The Outfit was formed in March 2005 by bassist Zach Harris and guitarist Tyler Kane. The two knew they were capable of writing music together, as they had both played in a band called The Well-Padded Puppets (left) years earlier. Harris and Kane were in search of musicians who were interested in writing complicated music. Without even having to travel beyond the walls of their high school, they were able to recruit A.J. Patton (right, drumming in Kane's other band, No Biggie) and Elly Schmitt (below, singing at an Outfit show in January 2006). Just after their first show, The Outfit participated in and won a Battle of the Bands at the Neutral Zone, and went on to win another sponsored by WATT. Between the two battles, the band received enough money to purchase t-shirts, and enough recognition to justify recording an album. The Outfit signed with Youth Owned Records, becoming the fifth band to take advantage of the company's EP Project. Their first album, O, was released in April 2006. The Outfit had scattered shows throughout 2006. They began playing at a wider variety of venues including the Blind Pig, the Power Center, and the Bluestage. Unfortunately, three of the four members were attending universities that fall, and while Harris and Kane planned to attend nearby Eastern Michigan University, Patton had to move to Central Michigan. The band split momentarily, un- sure of how to schedule around this problem. It was then that Eric Hurd (of the band Ru'Ach) stepped in and offered to drum. After a five-month hiatus, The Outfit returned in February 2007. The band is currently writing new material to be played at upcoming shows.