Protein

After expulsion from a San Francisco-area high school, vocalist/guitarist Josh Zee—the son of a professional folksinger—joined drummer Dan Thompson to launch their earliest group. The pair spent several years performing with assorted local acts before establishing the grungy alternative pop band Protein in 1994. They played a series of shows until replacing their part-time bassist with Russ Violet, then made a strong impression at a San Francisco music-industry showcase in 1996. Protein signed with Sony’s Work subsidiary and issued their debut album, Ever Since I Was a Kid, in early 1997; Songs About Cowgirls appeared two years later.