Ruth Ruth is a pop punk band formed in New York City in 1993, with the original lineup consisting of Chris Kennedy on bass/lead vocals and songwriter, Mike Lustig on guitar, and drummer Dave Snyder. Band history and the American Recordings era Initially playing gigs for free at New York City's famed Continental nightclub, their occasional shows became a residency and by the following year, Kennedy Lustig and Snyder had signed a record deal with American Recordings. Their debut 1995 album was titled Laughing Gallery, which was seen with critical acclaim from those who heard it. The album was co-produced by Ted Nicely, who has produced Fugazi, Girls Against Boys and Kennedy separately. The song "Uninvited" from the album gained them some success, including alternative radio play and a few months of MTV rotation. The band then toured nationally with Everclear and No Doubt while also headlining shows and making several television appearances in the United Kingdom. Unhappy with the label's handling of their album, in 1996 the band began to break away by releasing a 45 single on Deep Elm Records titled "Brainiac" with the flipside "Love Potion No. 10," produced by Kennedy, as well as a critically acclaimed EP from Epitaph Little Death, again produced by Kennedy and Brett Guerwitz. Before the EP was released, however, Snyder left the group, replaced by drummer Christian Nakata. A video created for the song "Jerome" remains unreleased. Headline tours and support tours with Spacehog, Everclear and Samiam followed. The RCA records era In 1997, the band recorded new material while still under contract to American. RCA Records A&R rep Brian Malouf, after seeing the band play a show at the Continental, expressed interest in signing the group. RCA paid American for the unreleased masters and they resurfaced in 1998 on RCA with Are You My Friend? with the addition of Michael Kotch of the band Eve's Plum on rhythm guitar. The title of the album was a direct, if unflattering quote from their A&R contact at American, and a song from the album titled "Kaboom" (with lyrics such as "now you're dead and I'm happy") was said to have been written in celebration of their escape from their relationship with American Recordings. The song "Condition" was featured in the film Urban Legend. AYMF? was co-produced by Kennedy and Chris Shaw. The 2000s and a new name - 'Ultra-V' In 2000 the