Chicago punk-pop combo Allister was formed in 1995 by vocalist/guitarist Tim Rogner and guitarist Johnny, longtime cla**mates who first teamed in a cover band organized to play their school talent show. The duo expanded to a trio the following year after Johnny met ba**ist Skippy at the University of Illinois, and in early 1997 the group played their first live date under their original name, Phineas Gage. They eventually rechristened themselves Allister after a character on the children's program You Can't Do That on Television; accordingly, the band's 1998 Drive-Thru label debut seven-inch was entitled You Can't Do That on Vinyl. In mid-1998, Skippy a**umed second guitar duties following the addition of ba**ist Scott Murphy; the full-length Dead Ends and Girlfriends followed a year later from Drive-Thru, and Last Stop Suburbia arrived in 2002. Lineup changes followed post-Suburbia, with Kyle Lewis joining on guitar and Mike Leverence on drums; Leverence, Lewis, Murphy, and Rogner returned in 2005 with Before the Blackout. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide