▁he ▁played ▁bass ▁in ▁a ▁group ▁with ▁guitar ist ▁Ken ny ▁Lyon ▁and ▁members ▁from ▁bands ▁such ▁as ▁De vo , ▁Ge za ▁X , ▁The ▁S cre am ers , ▁and ▁S par ks . ▁Stewart ▁has ▁said ▁that ▁this ▁experience ▁was ▁particularly ▁form ative ▁for ▁his ▁career , ▁but ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁realize ▁this ▁then . ▁He ▁later ▁quit ▁the ▁band ▁and ▁moved ▁home ▁to ▁attend ▁college . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁he ▁came ▁out ▁to ▁his ▁parents , ▁although ▁this ▁was ▁not ▁received ▁warm ly . ▁▁▁ ▁At ▁home , ▁Stewart ▁briefly ▁played ▁in ▁several ▁other ▁bands ▁before ▁being ▁k icked ▁out , ▁and ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁friend ▁suggested ▁that ▁he ▁start ▁his ▁own ▁band , ▁which ▁became ▁IB OP A . ▁His ▁father ▁also ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁band , ▁and ▁Stewart ▁also ▁played ▁with ▁Korea ▁Girl ▁during ▁this ▁period . ▁Metro ▁Sil icon ▁Valley ▁described ▁IB OP A ▁as ▁a ▁collision ▁of ▁" d ance , ▁l oun ge , ▁disco , ▁and ▁s ka " ▁with ▁the ▁horror ▁of ▁Red ▁As ph alt , ▁and ▁noted ▁the ▁band ▁for ▁bringing ▁attention ▁to ▁South ▁Bay ▁music . ▁IB OP A ▁was ▁briefly ▁signed ▁to ▁an ▁Ele kt ra ▁Records ▁subs idi ary ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁and ▁broke ▁up ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁when ▁the ▁label ▁dropped ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁artists . ▁The ▁band ▁announced ▁that ▁five ▁of ▁its ▁members — Ste wart , ▁C ory ▁McC ul lo ch , ▁Kurt ▁St umb