T.S.O.L., short for True Sounds of Liberty, formed in 1978 in Huntington Beach, California, evolving from the band Vicious Circle. The original lineup included vocalist Jack Grisham, guitarist Ron Emory, bassist Mike Roche, and drummer Todd Barnes. Their debut EP, released in 1981 by Posh Boy Records, featured political tracks like 'World War III' and 'Abolish Government,' rooted in hardcore punk. The band's style shifted across releases, incorporating deathrock on the 1981 album Dance With Me, art punk, horror punk, and later hard rock elements in albums like Change Today? (1984). After lineup changes and a legal dispute over the band name resolved in 1999, the Grisham-led group reunited and toured, including on the Vans Warped Tour. Drummer Todd Barnes died in 1999. T.S.O.L. is known for live performances marked by Grisham's storytelling and chaotic energy, drawing from the band's early punk scene reputation involving tales of burglary and violence.