[5][6] Since their formation, the group has consisted of Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard on shared lead vocals and guitars, bass guitarist Jason Black, and drummer George Rebelo.

Upon moving to Gainesville and variously filling in as performers in each others' bands Fossil and Thread, the four joined together as Hot Water Music in October 1994.

[10] After two years of rigorous touring had exhausted the band's members and strained their relationships, they announced that they would be breaking up following a farewell show at the Hardback Cafe in Gainesville on August 28, 1998.

[8] In promotion of the band's upcoming album No Division on Some Records, scheduled for release in September 1999, Hot Water Music toured the United States with Discount, Elliott and Leatherface, from May to June 1999.

[17] As Friends Rust ultimately headlined its own tour with Ensign and Ignite, while Hot Water Music invited Discount back to open for them on their European dates.

[16][18] Hot Water Music ended the year by embarking on a month and a half American and Canadian tour opening for Sick of It All, AFI, and Indecision.

[28][29] In late 2005, Hot Water Music announced through the No Idea Records website that they would be going on a hiatus following Chuck Ragan's departure, citing "family" reasons.

While Wollard is not currently performing live with the band, he is still involved in their studio endeavors, playing and singing on their 2019 Shake Up The Shadows EP, with Cresswell joining the recording on backing vocals.

[9] Between 1996 and 1998 Wollard and Rebelo, along with Jack Bailey and Heather Ann Parker, formed The Blacktop Cadence and released their album Chemistry for Changing Times in 1997.

Following Hot Water Music's 2005 hiatus announcement, Chuck Ragan began a solo career, releasing several records, as well as various collaborative efforts with other artists, including a collaborative live acoustic project called The Revival Tour, featuring several punk rock, bluegrass, and alt-country performers with Ragan's goal of "sharing music together" and "bringing it to people in an extremely honest and grassroots fashion.