Formed in December 1986 by Stefani's keyboard playing brother Eric, the band's original singer John Spence took his own life a year later. Kanal was part of the line-up by this point - Dumont joined in spring 1988 and Young a year later. The band signed a deal with Interscope Records in 1991.

Their self-titled debut, released at the height of grunge's popularity, sold poorly and Eric Stefani left the band two years later to work as an animator. In 1995, the band self-released the excellent The Beacon Street Collection, featuring material recorded over the previous two years, while continuing to work on their second major label album.

The band ended 1996 at a peak with their album spending nine weeks at the top of the US album chart, and the power ballad "Don't Speak" all over the radio.

As Gwen Stefani, very much the band's focal point, confirmed to the press, their mid-90s success had taken everyone by surprise. Others thought the reason had more to do with the "fun punk" of Green Day, Presidents Of The United States Of America and Rancid, which had lifted the gloom of grunge and established an audience for less "cerebral" or "angst-ridden" rock music.

The media friendly Stefani kept the band's name in the spotlight during a lengthy break from recording, in particular regarding her on/off romance with Bush singer Gavin Rossdale.