Guitarist Takashi 'Jail' O'Hashi is more known in his home country of Japan as a former member of the heavy-metal band Seikima-II. But he had his eye on American acclaim, and together with his bassist friend Yasuhiro 'Butch' Hatae they headed to Los Angeles. It was there that they spotted a band called Merri Hoax, and more importantly their singer, Joel Ellis. The persistence of O'Hashi and Hatae won Ellis over, and with the addition of his drumming band mate Randy Meers, Cats In Boots was born.