The Phantom Limbs were a rock band formed in Oakland, California, in 1999. The group combined the unusual keyboard-driven compositions of Stevenson Sedgwick with an aggressive, punk-influenced rhythm section and a very odd singer, Loto 'Hopeless' Ball, whose howled lyrics and unpredictable stage behavior quickly gained them an infamous reputation in the SF Bay Area.

They were quickly approached by Sam Atakra of the fledgling Atakra records label, which released their first 3-song 7-inch, featuring their seminal "Hot Knives and Hornets."

With critical acclaim for their live shows and 7-inch recordings, the group was approached by Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys and were signed to his seminal label, Alternative Tentacles, on the spot. After seeing the band at 924 Gilman St in Berkeley, he declared them the strangest band that he had ever see there, let alone that the punks actually liked.

Their debut full-length Applied Ignorance was released on Alternative Tentacles in 2001. A US tour followed. The group released two more full-length records on Alternative Tentacles, as well as singles, an EP and many compilation tracks on various labels including Gold Standard Labs, Hungry Eye Records and Trans Solar in Germany.

The band completed two more US tours and a two tours of Europe, playing over 200 shows in total. The group played shows with many notable acts including Jello Biafra, the Melvins, Neurosis, The Vanishing, The Fleshies, Neptune, and The Holy Kiss, among others.