Album Notes

What would you think if a friend suggested you go see a band called Fat Bottom? The name of the band is derived from a slang phrase which refers to the low, bass sound usually found in the mix of most popular music, but people who hear the name rarely think of that first. They chuckle, and then they start to wonder. Then, they remember.

For Fat Bottom, the vintage-styled and forward-thinking quartet from Calgary, Alberta, its about the music. The group sum of all their influences (pun intended) results in a fresh sound that is immediately recognizable and pleasing, but also fresh.

Live, Fat Bottom takes audiences on a trip into time, interpreting classic favourites into new visions and presenting new works which have been antiqued by skilled artisans. The band leans heavily on the blues and rock idioms but everything else is mixed in and often used in new ways. What the listener receives as a result is a groove laid down by a band which truly interacts with their audience.

Fat Bottom is also available in recorded form. They formed Strait Jacket Records as a vehicle to promote their music and they released their debut CD, Strait Jacket Boogie, early in 2003. This offering contains eleven original songs and two cover songs which have been rearranged to the Fat Bottom sound. The CD is a compilation of recordings done at Sundae Sound (Calgary) on tape and live recordings made direct to disk at Kaos Jazz & Blues Bistro (Calgary) by Remote Only Recording (Calgary).

Behind all this musical activity is a quartet of friends who respect each other's talent and offering to the whole. Only barely in front is Michael Gothreau who sings and plays guitar. Certainly not behind anyone, John "JP" Musselwhite plays bass and guitar, sings, and produces the band's recordings. Rick Mason is the zany powerhouse behind the drum kit, and Jon Silver plays guitar, slide guitar and bass.

Their motivation is to bring you quality entertainment, and Fat Bottom delivers.