In the late '80s, founding MuffsKim Shattuck and Melanie Vammen joined the heralded Los Angeles garage band the Pandoras, and under the direction of talented pop songwriter Paula Pierce, began to fall into over-exerted heavy metal posturing. After the disbanding of the Pandoras, Shattuck and Vammen formed the Muffs with drummer Criss Crass and bassist Ronnie Barnett. After two singles for indies Sub Pop and Sympathy for the Record Industry, which generated a large underground buzz, the Muffs were picked up by Warner Bros.