Slightly Stoopid's Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald were signed to Sublime mastermind Brad Nowell's Skunk imprint while still in high school, and did two albums for the label, Slightly Stoopid in 1996 and Longest Barrel Ride two years later. While the sound back then was SoCal skatepunk influenced by thrash elements and copious amounts of weed, Doughty and McDonald's playing and singing had matured considerably by 2001 and Live & Direct: Acoustic Roots. The duo was later rounded by drummer Rob Moran and percussionist/vocalist Oguer Ocon.