Harem Scarem was formed in 1987 by guitarist Pete Lesperance and singer Harry Hess, formerly of Blind Vengeance who had recorded two heavy metal albums in the 1980s. The name Harem Scarem was based on a Bugs Bunny cartoon. The initial Harem Scarem lineup was completed by Darren Smith (drums) and Mike Gionet (bass). This lineup recorded a demo CD in 1990, which garnered them attention since most demos at the time would be on cassette tape only. On the strength of this demo they were signed to Warner Music and recorded their first album. The demo CD was initially sold to fans.