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Okay. We should preface with the fact that we're not playing much anymore. Chris is busy with grad school and trying to finish three books, and he lives five hours away from the rest of the band. Once he finds the means to start recording again, you might see some new songs posted here and there, and maybe even some shows back on the home front, but they are going to be a while in coming. The thirty free mp3s on purevolume has lapsed, account-wise. Hopefully, if we start doing shows again, you can get them again. Anyway, enjoy what's here. Hopefully the situation will change soon.
Calico Jack started as a recording project when Chris Schweizer got a four-track upon his return to the U.S. He had studied in the northern UK the previous year, and had written a few songs, and decided to record and distribute them. He released a ten-track album untitled at the time but since dubbed "Matador" do to the album art, and then teamed up with his best friend, Daniel Ellis, to work on a five-song EP called "Somewehere I can clear my Head." Daniel had played bass with him before, in the punk band Scared of Gary.
They began to play shows, and at one of these shows (the release show of the EP and another small print EP dubbed "the secret cd") they were approached by a kid named Grant Brashears. He claimed that he knew all of their songs and wanted to play drums with them at the show. It was a smaller venue, and though Chris was dubious (he was shirtless, and smoking a cigarette at the time), Dan vouched for his ability and Chris said heck, why not. As it turns out, he DID know all of the songs, and played drums quite well, and after he built a creshendo during the bridge of the song "One-Year Anniversary" the others decided that, if he wanted to, he could be their regular drummer.
In the summer of 2003 they recorded the self-titled album, which was produced by John Doss, who did the work for Foxhole and Stellar Kin. they released it in August of 2003.
Chris was dangerously ill during a show with Pedro the Lion in October of that year, and subsequently took it easy for a while, not recording anythiung else until February of the following year.
Chris moved to Mississippi to run a hotel for a couple of years, but now resides in Kentucky once more. He has recorded a full album of solo material under the Calico Jack banner called "Timbertoe," which was released as a free online album in early 2005. After that, a 5-song EP called "Something for Everyone" was released.
When Chris moved back, Grant had moved to Lexington. So Jason from Dan's other band started playing drums. He was very, very good. Jessica Cook joined the group as backup vocalist and guitarist.
Click here to see old pictures of the band..
Oh, and additional credits:
The backup vocals on "Michigan Bottle Run" by Derrick Price of Stellar Kin (www.stellarkin.com)
The backup vocals on "One Year Anniversary" performed by Haylee Kercheval
backup harmony for "One Year Anniversary" written by Jessica Dockrey Cook, formerly of Poseidon
violin on "Gene Kelly Movie" by Chris's Mom, Donis Schweizer
harmonica on "shoot the moon" by Frank Armstrong, formerly of Slow Jazz Music
lead guitar on "One-Year Anniversary" by Derrick "Stellar" Price.
songs from the self-titled album recorded and mixed by John Doss of Center City, KY
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