Formed in 1994 in Austin, TX, Fastball combined a fondness for melodic, Beatles-inspired pop with the alternative aesthetic of late-'90s mainstream rock. Guitarist/vocalist Miles Zuniga, bassist/vocalist Tony Scalzo, and drummer Joe Shuffield -- all veterans of Austin's underground rock scene -- originally banded together under the name Magneto U.S.A. After signing with Hollywood Records, the musicians changed their name to Fastball (sharing the name with the title of their favorite baseball-themed pornographic film) and released their debut album, Make Your Mama Proud, in 1996. The album failed to yield much commercial success, but it did demonstrate the band's synthesis of modern flavor and bygone pop hooks, a combination that would later launch Fastball into the mainstream.