The group with the distinctive "Crossbuster" logo was founded in 1980 by Greg Graffin (vocals, keyboards), Brett Gurewitz (guitar), Jay Bentley (bass) and Jay Ziskrout (drums) against the backdrop of the burgeoning American punk scene in Los Angeles founded. The first self-titled EP was released in 1981 on Gurewitz’s newly founded label Epitaph Records and in 1982 the first album How Could Hell Be Any Worse ?, which is now regarded as one of the most important early US West Coast punk, was released. After a brutal change of style (Into the Unknown, 1983), the majority of the musicians dropped out, and many records were given back by disgruntled fans; today this no longer available album is a coveted collector's item. A year later, the original style was revived on the EP Back to the Known.