Originally The Mortals in 1992, Roger Clyne and Dustin "Dusty" Denham wanted to continue playing after that band's tenure had come to an end. They formed The Refreshments in early 1993 and had considered names like "Pop Enema" and "All You Can Eat" before settling on a more conventional name. The original lineup consisted of Clyne (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, kazoo), Brian David Blush (lead guitar, backing vocals), Art Edwards (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Denham (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Blush came from a band called August Red, who were active around 1991 and consisted of Tim Thiel, Brian Spector, Brian Blush, Zowie Bowie, and Michael Gatt. Denham and Edwards had played together for a short time in a band called The Hanson Brothers.