the band recorded Trouble Live in Chicago. Drummer Jeff Olson mailed the cassette to Brian Slagel of Metal Blade Records and the band landed their first record deal. Trouble released their eponymous debut (later referred to as Psalm 9) with Metal Blade Records in 1984. The Skull followed in 1985, and reflected singer Wagner's struggles with substance abuse, as well as growing turmoil within the group. This led to the replacement of bassist McAllister with Ron Holzner. Drummer Jeff Olson also departed. Reports suggested that Olson had left the band to become a preacher, but he had actually decided to pursue studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree cum laude in Film Scoring. Dennis Lesh was drafted as his replacement for 1987's Run to the Light. In comparison to earlier recordings, the critics thought Run to the Light was "disappointing". Ted Kirkpatrick played drums during Trouble's Run to the Light tour. Kirkpatrick later formed the Christian metal band Tourniquet in 1990. Rise to popularity and hiatus (1989–1996) A three-year hiatus occurred before the band was snapped up by Rick Rubin's Def American Records, for whom they recorded a second self-titled album (Trouble) in 1990 with Rubin producing. More experimental than previous efforts, the album (featuring new drummer Barry Stern, formerly of Zoetrope) expanded upon the group's tentative psychedelic notions within its traditional use of power chords. The group embarked on a year-long tour before returning to the studio. In 1992, Manic Frustration was released, delving into Beatlesque psychedelia and featuring some of Trouble's most aggressive, energetic performances ever. But after the album failed to connect with a wider audience, the band was ultimately dropped by their record company, which was experiencing financial problems. The band issued Plastic Green Head through the Music for Nations label in 1995, with the return of founding drummer Jeff Olson. Reunion and Simple Mind Condition (1997–2007) Even though Trouble had gone on an extended hiatus after Wagner's departure, rumors of an eventual re-formation persisted. From 1997 to 2000, Wagner was replaced by former Exhorder singer Kyle Thomas, who played four public gigs with Trouble. On January 26, 2002, Wagner, Franklin, Wartell, Holzner, and Olson performed a short set in Chicago where during their smoking rendition of Black Sabbaths' Children of The Grave with Scott Davidson sitting in on the drums, the P.A. gave out and left