House of Fools formed in 2004 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The band initially consisted of Josh King on vocals and acoustic guitar, David McLaughlin on guitar, Joel Kiser on guitar, Matt Bowers on keyboard, Jordan Powers on bass, and Jack Foster on drums. House of Fools emerged from a demo recording by King and Bowers, with the lineup completed by members of The Necessary, an indie/emo/rock band that had released This Is Us in 2004. In November 2004, Drive-Thru Records signed House of Fools after being impressed by their demos. Their self-titled EP was released in October 2006, followed by extensive touring and support for acts like Paulson and Daphne Loves Derby. The band's debut album Live and Learn was produced by R. Walt Vincent and released in 2007, earning them a spot on Alternative Press' "100 Bands You Need To Know" list.
