The band performed their first show at the Austin Music Awards in 1993, and released their eponymous debut album on November 21, 1995, under Capitol Records.[2] It was reissued on May 8, 2007 under Caroline Records. They often played the odd gig at The Viper Room, of which Depp used to be co-owner. One of these gigs was played on October 30, 1993, where the line-up included Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Haynes, along with other members of the line-up that night, was a good friend of actor River Phoenix. While the band were in the middle of their song "Michael Stipe", which includes the lines "I'm glad I met old Michael Stipe, I didn't get to see his car. Him and River Phoenix were leaving on the road tomorrow" and "but we didn't have a part, not a piece of our heart, not Michael, River Phoenix or Flea or me," Phoenix (unbeknownst to the band at the time) was outside the venue having seizures on the sidewalk.[3] Phoenix died in the early hours of October 31 of heart failure, brought on by an overdose of cocaine and heroin.[4]
^Spolar, Christine (November 14, 1993). "Autopsy Shatters Phoenix's Image". Chicago Sun-Times. The image of actor River Phoenix as a quiet, clean-cut member of Hollywood's youth fraternity has been shattered by autopsy results that showed he died from a mix of cocaine and heroin.
