Alien Crime Syndicate was formed in San Francisco, California in 1997 by Joe Reineke (vocals, guitar) and Jeff Rouse (bass, backing vocals), following Reineke’s earlier work with The Meices. The group added drummer Nabil Ayers in 1999 and later guitarists Jason Krevey, Mike Squires, and Mike Davis. Their first EP, Supernatural, released in 1999, was positively received. They released their debut album Dust to Dirt in 2000 via Collective Fruit, followed by From the Word Go the same year under Will Records. In 2002, the trio released XL from Coast to Coast, featuring the single "Ozzy," which received local radio play; the album was later reissued by V2 Records. Their final studio effort, Ten Songs in the Key of Betrayal, appeared in 2004, earning positive reviews and was followed by tours with Guns N' Roses and with Tommy Stinson. Alien Crime Syndicate disbanded in 2005, after which members pursued separate projects.
