Ten Foot Pole, veterans of the Los Angeles area hardcore scene, were formed in 1983 by guitarist Dennis Jagard as Scared Straight. They released the EP Born To Be Wild (Mystic) and the full-length You Drink You Drive You Die (Mystic) before changing name to Ten Foot Pole and releasing the album Swill (Fat Wreck, 1993), that inaugurated their major phase. The band was rescued from obscurity after more than ten years by Rev (Epitaph, 1994) that aligned them to the emerging school of punk-pop played at furious speed. But the fatalistic tone of Never Look Back, the frantic and clownesque My Wall, the epic and desperate ska-pop of Old Man, the dynamic narrative of World's Best Dad and the Gun Club-bing cowpunk of Dying Duck In A Thunder Storm paint the picture of literate philosophers immersed in social reportage.

Dispensing with singer Scott Radinsky, Unleashed (Epitaph, 1997) offered their more consistently catchy and personal material ever (Daddy, ADD, John).

Their drummer Tony Palermo joined Pulley and Jagard remained the only original member.

Subliminable Messages (Go Kart, 2004) was a little less vital.