Rogovin, an Oregon-born classically trained pianist, and Jirkovsky, who spent his youth playing in Chicago punk bands, met while attending college in Santa Cruz, California and formed Social Studies when they moved to San Francisco a few years later. The band recorded its debut EP, This Is the World’s Biggest Hammer, in 2007 and eventually replaced its revolving support lineup with bassist Jesse Hudson and guitarist Tom Smith, who also played with Chicago pop bands Office and Mazes. Social Studies spent 2009 recording their first full-length album, Wind Up Wooden Heart, which arrived in 2010 on Antenna Farm Records. ~ Heather Phares