Officially forming in 1991, Shorty's roots can be traced back to 1986, when vocalist Al Johnson and guitarist Mark Shippy first met through mutual friends.
In the spring of 1988, Johnson and Shippy decided to join together for an as-yet unnamed project, placing an ad in a local DeKalb newspaper for bandmates to back them up.
After a number of responses which went nowhere, the two were approached by Todd Lamparelli and Anthony Ciarocchi, childhood friends and recent castoffs from the Chicago Heights punk rock band Tricot Mesh.
Life in the farmhouse was rustic to say the least; while residing there the band had to deal with geese and weasels running loose inside the house, Lamparelli's co-worker's naked daughter defecating on the floors, and nests of baby mice infesting their amplifiers.
Under the name Shorty, the band released a 7” on the Worry Bird label called, “Last One in my Mouth is a Jerk,” and contributed a track to the “On a Clear Day You Can See Byron” compilation.
Frantom's departure marked the beginning of the end for the group as a whole; Fresh Breath, the follow-up to Thumb Days, was released in June 1994 as the band was in the first throes of a breakup.
Johnson and Shippy remained together following Shorty's breakup, and along with guitarist Todd Rittmann and drummer Pat Samson (who replaced Jim Kimball), went on to form the No Wave-influenced U.S.