A few tracks were rerecorded for release on the band's self-titled 2001 release. However, the band felt that the direction they were heading in would work best without a sax, so Wasser departed the band and the album was shelved. At the time of signing, the band had completed a second full-length album, titled Forward, also featuring Jeremy Wasser. This attracted interest from Island Records, who subsequently signed the band in 2000. The Incubus connections continued with Fourth Street Recording's music producer Jim Wirt and logos and visual design by Brett Spivey.īy this stage, Hoobastank had developed a strong reputation in Southern California. They recorded their first full-length self-released album in 1998 called They Sure Don't Make Basketball Shorts Like They Used To, which features a saxophone section headed by Jeremy Wasser, who executive produced the album and recorded the Summer Romance saxophone solo on Incubus' S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Hoobastank started playing gigs at the local venue Cobalt Cafe along with Incubus and others. In an interview, Chris Hesse explained that the band's name originated from Robb's mispronunciation of a German street name. They then recruited Markku Lappalainen and Chris Hesse to form Hoobastank. Vocalist Doug Robb had known guitarist Dan Estrin for some time before competing against him in a high school battle of the bands competition and subsequently, they decided to form a band.