Chris Ballew
Encyclopedia
Christopher "Chris" Ballew (born May 28, 1965) is a member of the alternative rock
group The Presidents of the United States of America
and performs as a children's artist under the pseudonym
Caspar Babypants
.
Ballew grew up in Seattle and attended middle and high school at The Bush School, where he met David Dederer
, with whom he would form The Presidents of the United States of America
many years later. In the late 1980s and early 90s Ballew lived in Boston
, where he performed as a street musician in a duo called Egg with Phil Franklin (later of Caroliner Rainbow and Sunburned Hand of the Man
). Many of Ballew's songs with Egg would become well-known Presidents songs, most notably Naked and Famous
, which is performed by Egg as a bonus track on a 2005 reissue of the Presidents' eponymous debut album
. While in Boston, Ballew played briefly with Mary Lou Lord
, and also with Mark Sandman
of Treat Her Right
and Morphine
in a duo called Supergroup, in which they developed the oddly-stringed instruments that would become a staple of both the Presidents' and Morphine's sound.
Ballew is endorsed by Epiphone Guitars and Hartke amps, utilising an Epiphone SG-400 guitar (converted into a two-string "basitar") as well as a 3500 bass amplilfier from Hartke. No distortion pedals are used live, just the natural distortion of the amp is heard. Says Ballew, "I have a Hartke amp, a 3500 which has a really snappy, upfront, punchy sound and distorts nicely. It has a nice gain structure in it and a multi-band EQ which I love too".
Regarding his two-string "basitar", Ballew admits: "I’m technically not really a bass player, although, I play as if I’m playing bass lines, a lot of times I strum like (on a) guitar and make chords.
In 2009, Ballew launched a project targeted toward toddlers called Caspar Babypants. Ballew uses a three-string acoustic guitar when performing Caspar Babypants songs. To date, Caspar Babypants has released three full-length albums; "Here I Am!", "More Please!" and "This is Fun!".
Ballew also was a member of Beck
's live band for a period of time in the early 90s, stating the gig "was the beginning of my professional career as a guy getting paid to make music."
:
With Balls
With EGG
As Caspar:
With Caspar and Mollusk
: (aka Chris & Beck
)
With Supergroup: (aka Chris & Mark Sandman
)
With The Minus 5
L
With The Giraffes
:
With The Tycoons:
With Chris and Tad
:
With SUbSET (aka PUSA & Sir Mix-A-Lot
)
With Chris Ballew and Friends:
With Creepy Stick
With The Feelings Hijackers:
As Caspar Babypants
:
Solo work:
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group The Presidents of the United States of America
The Presidents of the United States of America (band)
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
and performs as a children's artist under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Caspar Babypants
Caspar Babypants
-History:Ballew's first brush with children's music came in 2002 when he recorded and donated an album of traditional children's songs to the nonprofit Program for Early Parent Support titled "PEPS Sing A Long!" Having a son and daughter himself, he enjoyed making the record but didn't think about...
.
Ballew grew up in Seattle and attended middle and high school at The Bush School, where he met David Dederer
Dave Dederer
Dave Dederer, best known as guitarist and singer for The Presidents of the United States of America, was born on October 5, 1964. An alumnus of Seattle, Washington's The Bush School and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, he founded The Presidents with fellow Bush School alumnus...
, with whom he would form The Presidents of the United States of America
The Presidents of the United States of America (band)
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
many years later. In the late 1980s and early 90s Ballew lived in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, where he performed as a street musician in a duo called Egg with Phil Franklin (later of Caroliner Rainbow and Sunburned Hand of the Man
Sunburned Hand of the Man
Sunburned Hand of the Man are a band from Massachusetts that formed in 1997 from the remnants of the Boston psychedelic punk trio Shit Spangled Banner....
). Many of Ballew's songs with Egg would become well-known Presidents songs, most notably Naked and Famous
Naked and Famous
"Naked and Famous" is the name of the second single by the post-grunge band The Presidents of the United States of America. This single was the follow-up to their debut recording, "Fuck California". "Naked and Famous" was later released on the President's debut album which features Soundgarden's...
, which is performed by Egg as a bonus track on a 2005 reissue of the Presidents' eponymous debut album
The Presidents of the United States of America (album)
Critical reception to The Presidents of the United States of America was mainly positive. The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars and stated: "It's novelty punk...
. While in Boston, Ballew played briefly with Mary Lou Lord
Mary Lou Lord
Mary Lou Lord is an indie folk musician, busker and recording artist.-Biography:Mary Lou Lord first gained notice playing acoustic guitar and singing in and around Boston's subway stations Lord became friends with...
, and also with Mark Sandman
Mark Sandman
Mark Sandman was an American singer, songwriter, musical instrument inventor and multi-instrumentalist.An indie rock icon and longtime fixture on the Boston/Cambridge music scene, Sandman was best known as the lead singer and slide bass player of the band Morphine...
of Treat Her Right
Treat Her Right
Treat Her Right is a blues rock group formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1984. The band originally featured Mark Sandman on guitar, Billy Conway on drums, Dave Champagne on guitar, and Jim Fitting on harmonica. Singing and songwriting duties were shared by all but Conway...
and Morphine
Morphine (band)
Morphine was an American alternative rock group formed by Mark Sandman and Dana Colley in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1989. They disbanded in 1999 after frontman Sandman died of a heart attack....
in a duo called Supergroup, in which they developed the oddly-stringed instruments that would become a staple of both the Presidents' and Morphine's sound.
Ballew is endorsed by Epiphone Guitars and Hartke amps, utilising an Epiphone SG-400 guitar (converted into a two-string "basitar") as well as a 3500 bass amplilfier from Hartke. No distortion pedals are used live, just the natural distortion of the amp is heard. Says Ballew, "I have a Hartke amp, a 3500 which has a really snappy, upfront, punchy sound and distorts nicely. It has a nice gain structure in it and a multi-band EQ which I love too".
Regarding his two-string "basitar", Ballew admits: "I’m technically not really a bass player, although, I play as if I’m playing bass lines, a lot of times I strum like (on a) guitar and make chords.
In 2009, Ballew launched a project targeted toward toddlers called Caspar Babypants. Ballew uses a three-string acoustic guitar when performing Caspar Babypants songs. To date, Caspar Babypants has released three full-length albums; "Here I Am!", "More Please!" and "This is Fun!".
Ballew also was a member of Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
's live band for a period of time in the early 90s, stating the gig "was the beginning of my professional career as a guy getting paid to make music."
Discography
With The Presidents of the United States of AmericaThe Presidents of the United States of America (band)
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
:
- The Presidents of the United States of AmericaThe Presidents of the United States of America (album)Critical reception to The Presidents of the United States of America was mainly positive. The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars and stated: "It's novelty punk...
(1995, SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
) - IIII (The Presidents of the United States of America album)II is the second album by The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released via Columbia Records on November 5, 1996, which was Election Day in the United States, which included voting for the President.-Background:...
(1996, SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
) - RaritiesRarities (The Presidents of the United States of America album)Rarities is a compilation album by The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released exclusively in Japan on November 1, 1997....
(1997, Import) - Pure FrostingPure FrostingPure Frosting is a compilation album by The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released on March 10, 1998.It was, at the time, the band's last album, as they had broken up in 1998...
(1998, SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
) - LumpLumpLump is a 2000 greatest hits compilation album by The Presidents of the United States of America.The album includes three covers: "Video Killed the Radio Star", originally by The Buggles, "Kick Out the Jams", originally by MC5 and "Cleveland Rocks", originally by Ian Hunter.Unusual for a "Greatest...
(2000, SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
Special Product) - Freaked Out and SmallFreaked Out and SmallFreaked Out and Small is the third album by The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released in 2000 by MUSICBLITZ Records, which was a web based label. Copies of the album distributed through MUSICBLITZ included in the liner notes a special thanks to anyone who pre-ordered it from...
(2000, Music Blitz) - Love EverybodyLove EverybodyLove Everybody is the fourth album by The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released on August 17, 2004 on the band's own label, PUSA Inc.When the album was released in the UK in 2005, it featured four bonus tracks...
(2004, PUSA Inc) - These Are the Good Times PeopleThese Are the Good Times PeopleThese Are the Good Times People is the fifth album by The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released on March 11, 2008. This is their first album to feature Andrew McKeag instead of Dave Dederer on guitbass.-Track listing:...
(2008, PUSA Inc)
With Balls
- We Will Grow On You (1990, Elaterium Records) - only 300 LPs printed
With EGG
- "Emotional Cowboy" on the compilation EP A Kinder, Gentler Genocide (Wasted Effort Records, 1990)
As Caspar:
- Lint Cake (1991, Raw Poo Music)
- Sonic Uke (1993, Raw Poo Music)
- Caspar (1996, Raw Poo Music)
With Caspar and Mollusk
Caspar and Mollusk
Caspar and Mollüsk is a 7" vinyl EP made by Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America and Beck . It is pressed on transparent yellow vinyl and was released by Cosmic Records in 1995....
: (aka Chris & Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
)
- Caspar and MolluskCaspar and MolluskCaspar and Mollüsk is a 7" vinyl EP made by Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America and Beck . It is pressed on transparent yellow vinyl and was released by Cosmic Records in 1995....
(1995, Cosmic Records)
With Supergroup: (aka Chris & Mark Sandman
Mark Sandman
Mark Sandman was an American singer, songwriter, musical instrument inventor and multi-instrumentalist.An indie rock icon and longtime fixture on the Boston/Cambridge music scene, Sandman was best known as the lead singer and slide bass player of the band Morphine...
)
- Supergroup (1995, Cosmic Records, 45 rpm single)
With The Minus 5
The Minus 5
The Minus 5 is an American rock band, headed by musician Scott McCaughey and featuring R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.-Band history:Formed in 1993, McCaughey designed the Minus 5 as a pop collective, with each record the group put out featuring a new lineup...
L
- The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoyThe Lonesome Death of Buck McCoyThe Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy is an album by American rock band The Minus 5. Their final release of new material for Hollywood Records, it was released in 1997...
(1997)
With The Giraffes
The Giraffes (Seattle band)
The Giraffes is a Seattle-based band that featured Chris Ballew , Jason Staczek and Mike Musburger....
:
- 13 Other Dimensions13 Other Dimensions13 Other Dimensions was released by The Giraffes through the Seattle label My Own Planet, on CD and vinyl in 1998.. It is essentially a solo effort by Chris Ballew , recorded in Ballew's basement. The album was published as being a work by a fictional band composed of Ballew's childhood stuffed...
(1998, My Own Planet) - The Days Are Filled with YearsThe Days Are Filled with YearsThe Days Are Filled with Years was released by The Giraffes in 2000 on Orange Recordings. It is the second album as The Giraffes by The Presidents of the United States of America's Chris Ballew...
(2000, Orange RecordingsOrange RecordingsOrange Recordings is a record label that started in Chicago in 1997. In 2000 the label moved to San Diego and then relocated again to Los Angeles in the early 2002...
)
With The Tycoons:
- Is It Christmas Yet? (1998, Collective Fruit)
With Chris and Tad
Chris and Tad
Chris and Tad was formed in 1998 by The Presidents of the United States of America's Chris Ballew and Young Fresh Fellows' Tad Hutchison....
:
- Hand Me That DoorHand Me That DoorHand Me That Door is the debut album by American band Chris and Tad.-Track listing:# "Shelby Jenkins" - 2:31# "Jilted On The Tarmac" - 2:23# "I Made Up My Mind" - 2:20# "Film Party" - 1:11# "Radio Controll" - 3:15# "Sunshine Pig" - 1:37...
(2000, Orange RecordingsOrange RecordingsOrange Recordings is a record label that started in Chicago in 1997. In 2000 the label moved to San Diego and then relocated again to Los Angeles in the early 2002...
)
With SUbSET (aka PUSA & Sir Mix-A-Lot
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Anthony Ray , better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an emcee and producer based in Seattle, Washington. The founder of the Nastymix record label, he debuted in 1988 with Swass...
)
- Addicted To The Fame (2000, MusicBlitz.com)
With Chris Ballew and Friends:
- Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS): Sing with a Child (2002)
With Creepy Stick
- Creepy Stick (2005)
With The Feelings Hijackers:
- T.F.H. (2005)
- Skeletal Remains (2007)
As Caspar Babypants
Caspar Babypants
-History:Ballew's first brush with children's music came in 2002 when he recorded and donated an album of traditional children's songs to the nonprofit Program for Early Parent Support titled "PEPS Sing A Long!" Having a son and daughter himself, he enjoyed making the record but didn't think about...
:
- Here I Am! (2009)
- More Please! (2009)
- PEPS Sing A Long! (2010) (Download only)
- This Is Fun! (2010)
Solo work:
- My First Computer (2003)
- Like to Boogie (2004)
- Run world, run. (2005) (A soundtrack to a short FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
advertisement for Brooks RunningBrooks Sports, Inc.Brooks Sports, Inc. was founded in 1914 by Morris Goldenberg and is a company that produces high performance shoes, soccer and running apparel. Brooks originally produced bathing shoes in 1917 before moving into sports in the 1930s by producing baseball cleats in 1920 and football cleats in the...
.)