The Benjamins were started by bass player Ben Perlstein when he saw a band (then a trio of singer Jay Stys, guitarist Dan Hinz, and a drummer) playing at a club in Milwaukee. Soon after, Perlstein became the fourth member of the group, bringing with him new drummer Jon Phillip. The Benjamins recorded their first album, Bordering on Boredom, on Labor Day 1999. The EP featured six songs that earned favorable attention for the band after the album was released in February 2000. After garnering a solid fan base throughout the Midwest, the Benjamins were interviewed by a fan for a fanzine in Green Bay, WI. The fan turned out to be a street team representative for Drive-Thru Records, and after a brief courtship, the label agreed to sign the band. Their sophomore CD and first full-length album, The Art of Disappointment, was released on the California-based Drive-Thru Records in February 2001. ~ Kerry L. Smith