Califone is a critically-acclaimed experimental folk band from Chicago. The band is named after Califone International, a long-standing manufacturer of audio equipment commonly found in schools, libraries and businesses. Califone is the musical project of former Red Red Meat frontman Tim Rutili. Its regular and rotating contributors include many former members of Red Red Meat and some members of other Chicago bands, such as Tortoise.
Will Johnson is the frontman of both the alt-country bands Centro-matic and South San Gabriel. He played drums in the band Funland prior to these groups and has played solo throughout his career. He recently released an album with Magnolia Electric Co. frontman Jason Molina under the name Molina & Johnson. He is also the performing drummer for the band Monsters of Folk.
Jay Farrar is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis, Missouri. A veteran of two critically-acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001. Beyond his established talents as a songwriter, he is a well-regarded guitarist, harmonicist, and a distinctive vocalist. His music is an informed expansion of traditional American roots music.
1. Palace is one of the many names used at one point or another by Will Oldham. Palace came after he named himself Palace Brothers for the first LP, before Palace Music, and a few years before the world knew him as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. According to Oldham, records released under the "Palace" moniker were usually recorded in the winter time, and feature some of his darkest, most challenging songs. See http://users.bart.nl/%7Eljmeijer/oldham/ for bio, discog, and news.
Crooked Fingers is an American alt-folk band based in North Carolina and led by former Archers Of Loaf lead singer Eric Bachmann. The rotation of band members has included such musicians as Lara Meyerratken, R.L. Martin, Jo Jameson, Barton Carroll and Dov Friedman. In 1998, following the breakup of Archers of Loaf, Bachmann started work on a solo project that he named Crooked Fingers. The first outcome of this project, a self-titled release of various songs he had written, was released by WARM in 2000.