Originally a metal trio named Dead Reckoning, the band changed their sound to acoustic rock, added another member and renamed themselves Days Of The New. Producer Scott Lit (REM, Nirvana) took interest after the group won a battle of the bands and signed them to his label Outpost Recordings.

Their 1997 self-titled debut album (aka ‘Yellow’) went platinum thanks to its two US Rock Chart #1s “Touch Peel And Stand” and “The Down Town” - the former reigning for a record-setting sixteen weeks. Frontman Travis Meeks reportedly then fired the rest of the band (he would later dispute it, then not argue it). In August 1998, he called the other musicians ‘former members’. In November 1998, it was reported he unexpectedly and abruptly left the band while touring. He recorded another self-titled album (aka ‘Green’) with new members in 1999. The album also charted well on release and spawned two top tens on the US Rock Chart – “Enemy” and “Weapon & the Wound” – but ultimately underperformed in sales when compared to their debut.

Outpost was absorbed by Geffen, and the band was handed to Interscope. The first sessions of their third self-titled album (aka ‘Red’) were discarded and the label forced them to start over. The album was released in 2001 and found only minor success with a top 20 Rock Chart hit “Hang On To This”. That same year, Meeks' original band members released an album with a different vocalist as Tantric which was certified platinum on the strength of three top 20 Rock Chart songs, including “Breakdown” which almost crossed over onto the US Hot 100 (reaching #106).

In 2002, Meeks called into The Howard Stern Show and was asked why he didn’t stick with the original members. He replied, “They had no spirituality. They had no brains.” When Stern pointed out, “They had hits!” he gave the vague response, “That’s not what I’m into. I’m into the truth.”

In 2005, after unsuccessfully auditioning for Velvet Revolver, he entered rehab for a meth addiction – weighing barely 100 pounds at the time. He then spent six years “cooped up in a studio as an active transvestite” while broke and owing back taxes to the IRS.

A fourth record, announced by Geffen Records, never materialized. And a 2014 reunion of all four original members was ended early due to Meeks' drunken behavior:

We do want to let it be clear that Travis was in no way pressured into this reunion. In fact, it was very much the other way around. Travis literally begged us to do this tour, on the phone, in text, and in person. He had burned so many bridges in his career that no one would hire him to play a show anymore for fear that he would not show up. He knew the original lineup would lend credibility to the project and help him rebuild his career. Unfortunately, he was not able to handle the responsibility or manage his issues.

In 2021, Illusion Is Now was released to little fanfare.