Before the band was started, lead vocalist and guitarist Chris DeMakes, drummer Vinnie Fiorello, and bassist Shaun Grief all led a local band called Good Grief while they were attending high school in Port Charlotte, Florida. When DeMakes decided to move north and attend the University of Florida, the band broke up. Less Than Jake was formed on July 13, 1992. The band got their name from Fiorello's dog, Jake, who was usually treated better than the rest of the household, so everything was "less than Jake". The band released their debut studio album, "Pezcore" on August 22, 1995 through Dill Records.