descendents, Angry Samoans, Bad Religion and Black Flag.

The success that year of The Offspring's album Smash and Green Day's Dookie had brought the southern California punk rock scene into the national spotlight.

Thanks to their friendship with The Offspring and their new record deal with Nitro, Guttermouth found themselves embarking on their first national and world tours opening for larger punk bands.

[5] At one point, the band found themselves ejected from a tour while in South Carolina, where they booked themselves at a club and recorded a performance which would later be released as Live From the Pharmacy.

It is considered by many to be the best representation of their "classic" sound, and songs such as "Lucky the Donkey," "Do the Hustle," "Lipstick" and "Perfect World" became staples in their live set.

[6][7][9][10] According to Adkins: "oh, I was guilty [...] What I would do is grab two young girls out of the audience and I would have them hold up this sheet in front of me, and Jamie, the drummer at the time, would say this magical incantation, if you will, and I would be standing there stark naked.

[10][11][12][13] Rapp left the band in 1999, at which point Nunn moved from drums to bass and new drummer William "Ty" Smith was brought in.

[14] The musical direction shifted to territory the band had not hitherto explored, and the resulting album Gusto was substantially different from their previous efforts, with a slower speed and more melody and pop influence.

[15][16][17][18] In 2003 Weinrich again rejoined the band for a series of shows including a performance at the House of Blues in Anaheim which was filmed and released by Kung Fu Records as a live concert CD and DVD package.

[19] The band's next album Eat Your Face, released jointly through Epitaph and Volcom Entertainment in 2004, was hailed as a return to form.

Founding guitarist Eric Davis had left the band and been replaced by Donald "Don" Horne, while former Slick Shoes bassist Kevin Clark filled the vacant bass position.

[1] Musically the album returned to the fast, loud punk rock style the band was known for, with many of the songs recorded in just a few takes.

Lyrically it retained the band's sense of biting sarcasm and expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. electoral system and the current state of punk rock in the mainstream, amongst other topics.

In keeping with their reputation for outrageous and offensive behavior, Adkins would often openly insult other acts from onstage, declaring that bands such as Simple Plan and My Chemical Romance cared more about their fashionable clothing and popularity than about the quality of their music.