Forming in November of 1999, Thug Murder seemed to score immediate success with American audiences with their broken English Oi!/punk anthems and energetic live shows. With influences that draw from femme-punk contemporaries like the Muffs and the Eyeliners, the music of Thug Murder is simple and catchy, featuring four-chord forms and singalong choruses. Made up of singer/guitarist Ryoko Naitoh, bassist Chisato Ohtsubo, and drummer Yurle Sakuma, the all-female trio garnered attention in the U.S. by appearing on TKO Records' Punch Drunk 2 compilation with the single "Double Fist." As their popularity in Japan grew through local touring, the compilation gave them a lot of exposure, and they appeared with other punk revival champions the Dropkick Murphys and Suburban Threat. The trio followed with their debut full-length, The 13th Round, on TKO Records in February of 2001 and constantly toured in the U.S., opening for notables such as Small Brown Bike, Hot Water Music, and the Dropkick Murphys.