During this same period of time Jansen was courting Don Brown's "Water for the Pool" band to come over and record the rest of their album at Station C Studios.

The band, known for its energetic live performances, built strong followings during its early years, especially in the college towns of Kalamazoo and East Lansing.

In the fall of 1993, the band released a second album, Pop Smear, again working with Jansen for pre-production and basic tracks and Frazer with overdubs and mixing, which helped them gain a devoted following in their native state of Michigan and their eventual signing with RCA Records in 1995.

While performing, someone in the crowd threw a beer bottle towards the stage and it hit Brian Vander Ark in the cheek.

[6] Immediately after the release of the family album, the band undertook a series of small-venue performances, mostly around Michigan and the East Coast.

[7] On March 28, 2014, the band announced on their Facebook page that their first studio album since 2001, titled Overboard, would be released on June 17, 2014, and would be followed with a tour.