Although the group was not searching for a second guitarist, Bryant had been previously considered the "unofficial fourth member" for some time[3] and was hired because he "fit in really well" and added a "heavier sound" to the band, freeing vocalist/guitarist Jeff Ott to concentrate more on singing.

[4] The band decided to record its debut full-length in April, and set out to Dancing Dog Studios in Emeryville, California with Kevin Army.

[5] Crimpshrine later embarked on its only United States tour in July and, due to tensions, Bryant and bassist Pete Rypins left the band abruptly after a show in Texas.

After the tour ended, the band received a call from Florian Schück, owner of German label Musical Tragedies, wanting permission to release a Crimpshrine album.

[2] The group decided to give Schück the rejected Lookout recordings, along with other previously unreleased songs, and Lame Gig Contest was released on Musical Tragedies in January 1989.

"[2] He further stated that when he wrote the song, he realized that his sleeping pattern had "taken its toll on me, I felt so far removed from the rest of the human race that I could hardly imagine what happened during the daytime.