Fronted by singer-songwriter and bassist Rob Zabrecky, the group's neo-new wave pop and post punk style first appeared among a string of early independently released 7 inch singles and on their self-titled debut on Interscope Records in 1993.

[1][2] Formed in 1989 by college and high school friends Zabrecky, and Celso Chavez, the group took their name from a suspected murderer mentioned on television show America's Most Wanted.

Chronicling their hometown's east side slacker life with a pop-rock sensibility, the band incorporated influences from Talking Heads, Human Hands, Wall of Voodoo, Dream Syndicate and Camper Van Beethoven.

[3][4] Secretly rehearsing by night in a warehouse (where Zabrecky worked as a mailroom clerk by day), hiding their equipment with boxes when they finished, the band diligently polished club-tested material and assembled what would become their first full length major label debut.

9 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the U.S.[6][7] Spin magazine remarked: The band embarked on a tour schedule throughout the United States and Europe, headlining and supporting groups such as the Dead Milkmen, The Lemonheads, Reverend Horton Heat, and Violent Femmes.

During the process, the band enlisted the help of longtime friend and guitarist Matt Devine, and the production of The Cars singer-songwriter Ric Ocasek, who found clarity in a clean and sober Zabrecky.