The Dismemberment Plan started on January 1, 1993. The initial lineup was Eric Axelson, Jason Caddell, Steve Cummings, and Travis Morrison. After recording their first album, in 1995, Joe Easley replaced Steve Cummings. That cemented the band's lineup for the rest of its existence. The last show was September 1, 2003, at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

The band recorded four albums. Three were recorded for DeSoto Records and were released by the same. Emergency & I was recorded for Interscope Records but came out on DeSoto.

The band toured Japan three times, Europe twice, and most of North America over and over again. It was based in, and very much a natural result of, Washington, D.C.