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Chris Prescott is a San Diego-based multi-instrumentalist with a diverse background of interests and accomplishments. Beginning his recording and touring career at barely 18 years old, Chris’s musical path had an auspicious start. One month after completing high school Chris signed a record deal with Cargo/Headhunter records, which was the first album to what numbers now at over 50. Various bands that Chris has recorded and toured with include Pinback, Rocket from the Crypt, Jimmy Eat World, No Knife, Tanner, Montalban Quintet, The Jade Shader, Fishwife and others. Concert tours over the past 30 years has taken him to perform in over 170 cities in far away places including Russia, Czech Republic, Japan, Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico and all across the United States.

Chris has kept a full teaching roster of students between tours, as well as filling in on studio recording sessions with various bands from the local San Diego music scene. Recently new music has been recorded with San Diego music legend John Reis (Rocket from the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes) for the Swami John Reis solo project. In addition to Chris’s accomplishment in the indie rock world, he frequently performs in jazz groups and other musical settings. Recently Chris has formed the experimental jazz group Montalban Quintet, which has received rave reviews and promises to be a group to watch in the coming years.

In the constant pursuit of musical education, Chris has completed his formal studies at UCSD with a degree in Percussion/Jazz Studies, graduating Summa Cum Laude. This was a fertile environment to explore the worlds of “New Music”, Minimalism, Avant Garde and the rich history of Jazz. Here he had the privilege to study with world-renowned percussionist Steven Schick. Recently Chris has published a revolutionary book on musical interpretation entitled Creative Construction. The book focuses on the practice of writing drum patterns that complement musical counterparts. After the editors at Modern Drummer caught wind of Chris’s book, he was then commissioned to adapt its content for a series of articles in their 2011 issues. The sixth installment is published in a Spring 2018 issue and is accompanied by instructional drumming videos on the Modern Drummer website. Most recently Chris wrote a featured article in the prestigious Percussive Arts Society journal, Percussive Notes, outlining the wide and varied benefits of teaching.

Music Projects

Pinback (2005 – present)
Chris: Drums, Rob Crow: Guitar/Vocals,
Armistead Burwell Smith IV: Bass/Piano/Vocals,
www.pinback.com

Montalban Quintet (2010 – present)
Chris: Drums, Computer sequencing, Carl Prescott: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Kenseth Thibideau: Bass, Greg Friedman: Guitar, Jim Weiss: Baritone, Tenor Saxophone, Rod Contreras: Piano, Julie Kitterman: Vocals, Glockenspiel, Percussion
www.montalbanquintet.com

Third Act Problems (2017 – present)
Chris: Drums/Guitar/Piano/Bass, Rob Crow: Vocals/Guitar/Piano/Bass
www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/products/2018-artist-in-residence

Marmoto (2020 – present)
Chris: Drums/Production, other collaborators include: Kristian Dunn, Chris Reba, Geoff Hill, James Reader, Kenseth Thibideau, Armistead Smith, Mike Dawson, Jesse Charnow, Eric Schlosser, John Cota, Kris Poulin, Zach Lind and many more…
www.marmotoproject.bandcamp.com/

Systems Officer (2007 – 2013)
Systems Officer continues with a new lineup
Chris: Drums/Backing Vocals, Armistead Burwell Smith IV: Bass/Piano/Vocals,
Kenseth Thibideau: Guitar/Piano
www.systemsofficer.com

Greg Friedman (2009 – present)
Chris: Drums / Percussion, Greg Friedman: Vocals/Guitar/Piano,
Christopher Hoffee: Bass, Jane Lui: Vocals
www.gregfriedmanmusic.com

The Jade Shader (2003 – 2007)
Chris: Guitar/Piano, Gabe Feenberg: Guitar/Piano,
Terrin Durfey: Bass/Vocals, Matt Lynott: Drums
www.chrisprescott.com/thejadeshader

No Knife (1998 – 2003)
Chris: Drums, Brian Desjean: Bass, Ryan Ferguson: Guitar/Vocals,
Mitch Wilson: Guitar/Vocals
www.facebook.com/NoKnifeArchive

Poinciana Jazz Quartet (1999 – present)
Carl Prescott: Trumpet, Chris: Drums, Don Skelton: Bass,
Jon Harford: Guitar, Carl Prescott: Trumpet
https://chrisprescott.com/poinciana/

JAK (1998 – 2003)
Chris: Drums, Brian Desjean: Bass, Ken Abellon: Guitar/Vocals,
Julie Kitterman: Vocals/Guitar
www.chrisprescott.com/jak

Rocket from the Crypt (1997-1998)
Chris: Organ/Percussion/Backing Vocals, John Reis: Guitar, Vocals, Andy Stammets: Guitar, Pete Reichert: Bass, Atom Willard: Drums,  Paul O’Beirne: Saxophone, Jason Crane: Trumpet
www.facebook.com/rftcAGAIN

Tanner (1994 – 1997)
Chris: Drums, Matt Ohlin: Bass, Gar Wood: Guitar/Vocals
www.chrisprescott.com/tanner

Hemlock (1991 – 1997)
Chris: Guitar/Vocals, Nate Westwood: Bass/Vocals, Bill Lamb: Drums
www.chrisprescott.com/hemlock

Fishwife (1990 – 1994)
Chris: Drums, Matt Ohlin: Bass, Gar Wood: Guitar, Ryan Foxe: Vocals
www.chrisprescott.com/fishwife

Discography

Montalban Quintet
“Deadlights” Digital Single (Belly of the Whale)
“Mbira” Digital Single (Belly of the Whale)
“El Mendigo” Digital Single (Belly of the Whale)
“A Call for All Demons” Digital Single (Belly of the Whale)
“Under the River” CD/LP (Belly of the Whale)
“Rolling in the Deep” Digital Single (Belly of the Whale)
“Montalban Quintet” CD (Belly of the Whale)

Pinback
Roji (The Rashomon Effect) 7″ (Joyful Noise)
“Information Retrieved” CD/LP (Temporary Residence)
“Information Retrieved -pt B” 7″ (Temporary Residence)
“ASCII Tour EP 2008” (Self-Released)
“Autumn of the Seraphs” CD/LP (Touch and Go Records)
“Autumn of the Seraphs – Bonus 3 song CD ” CD/EP (Touch and Go Records)

Swami John Reis
“Ride the Wild Night” LP (Swami Records)

Allen Epley
“Everything” LP (Spartan Records)

Marmoto
“Polygag” and 23 other single tracks – Digital Single (Belly of the Whale)

Come Closer
“We Died with Print” – LP (Fast Crowd Records)
“Pretty Garbage” – LP (Pirates Press Records)

Chris Prescott
“What the Sea Gives Me” Original Score (Misfit Pictures)
“Manufacturing Stoke” Original Score (Misfit Pictures)
“Creative Construction – Vol. 1” (Belly of the Whale)

Third Act Problems
“The Sun Setting Over the Argosy Bookstore” LP (Joyful Noise)

Greg Friedman
“Can’t Talk Now” CD/LP (Populuxe)
“Song-A-Month Club” Digital (Self-Released)

The Jade Shader
“Sea Stacks and Sleestaks” LP (Joyful Noise)
“Henry Tuatara” Split 7″ w/ Facing New York, Rum Diary and Years Around the Sun. (Springman Records)
“Curse of the Tuatara” CD – September (Catune Records Japan, Sonic Boom)
“SpaceGoat” Catune Records Compilation  (Catune Records, Japan).

Systems Officer
“Underslept” CD/2xLP (Temporary Residence)

C’est la Mort
In the Soft Focus Light of I Love You – Remixes (Self-Released)

Ryan Ferguson
“Only Trying to Help” CD (Better Looking Records)
“Three, Four” CD (Junior Varsity Records)

No Knife
“Bed for the Scraping” Digital (Perpetually Twelve Issue #13)
“Riot for Romance” LP/CD (Better Looking, US; Day After, Europe)
“No Knife/ Nine Days Wonder – Split EP” CD (Catune Records, Japan; Dim Mak, USA; Nova Recordings, Europe)
“Fire in the City of Automatons” LP/CD (Timebomb / BMG records)
“Permanent for Now” Split 7″ w/ Lazycain (Big Wheel Rec)
“Flechette” Split 7″ w/ Sunshine (Jet Black/ Filler – Holland)

Rocket From the Crypt
“All Systems Go – Vol 3” (Vagrant Records)
“Rocket from the Crypt – RIP” DVD (Vagrant Records)
“When in Rome” Shaped Picture Disc (Elemental, Europe)
“Chariots on Fire” (Vagrant Records Sampler)

Tanner
“Guard Dog” 2 song 7″ (Standard/ Cargo)
“Slightly Calculated” Split 7″ w/ No Knife (Goldenrod)
“Purma Pak” 4 song 7″ (Sympathy For The Record Industry)
“Blueprint” 3 song 7″ (Liquid Meat/ Kat Records)
“Ill Gotten Gains” LP/CD/Cass (Caroline Records, US/ Virgin, Europe)
“Germophobic” CD (Headhunter/ MCA)

Hemlock
“Gasoline” 2 song 7″ (Goldenrod)
“Legroom” 3 song 7″ (Goldenrod)
“Dry Socket” CD (Liquid Meat)
“Valvestate” Picture disc 12″/ CD (Goldenrod)
“Give Kids Candy” LP/CD (Goldenrod/ Kat Records)

Fishwife
“Snail Killer” LP/CD/Cass. (Headhunter/ Cargo Records)
“Ritalin” LP/CD. (Headhunter/ Cargo)
“Poquita, Rosada Mona” CD (Headhunter/ Cargo)
“Skin and Bone” 3 song 7″. (Label with the Golden Arm, Germany)
“First Time Caller” 2 song 7″ (Goldernrod Records)

Termoline
“Termoline” CD (Sheridanscope)

Checko Leigh
“Out of Control” EP (Self-Released)

JAK
“3” CD (Rocking Chair Records)
“7 Songs” CD (Rocking Chair Records)

Butterflies
“Cocoon Tunes” (Self-Released)

Various Compilations
“Hardcore Matinee” (Swami Records)
“Black Box Compilation – Vol. 1” (Black Box)
“San Diego is Burning” (Loud and Clear)
“Extreme Magazine Compilation” (Japanese Bonus CD Issue)
“I’m a Mess” (IMS)
“Magic Bananas” (91X/ Cargo)
“Headstart to Purgatory” (Headhunter/ Cargo)
“Bowling Team Sampler” (Caroline)
“Ask for Disorder” (Homestead/ Dutch East, Europe)
“Violent World: A Tribute to the Misfits” (Caroline)
“Bliss” (Divine Rec/ Zoo Entertainment)
“Songs About Stuart” (Absolutely Kosher)
“Taste” (Bacteria Sour Records, Japan)
“Super Mixer” (Goldenrod Records)
“New Music” (Rational Enquirer)
“Slightest Indication of Change” (Slowdance Records)
“Live at the Pickle Patch” (Dim Mak Records)
“Volume” (Liquid Meat Records)

Soundtracks
“Vampire Diaries” HBO Series
“It’s Gonna Blow” (Billingsgate Media)
“Way of the Ocean” Circulate Motion Pictures
“Fuel TV” Live performance 2008
“Field of Vision” & “Change the Subject” Glas Surf DVDs
“Fuse TV”
“Jimmy Fallon Show” Television Appearance
“Dawson’s Creek” Television series
“Momentum” Taylor Steele Surf Film
“Love God” Feature length film by Frank Grow
“TK1” & “TK2” Surf films by Josh Pomer
“Bliss” Surf Film by Helios Productions
“Uno” Skateboarding film by Transworld publications
“Road Rules” MTV program
“Viva la Bam ” MTV program
“Buzzkill” MTV program
“Stuart” Feature length film by Sheridanscope/ Mike Judge
“Foundation” Skateboarding film by Tum Yeto
Documentary soundtrack music for ESPN and the Nature Channel
“Fox Racing” DVD/VHS

Studio

The Belly of the Whale is a small studio run by Chris Prescott. A wide variety of projects have been captured here. Everything from sludgy stoner rock to traditional straight ahead jazz. Chris is also available for mixing sessions if you want to pass on a project for it’s finishing touches.

Another good option is, if you need drum tracks for your project, we can record them here professionally and very cheaply. Chris is available for drumming sessions if you want to ditch the MIDI drums you were cringing about. Just send an email and see if this is a good fit for your project.

Here is some music that has been recorded here in the past…

Video