The Zero Boys burst onto the early Indianapolis punk scene in 1980, when they released the Livin’ In the 80’s EP.  In 1982, the debut LP Vicious Circle came out; both were self released, on the Z-Disk and Nimrod label, respectively. Both  are quite scarce in original form, especially the EP, which was a 500 press run; not all copies included the pic sleeve. Vicious Circle’s faster than usual pacing brought a new dimension to hardcore punk; their reputation worldwide is quite strong, facilitating national and European tours.  

Since the mid 1980’s they have been an on again/off again band, with Mahern turning his attention to Dandelion Abortion and Datura Seeds from the mid 1980’s until the early 1990’s.  The Toxic Shock label reissue of Vicious Circle reignited interest in the band and a new lineup was activated. Two more LP’s – 1991’s Make It Stop and 1993’s The Heimlich Maneuver were recorded and released.  Skyclad also released a 7″ which included a cover of Sir Winston and the Commons song “We’re Gonna Love”.

Mahern became a well-regarded recording engineer and producer, working with numerous Indiana bands, as well as major label acts, including John Mellencamp.  Mahern launched Affirmation Records in the mid 1980’s with two hardcore punk compilations, The Master Tapes and The Master Tapes Volume 2; those records included Indiana artists as well as others. He operates Mahern Audio in Bloomington.

Clough, after replacing John Mitchell on bass, left to join Toxic Reasons, returning in the 1990’s. Clough has played in other bands, including The Last Four and Bigger Than Elvis, while owning and operating the club Radio Radio.  Cutsinger is a highly sought drummer who has played in several bands, including Why On Earth, United States Three, Windopane, Transportation, and Toxic Reasons.  Ruhtenberg has also had an active career, playing with United States Three, Mysteries of Life, Antenna, The Lemonheads and The Pieces, among many others.  Ruhtenberg was a member of the later lineup of the Mahern-fronted Datura Seeds.

Just prior to a 2012 European tour, Clough and Ruhtenberg (who had replaced Terry Howe after he died) departed, leading to the present lineup which includes Mahern, Cutsinger, Kellogg and Lawson.  Two EP’s and a full length, Monkey have been released so far by this lineup, which still plays live occasionally.

Vicious Circle has been reissued several times, and continued to go in and out of print, until Secretly Canadian reissued it in 2009.  This label also issued the 1984 cassette-only second album, History of the Zero Boys.   The Zero Boys have been included in numerous punk compilations, perhaps most significantly on Rhino Records Faster and Louder: Hardcore Punk, Volume 2, part of a multiple volume overview of early punk.