Although they didn't release their first album until 2001, Hoobastank began
gigging as far back as 1994. They even self-recorded an album in 1998, They Sure
Don't Make Basketball Shorts Like They Used To, gathered a loyal following and
the band was signed by Island Records in 2000. However, their album Forward was
shelved by the label after it decided that the direction the band was heading
was wrong; and saxophonist Jeremy Wasser was dropped. So when in 2001 they
released their first label-produced album, Hoobastank, the boys had already been
on the music scene for several years...