Rusted Shut was formed in 1988 by the couple of Don Walsh (vocals, guitar) & Sibyl Chance (drums), the same year the duo's previous band Grindin Teeth disbanded. Gene Lee was soon added on bass, and the band did its first shows under the names “The Exploding Funeral Flowers” and “Bloody Mailboxes”, before settling to the name Rusted Shut. They performed very chaotic shows at local club Axiom, sometimes playing 4-hour sets.

In 1989, ex-Grindin Teeth member Bob Wilson entered the band. The group played a show opening for Missing Foundation. By 1990, both Lee and Wilson were out of the band, with Chance moving to bass, and the duo using a drum machine in order to write songs. In 1991, Matt Sargent (another ex-Grindin Teeth member) became the band’s drummer. The band played a few shows and contributed a track on the [url=https://www.discogs.com/release/9377931-Various-Great-Big-Pile] Great Big Pile [/url] comp, before taking a break in 1993 so Walsh and Chance focus on their new project “No Rock Gods”. The trio resumed playing in 1994, and in 1996 their first release (a self-titled CD), appeared on Fleece Records.

After the CD’s release, Sargent left to play guitar in his Surf-Rock band. In 1997, he was replaced by Domokos Benczedi, with Kyle Phillips also joining the same year on second guitar. The band soon entered the studio (minus Phillips, who had gone to rehab) to record a few tracks that would later appear on the 2008 12”, “Hot Sex”. Later that year, the trio did another session, which would be released as their second album “Rehab” in 2003. After the album’s release, Chance separated from Walsh and left the band.

Shaun Kelly replaced Chance on bass in 2004, but left the band in 2007, and was in turn replaced by Richie G.. The new trio entered the studio in 2008 to record an improvised album for Load Records, entitled “Dead”. In 2011, Adam Ferguson was added on second guitar, but moved to bass in 2014, after Richie passed away the same year. In 2015 keyboardist Mel entered the band. In 2016, Walsh decided it was time for Rusted Shut to break-up.

In 2022, the trio of Walsh / Domokos / Adam got back together and restarted Rusted Shut.