Auntie Christ was a short-lived punk rock side project, comprised initially of longtime X members Exene Cervenka (singer, guitar) and D.J. Bonebrake (drums), in addition to Rancid bassist Matt Freeman. Formed in 1996, the seeds of Auntie Christ were planted during a chance meeting between Cervenka and Freeman at a party at the infamous Los Angeles punk club the Masque (which was reopened to celebrate the release of the CD Live From the Masque, issued on Cervenka's record label, Year 1 Records). When Cervenka asked Freeman if he knew of any bass players that were available for her planned project (whose goal was to form a band "in the truest spirit of punk," but with a modern outlook), the Rancid bassist offered his services. The trio recorded a two-song demo shortly thereafter, which was released by the Lookout! label as a single in early 1997, Bad Trip/The Nothing Generation, before following it up with a proper full-length debut, Life Could be a Dream. The trio supported the album with a series of live shows in the California area, but when plans were made for a more thorough tour of the U.S., Freeman had to bow out due to prior commitments to Rancid. Undeterred, Cervenka and Bonebrake soldiered on with a replacement bassist, Janis Tanaka, of the San Francisco group Stone Fox.