for their new band They sought two individuals who shared their "one for all and all for one" philosophy, had no issues with substance abuse, and were "fan oriented". Guitarist Tim Kelly joined after meeting Mark Slaughter at a barbecue, while drummer Blas Elias secured his spot after impressing the two in a videotaped audition and playing live in Los Angeles. The band was formed in January 1989. 1989–1992: Breakthrough with Stick It To Ya After forming the band, all four members lived together in a small apartment working on songs with a drum machine and four-track. Soon, they entered the Record Plant to start tracking demos. According to Blas Elias, Strum's talent for bringing out the best in people made the recording sessions a "lighthearted" and enjoyable experience. His skills in the studio helped Slaughter create the band's unique sound with "bluesy feel", a "definite melodic bass", and a "gutsy, nasty attitude", and also achieve their goal of creating songs with an eye towards commercial success on radio and MTV, and playing concert arenas. Strum produced the band's debut album, Stick It To Ya, alongside Mark Slaughter. It was recorded at several studios in Los Angeles, California, and was released in January 1990 on Chrysalis Records. Stick It To Ya was the first album on the label to be released exclusively on CD and cassette, with a limited number of vinyl copies distributed to select fans and media members. Prior to its release, the band conducted extensive test marketing in multiple cities, including Chicago. While describing the idea of the band, Mark Slaughter asserted that it was "to bring emotion back into rock 'n' roll". The four also characterized their music as "very energetic and very raw". "Although our name is Slaughter, take the S off and it's laughter," Strum jokingly stated in an interview, "It's not a thrash group, it's a fun group". "It's a real rock 'n' roll band. That's what we wanted," he added. According to the band, all songs had a true-life meaning. "They're either about something that we went through or something we both perceive a lot of people go through but can't get a chance to express for themselves," Strum explained. Critical reception was positive, with major outlets calling the album "a smart, sassy pop-metal effort", "full of musical talent and is definitely one of the finer tastes of metal today", also adding