The self-proclaimed nerd rock band Nerf Herder was formed in 1994 by singer/guitarist Parry Gripp, drummer Steve "The Cougar" Sherlock, and bassist Charlie Dennis, taking their name from an epithet in one of the many spats between %Princess Leia and %Han Solo in #The Empire Strikes Back. Based in Santa Barbara, CA, the trio specialized in post-grunge punk-pop full of geeky humor, similar to Weezer crossed with the nervy edge of the Descendents and the snarky pop culture obsession of the Dead Milkmen.