Shortly after they began playing together, the band's sound began catching the ears of popular Texas acts like Baboon, Tripping Daisy, and HiFi Drowning, all of whom El Gato would eventually share stages with. Their first record, the self-released 7" Escape Artist/Ambulance, heightened their profile in the flourishing north Texas underground scene of the late '90s, and allowed them to tour and finance their next project, the Everybody's a Piñata EP. Released in June of 1998, the record generated quite a bit of press for the band, including a nod from CMJ and a spot on the Alternative Press college radio chart. After touring in support of Everybody's a Piñata in 1999 and early 2000, they decided to take a break and focus on writing and recording their first full-length album. ~ Bryan Carroll