The Refreshments recorded their first record in the summer of 1995 and it was released in January 1996. The band hit the number one spot on Billboard's Heatseekers list with the single "Banditos" and toured throughout the U.S. “Banditos” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Alternative Rock charts and crossed over into the Hot 100. The band was slated to leave for Australian tour in the late fall but it was canceled by the new president of Mercury Records and the band members were told to go record their second album. Their second album was recorded in early 1997 and it was released in the fall of 1997. There was no financial or promotional support from Mercury to promote a tour. Mercury Records let the band's recording contract lapse in early 1998, unimpressed by the flagging sales of its second CD, "The Bottle & Fresh Horses". The Refreshments decided that the writing was on the wall and left Mercury before they were dropped from the label's lineup. The band sold 10,000 units in December 1997, their last month with the label.