They have been with several independent labels, including Upper Cut, Poptones, Alternative Tentacles, Bittersweet, Shock, Cheap Lullaby, Vicious Circle, Vital Gesture and Anodyne.

Kekaula and Vennum founded the BellRays on the dissolution of previous group The Rose Thorns,[2] a group formed by Vennum in 1986, which Kekaula joined in 1988; the band released an album Ralph's Mom & Dad in 1990;[3] songs from the album were later rerecorded by the BellRays.

The same year the BellRays released their self-titled debut, cassette-only, album, with Kekaula and Vennum joined by Phil Phillips on bass and Brad Vaughn on drums.

[4] The BellRays released their second album In the Light of the Sun, also cassette-only (until later reissue), in 1993, featuring new drummer Ray Chin and keyboardist Jim Kerwin.

Craig Waters replaced Chin as drummer for the band's next two records Have a Little Faith and Hard, Sweet and Sticky,[8] the latter featuring Billy Mohler on production and bass guitar,[9] Bob Vennum having switched back to lead guitar with the departure of Tony Fate.