Early Edison

In the closing years of the 1990s, Tom Ashton and Rob Coffin established the energetic pop group Early Edison, enlisting drummer Chris Santiago along with bassist Tom Wendling. The band built recognition across various regions of the Midwest along with the eastern and western seaboards through performances marked by rich vocal harmonies and memorable pop compositions. Newsday selected their track "Demographically Pleasing," featured on the album Devotion & Deceit, as the top pop song of 1997. In 2000, the musicians collaborated with Tony Maimone, known for his work with Pere Ubu, They Might Be Giants, and Bob Mould, on their second album, which bore the band's own name.