Need, releasing their debut EP, Margie Ruskie Stops Time, on Kill Rock Stars. They toured down the coast to play the Dirtybird Queercore Festival in San Francisco, but July soon left to pursue solo endeavors. The Need continued as a duo and issued a second EP for Kill Rock Stars in 1997, which was followed up with an additional release on Outpunk. That year, Carns and Sloan relocated to Olympia where they signed with Donna Dresch's queercore label Chainsaw Records, who released The Need's self-titled debut studio album. Collaborations and The Need is Dead (1998–1999) Before their next album, The Need began branching out into other projects. With singer Nomy Lamm, the duo formed a highly theatrical surf punk drag king band called The Teenage Ho-Dads. They also created a collaborative project where Carns and Sloan, with a rotating cast of players, acted as a karaoke band for guest singers; including Lamm, Tamala Poljak (Longstocking), Audrey Marrs, Tracy Sawyer (Heavens to Betsy) and Slim Moon. The Need released these recordings as Karaneedoke, which would be part of Kill Rock Stars' Mailorder Freak Singles Club. In 1998, Joe Preston briefly joined The Need, playing bass and sampler. The songs "Vaselina" and "Talk Potty" were released as The Need with Joe Preston & DJ Zena on Up Records. During this period Carns played drums with the Sub Debs and later with The Spells. Carns and Sloan both joined Mocket for a short time and appeared on their album Pro Forma. This was followed by the pair collaborating with Two Ton Boa. The Need returned to the studio with producer Mike Lastra in summer 1999 and completed their second album, The Need is Dead, for Chainsaw Records. The Transfused and breakup (2000–2001) Following multiple collaborations, the sense of community involvement, DIY spirit, and willingness to experiment led to The Need's creation of The Transfused, a full-length rock opera, co-written with Lamm. Twelve months in the making, with an original score by Carns and Sloan, a cast of twenty-five, a full backing band, $40,000 in grassroots fundraising, months of rehearsals, and hundreds of volunteers, The Transfused sold out its two-week run at Olympia's Capitol Theater in summer 2000. An album featuring music from the production was released on Yoyo Recordings. The first-ever Ladyfest took place in Olympia later that year; Carns organized and emceed the punk cabaret-style Dude-Looks-Like-A-Lady drag show. Soon after, Sloan relocated