Producers Butch Vig, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker formed Garbage initially as an informal jam session in Marker's basement, but soon recruited Shirley Manson to complete the group. Manson, who had previously lent her vocals to bands Angelfish and Goodbye Mr. MacKenzie, was the perfect addition to the already-seasoned group of musicians. Washington native Vig attended the University of Wisconsin before abandoning academia in favor of a music career, first joining Spooner on the drums. It was in Spooner that Vig met Erikson, who was on vocals and guitar for the group. New York transplant Marker was a huge Spooner fan while attending college in Wisconsin and began recording songs for the group. Vig left Spooner but rejoined when the band changed to Firetown a few years later but never achieved the success the group hoped for.

Vig and Marker had bought an eight-track cassette recorder and set up shop in a local warehouse before the formation of Firehouse; they hailed the makeshift recording area Smart Studios and recorded local punk and alternative bands there. Smart transformed into one of the trendiest recording studios in the nation by the late 1980s, recording for the likes of labels Touch & Go, Twin/Tone and Sub Pop as well as other indie labels. In 1991 Vig and Smart Studios produced a record for a little grunge band known as Nirvana and the group's iconic album, Nevermind, really put the studio on the map and paved the way for Vig to produce for alternative groups like Sonic Youth, L7 and Smashing Pumpkins. As Vig's star was skyrocketing, he formed a trio with Marker and Erikson in 1993 and Manson was added to the lineup in 1994. Garbage released their eponymous debut album on Almo Sounds in 1995 and received instant MTV and radio play with the popularity of second single "Queer." Garbage turned gold in 1996 and singles "Only Happy When It Rains" and "Stupid Girl" solidified their success. Version 2.0 was released in 1998 with popular single "Push It" and Beautiful Garbage came three years later. Garbage released its fourth, Bleed Like Me, in 2005 and a greatest hits followed in 2007.