Before Champ de Mars there were several other incarnations of this band with several other records out. Here’s a quick recap:
SOLO: 2006-2015:
Three solo discs released (with Matt Pendleton on drums): Northern California, Virginia, and Maryland. Very briefly a band Zero Day emerged which performed one wonderful gig on the rooftop of the Beacon hotel in Washington, D.C.
BELLSTAR: 1998-2006
Drums: Matt Pendleton
Bass: Tony Asbestos
Guitar: Dave Carl
Bellstar released two wonderful records, Navigator, and Divisadero. The band played numerous live shows between 1999 and 2006 in the Sacramento, San Francisco music scene. The record Navigator received some local high praise and 'How to be a Foreign Journalist' was used in Rich York's independent film 'Reverb.'
In 2004 the band started work on the follow up album Divisadero - which under some lineup changes, was released under the previous band name 'The Said,' however - was really a Bellstar record.
THE SAID: 1994-1998
Bass: Ken Rhodes
Drums: Randy Teresi
The Said also released two wonderful records, These Varied Carols and the rugged Manowar. The band came out of the college scene at UC Davis and began taking on shows in Northern California, highlighting a couple summer festivals in Yolo County. Their first album featured Grub Dog Mitchell on drums and guest appearance by Bill Scholer on guitar on 'Cherokee Kyle.' The band did get some local flack for their song 'Yellow Hangman Friday Night' which torpedoed some local radio disc jockeys.