In 1996 they signed to Elton John's Rocket Records and released two major-label albums, Pushing the Salmanilla Envelope and Bring Your Own Stereo.
Both LPs enjoyed minor chart, radio, and MTV success and produced their best-known hits, "High" and "Do Right."
After years of squabbling with their label and finally being set free from their contract, the band released three more albums independently, re.present, Fail on Cue, and 2econds.
[2] Chicken Scratch was recorded by Mark Strazza at Hound Sound in Baltimore in 1993 for $600, after the band was together for 6 months.
Their soundman at the time, Jamie Rephann, would later work with acts like 311, Jane's Addiction, ZZ Top and many others.
There were several changes of members and trouble with the major label as they were shunted from Rocket/Island to Rocket/A&M then back to Rocket/Island and after the sale of Polygram to Universal Music Group, they were moved onto Island Def Jam.
"Do Right" was the first single released and the only JCS music video to make it onto MTV's Total Request Live with Carson Daly.
Early releases of the album included a card to mail to Fowl Records for a free copy of the Slow Change EP.
The tour for these albums was with bands such as 311, Live, Everclear, Creed, Fuel, Finger Eleven, Joydrop, Self, Earth to Andy, Sumack and many others.
[4] After fighting for nearly three years to get liberated from Island Def Jam, they released re.present on Koch Records in April 2004.
The even-numbered songs were tracked with Gingerwolf on lap steel, Dominic Fragman on drums and Jim Wirt on bass and keyboards.
Featured players are Jerome Maffeo, Christian Valiente, Island Styles (now with the band Candlebox).
The band did a national tour with Everclear and Marcy Playground in the fall of 2024 and are working on plans for some cool chickenshit in 2025.