Friends Jeff Schartoff and Scott Ellis, while on the way to Lollapalooza, decided to start a band. They then drafted Aimee Echo as vocalist after asking if she could scream. They initially also had another vocalist, Michael Walsh, who departed from the group in 1994, leaving Echo as the sole vocalist. John Monte joined as guitarist but did not last long and they went through a string of guitarists, one of whom was John Chase of Cellophane before finding Mike Tempesta. The group began opening for large name bands such as Sublime, Helmet, Deftones, and Korn and struck a deal with Hollywood Records. The band also toured the UK with Tura Satana and Coal Chamber respectively in 1997 before playing the in June 1998. This trip awarded them press coverage that they did not find in the United States. Features with the band were found in the European rock magazines, most notably Kerrang. Their last official show was at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on July 8, 1998. Aimee Echo and Scott Ellis went on to form theSTART. Jeff Schartoff formed Professional Murder Music and joined Peter Murphy's live band. Mike Tempesta joined Powerman 5000.
Reunions
On Aimee Echo's birthday, March 27, 2008, after a theSTART show at Crash Mansion in downtown Los Angeles, the remaining three HWP members came on stage and played "Dog" and "Shine" with her. In attendance were former members of Snot, Sevendust, Craig Riker of Deadsy, producer Ross Robinson and Chibi of The Birthday Massacre. Human Waste Project had a publicized reunion show at the Key Club in West Hollywood on October 10, 2008 as the opening act for Snot. Three of the four original members were present. Their set list consisted of most of the songs off E-Lux and a cover of Depeche Mode's "I Feel You". Aimee stated that this would be the only full scale reunion show and the band would not be getting back together to tour. Another mini-reunion occurred on July 9, 2009 at a theSTART show at The Roxy in West Hollywood. Mike Tempesta joined them mid-set to perform "Dog" and "One Night In Spain". The latter being a song theSTART have performed during their own shows. On August 3, 2009, Mike Tempesta was announced on stage by Aimee Echo as being in the audience of a theSTART show in New York City at the Mercury Lounge. He joined them and performed one song.
