After early 1980s Denver punk band Frantix broke up, bassist Matt Bischoff, drummer Garrett Shavlik and guitarist Rick Kulwicki began playing as Madhouse.

On July 5, 1985, with new band members James Clower (guitar) and John Robinson (vocals), they played their first gig at the German House (Denver Turnverein) as "The Fluid".

In the same oral history, Greg Prato's Grunge Is Dead, musician Rod Moody said that the Fluid sounded like no other band on the Sub Pop roster.

[6] John Robinson talked with Kurt Cobain of Nirvana about doing an album along with Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees.

[1] The Fluid reunited to perform at Sub-Pop Records 20th Anniversary at Redmond's Marymoor Park in Seattle in July 2008.

In March 2011 and again in January 2012, the Fluid participated in fundraiser shows for Kulwicki's twin sons.