sentences:  Simon Says was formed by a group of California high schoolers (Matt Franks, Zac Diebels, and Mike Johnston) who got their start playing high school auditoriums around the state in the early 1990s.Adding bassist Mike Arrieta in 1995, the group self-released two records, which attracted the attention of manager Jeff Saltzman.Saltzman set them up with Cake's producer Mark Needham and got them signed to Hollywood Records in July 1998.