I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4After dinner-time conversation over fajitas, they carry their plates to the sink and proceed to the studio. In reality its only a bedroom devoted to music, but the members of Jackson After the Accident dont complain. The band practices in the home of young, married Jason and Meridith Smith.
The room is small, but not a distraction. Drummer Corey Fuller sets in a corner swinging his arms cautiously as to not hit the walls behind him. He caresses the skin of the drum just before popping a rim shot. Bass player Ryan Houck is nearly crowded out by piles and stacks of equipment cases, but maintains his stance in the doorway. He makes himself known by his rhythmic plucks of deep bass tremors.
They play the room as if they were somewhere else. Jason fluctuates between articulately picking the strings and then to guttural strums. He ferociously tweaks peddles and knobs seeking the optimal sound while Meridith smoothly rides the melodies with a collected voice, occasionally chiming in with some accordion. Travis, a beta fish who lives in a hanging bowl, livens as the band begins to play. Its as if for a moment hes taken to another place forgetting his confines.
Although, its not all musical ecstasy, there is work to be done. Songs to re-work, sets to run through, and shows to book. Jason sets the agenda for practices, laying out the objectives prior to rehearsal. Reminding the band that they only have one week before such and such show, he petitions for an additional practice session. This emotion and energy expelled is the substance of Jacksons short but optimistic history.
The first semblance of Jackson After the Accident came in fall of 2000 when compiling a band to play for some college kids camping near the Quartz Mountains. Only an acquaintance at the time, Jason and Meridith called Corey Fuller to provide percussion. Corey borrowed an authentic African djembe. The rim of the drum was lined with some savanna beasts fur to which Fuller was highly allergic.
Meridith drove and sang as Jason sat shotgun with guitar in hand. Corey sat in the back seat drumming, sneezing and wheezing next to a cellist named Arianne. And with all the parts in place, the ensemble held a last minute practice session en route to the mountains. This exact group played for several years in multiple venues such as churches, coffeehouses, and even a hospital and nursing home.
The group lost an important element when Arianne moved away. The precursor to Jackson then abandoned their acoustic style roots to write their own materiala more eclectic style. They recorded over Christmas break of 2002, and gave this small album to friends and family. The album gave validity to the bands pursuits, but the three-piece ensemble still sought to add another dimension, and explored their options.
Bass player, Ryan Houck, was an obvious candidate for the band. Each member had crossed tracks with Ryan in the past, as all of the members went to college together. Not only was he highly qualified but he also shared the vision of the group and had resourceful qualities. A definitive factor of JATA is that each member brings something to the table other than the instrumental. Corey renders graphic design and artwork services. Ryan brings audio and recording knowledge. Jason, a music business major, books shows, and writes most of the bands music. Meridith handles public relations, and seeps humor at all available times in rehearsal. She is, in addition, a maternal supplement to the band, cooking and hosting post-practice fondue dips.
Since the summer of 2003, Jackson After the Accident has been writing, recording and performing music, and they taut two albums to date, Etudes and the Don Chaffer Sessions. The Don Chaffer Sessions were recorded in March of 2005 By Don Chaffer (of Waterdeep) in his studio at The Culture House. Being a band based out of Weatherford, Oklahoma isn't perfect, so they are moving to Austin August of 2005, as western Oklahoma is not exactly a hotbed of the industry. However, for now Jackson After the Accident doesnt complain. They will continue to practice in that little bedroom, pushing its walls with their music. °
BIOGRAPHIES
RYAN HOUCK
Bass. Married. Mixer. Christian. Jazz A. Guitarist-Classical. No Pick. Brown. Gas-efficient vehicle. Starting Masters degree-Music Theory. Smart humor. Crescent. Son of a carpenter.
COREY FULLER
Drums. Jazz B. Graphic Design. Capri-Sun. Christian. Green. Small. Plaid. School Band. Macintosh. Small Shirts. Timeless. NPR. Step Apart. Hinton. Messy. Color-coated.
JASON SMITH
Guitar. Mandolin. Tall. Jack-of-all-trades. Jazz "B". Earthy. Married. Mid-west music. Red. Freckly. Christian. Climber. Music Business Bachelors. Hip. No normal shoes. Trooper. Duncan.
MERIDITH SMITH
Singer. Accordion. Pink. Dill City. Sewing. Cooker. Painter. Storyteller. Fashionable. Whimsical. Non-denominational. Fruity. Christian. Daughter of Arley. Spanish Teacher. Youngest Child.
We have a new line up and a new sound that gets back to the original sound on the first CD! We are writing songs and not playing shows a lot to focus on the song writing. Our new sound and new music can be heard at concerts for now and we hope to post some new music on the myspace ASAP, so come check it out. We hope you will be blessed! the jtb
Hey Ninja!!! We're under new management, new look, new songs coming, come check it out! Plus... we've opened up our comments!!! First time in over a year, so come leave us one!!! Or 20... whatever.
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