Singer, guitarist and songwriter Michael Hill came up on the Denton, Texas music scene, where he lent his talents to such groups as Marmalade, Mudville Nine and The Nick Brisco Band. His affiliation with rowdy Texas roots rockers Slobberbone gave him an opportunity to transcend the local scene, as the band took to the road in support of two releases for Austin indie label Doolittle Records, Crow Pot Pie (1996) and Barrel Chested (1997).

In 1998, Hill debuted a new band, 12lb.Test, whose debut album, Harm's Way, was released in 2000 by Hollywood, California-based Miles of Music Recordings to resounding critical acclaim.

"(Hill is) blessed with a passionate alto whine, a deeply sincere delivery and a welcome penchant for grabbing lead guitarist Jake Williams and embarking on some tasty twin guitar tangents that help set the group apart from the pack,” declared Fred Mills of the Phoenix New Times."

Later that year, Hill packed up and relocated to Seattle, where he took to performing solo and soon fell in with