The sessions for Rubbing Doesn't Help were produced by Geza X at City Lab Studios in Hollywood, California in late 1995.

[1] Drummer David McNair left the group prior to recording, so they hired session musician Josh Freese to fill in on drums.

The band (along with Freese) also went to Plus Four Recordings Studios, in Sherman Oaks, California with engineers Sandy Solomon and Bernie Zwass in June 1995 to record their cover of Tom Waits' "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis" for the compilation album Step Right Up: The Songs of Tom Waits.

Positive critics noted the album's emotionally powerful lyrics[2] in addition to its aggressive instrumentation—particularly the guitar.

A promotional EP entitled Tracks from Rubbing Doesn't Help was released by Play It Again Sam in the United States in 1996 (catalogue number PROMOBIAS 033 CD) with the following track listing: The album was initially released on Priority Records in the United States and Play It Again Sam in Europe, with the Japanese edition published by King.