Editing Alien Ant Farm (section)

===Early years (1996–2000)===
The band was formed in 1996 in [[Riverside, California]],<ref name="BBC"/> the original lineup consisting of Dryden Mitchell (vocals), Terry Corso (guitars), Mike Cosgrove (drums) and Tye Zamora (bass). Their name comes from an idea Corso had about aliens and the Earth: "It was just my daydream about our planet being seeded by entities from other dimensions."<ref>{{cite web|last=Corso|first=Terry|title=We Are Alien Ant Farm, ask us questions, see whats new! AMA|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1boo24/we_are_alien_ant_farm_ask_us_questions_see_whats/c98lr2x|work=Reddit|date=April 4, 2013 |access-date=April 4, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708223321/http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1boo24/we_are_alien_ant_farm_ask_us_questions_see_whats/c98lr2x|archive-date=July 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/strangest-band-names-1020.aspx |title=The 10 Strangest Band Names… and Where They Came From |last=Hall |first=Russell |date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=March 3, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303225157/http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/strangest-band-names-1020.aspx |archive-date=March 3, 2018 }}</ref> Each member was in a prior band before forming (Corso and Cosgrove were in "Brother Vibe", Zamora was in a band with brothers Marc and Jon named "The Color Red", and Mitchell was in a band named "Dragonfly"). Originally, the band considered themselves to be cheating on their other bands, and intended to wear masks while performing. <ref>{{cite interview|last=Cosgrove|first=Mike|interviewer=Colin Redoak|title=Interview with Mike Cosgrove|url=http://meerkat_love.tripod.com/aafshrine/mikecosgrove.htm|access-date=18 August 2024}}</ref>

In 1996 they recorded a demo tape titled the ''$100 EP'' containing five songs,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Alien-Ant-Farm-100-EP/release/6948650|title=Alien Ant Farm - $100 EP|website=Discogs|date=June 18, 1996 |access-date=April 13, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812171910/https://www.discogs.com/Alien-Ant-Farm-100-EP/release/6948650|archive-date=August 12, 2016}}</ref> and in 1998 they recorded a second demo tape ''Love Songs'', featuring four songs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Alien-Ant-Farm-Love-Songs/release/7842396|title=Alien Ant Farm - Love Songs|website=Discogs|date=1998 |access-date=April 13, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812171917/https://www.discogs.com/Alien-Ant-Farm-Love-Songs/release/7842396|archive-date=August 12, 2016}}</ref>

In 1999, Alien Ant Farm released their debut album, titled  ''[[Greatest_Hits_(Alien_Ant_Farm_album)|Greatest Hits]]'' which featured early versions of songs to be featured on later releases.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Alien-Ant-Farm-Greatest-Hits/release/3402074|title=Alien Ant Farm - Greatest Hits (1999)|website=Discogs|date=1999 |access-date=April 13, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812171915/https://www.discogs.com/Alien-Ant-Farm-Greatest-Hits/release/3402074|archive-date=August 12, 2016}}</ref> It went on to win Best Independent Album in the [[L.A. Music Awards]] that year.<ref name="Larkin2011">{{cite book|author=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&pg=PA2043|date=May 27, 2011|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8|pages=2043|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510001947/https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&pg=PA2043|archive-date=May 10, 2018}}</ref>

In 2000, after forging a friendship with the band [[Papa Roach]], Alien Ant Farm signed with [[DreamWorks Records|Dreamworks SKG]] for their second studio album, ''[[Anthology (Alien Ant Farm album)|Anthology]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/4481 |title=Alien Ant Farm: ANThology. First release on Papa Roach's label |last=Empire |first=Kitty |publisher=[[NME]] |date=March 28, 2001 |access-date=April 18, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419020801/http://www.nme.com/reviews/4481 |archive-date=April 19, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1441251/alien-ant-farm-invasion-begins-with-lp-tours/ |title=Alien Ant Farm Invasion Begins With LP, Tours |last=Moss |first=Corey |date=March 2, 2001 |website=MTV.com |access-date=March 3, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303225139/http://www.mtv.com/news/1441251/alien-ant-farm-invasion-begins-with-lp-tours/ |archive-date=March 3, 2018 }}</ref> They proceeded to tour with Papa Roach to support the album.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1438631/papa-roach-tour-to-infest-us-starting-in-march/ |title=Papa Roach Tour To Infest U.S., Starting In March |last=Moss |first=Corey |date=January 29, 2001 |website=MTV.com |access-date=March 3, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303225120/http://www.mtv.com/news/1438631/papa-roach-tour-to-infest-us-starting-in-march/ |archive-date=March 3, 2018 }}</ref>