Playing unconventional avant-garde music to a strong live audience, Melbourne band Venom P. Stinger issued their debut album, Meet My Friend Venom, in January 1987. Completely uncompromising and uncommercial, it was followed by the equally uncompromising single, "Walking About"/"26 Milligrams," in July 1988. Guitarist Mick Turner left to re-form the band Fungus Brains for their 1989 album I'm So Glad, until Turner, bassist Alan Secher-Jensen, drummer Jim White, and new singer Nick Palmer re-formed Venom P. Stinger in 1991.
Their second album, What's Yours Is Mine, was released in October 1990 followed by the four-track EP Waiting Room in November 1991. The band toured the U.S., releasing the album Live (In Davis, CA) in 1992. At the end of the year, Turner and White formed Dirty Three with violinist Warren Ellis; White and Ellis also toured and recorded with the Blackeyed Susans during this time. Secher-Jensen formed the band Come the Rubber Pig, although Venom P. Stinger regrouped at the end of 1993. They released the single "Thick-skin"/"Tearbucketer" in August 1994, followed by their final album, Tear Bucket.