Drive Like Jehu were an American post-punk/post-hardcore band combining complex time signature changes, and complicated interweaving guitar rhythms. DLJ was greatly influenced by bands such as Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Mission of Burma, Slint, The Wipers, Black Flag and Honor Role. Besides American underground music, DLJ had more non-punk influences; German Krautrock bands such as Can and Neu! and the soundtracks of Ennio Morricone.

Drive Like Jehu was founded in 1990 in San Diego, California by Rick Froberg (guitar, vocals), John Reis (guitar), Mike Kennedy (bass), and Mark Trombino (drums). Froberg and Reis had originally played in Pitchfork, which had many musical similarities, however, there were some significant changes in the lineup from Pitchfork to DLJ. The new rhythm section; Kennedy and Trombino had played in Night Soil Man, which was a progressive rock-influenced punk band. Another change was Rick Froberg's guitar playing, in Pitchfork he only performed vocals.

The group released a self-titled debut album on Cargo in 1991. In between records the group released the double single, "Hand Over Fist/Bullet Train To Vegas" on Merge Records in 1992. The group released the original recorded version of "Sinews," on the "Headstart to Purgatory" compilation of San Diego bands.

Drive Like Jehu and Rocket From the Crypt (A garage-punk band fronted by Reis) were signed to Interscope Records as a pair. Jehu was the first to release a record on Interscope, followed the next year by Rocket. After the Release of "Yank Crime" DLJ embarked on tours of the United States and Europe. Then in 1995, Drive Like Jehu played their final show. Shortly afterwards, John Reis was performing in Rocket From the Crypt full-time, while Froberg and Trombino would both leave San Diego.

Since their breakup, Reis continued to front RFTC until 2005 and worked on other projects like Back Off Cupids, Sultans, and starting his own record label, Swami Records. Froberg briefly played in Thingy with Rob Crow (of Pinback) before moving to New York City to work as an illustrator. Kennedy went back to school and became a chemist, while Trombino, who engineered most of the band's recordings, became a audio engineer and producer for the likes of Blink 182 and Jimmy Eat World, among others.

In 2000, Froberg and Reis formed Hot Snakes, the group released 3 full-lengths on Swami before retiring in the summer of 2005.