Live video from Mercury Lounge NYC. Taking their name from a trio of convicted felons, George Jackson, Fleeta Drumgo, and John Clutchette who were incarcerated at Soledad Prison and killed by police fire, the Soledad Brothers formed in 1998 in their hometown of Maumee, Ohio (near Toledo). The band's foundations began with Johnny Walker (Johnny Wirick) joining the blues-punk band Henry and June, in which Benjamin "Swank" Smith was already performing as drummer. Henry and June existed from 1994 until 1996. Wirick continued playing with drummer Doug Walker in the two-piece blues outfit 'Johnny Walker'. The dark blues duo Soledad Brothers began in early 1998 after guitarist/vocalist Johnny Wirick (a.k.a. Johnny Walker) asked drummer Ben Smith (a.k.a. Ben Swank) if he wanted to play a show. When traveling north to Detroit for a few gigs, the duo was approached by Italy Records owner Dave Buick. The label recorded the band, releasing the single "Sugar and Spice", which attracted Estrus Records. This led to the release of "The Gospel According to John" single along with a number of others, the success of which prompted Estrus Records to put out the band's first full-length album.