Nerf Herder was formed in Santa Barbara in 1994 by
Parry Gripp (vocals, guitar), Charlie Dennis (bass), and Steve Sherlock (drums). Dennis left the band after the release of their debut
self-titled album, and was replaced first by Pete Newbury, with Dave Ehrlich also joining as a second guitarist. and then by
Justin Fisher, Gripp did some work as a
jingle writer, which led to his 2005 solo album
For Those About to Shop, We Salute You, a 51-track
concept album mimicking various musical styles and focusing on product commercialization. In late 2006, Nerf Herder made a surprise comeback, announcing on their website that they were playing a handful of gigs with the original lineup of Gripp, Dennis, and Sherlock. For Gripp's May 7, 2007 review of the day, he announced that the original lineup had finally finished recording their fourth album, which did not have a title at that time. Gripp stated that he wanted the title to be
Brownerton, but that idea was shot down. He also stated that of the thirteen songs recorded, they would probably pick ten to be on the album. In June 2007, the band decided on the title
Nerf Herder IV, and the album was released through
Oglio Records on April 29, 2008. Pringle returned, and Former
Size 14 singer
Linus of Hollywood joined the live band (playing guitar and keyboard) in early 2008 for a series of West Coast shows and a short tour of Japan. In 2014, Nerf Herder began working on album number five, titled
Rockingham, which was released on March 11, 2016. As of 2025, Nerf Herder are still actively touring, with shows in the United Kingdom planned for July. == Band members ==