What is His Story? Who am us anyway? We're you, no you're us.
Chaotic Formula Orkestra (originally Chaotic Equation Orchestra) is a band that was founded in the summer of 2003 by Tom Kersey, Wil Pertz, and John Russell. The original lineup was Tom on cello, Wil on bass, and John Russell on guitar. That summer we played open mics at Yeoman's Road Pub (where we would later headline). Our style then was very loose, making improvised music that was for the most part atonal. We played our instruments in untraditional ways with Tom making scratching screaming sounds on the cello and bowing other parts other than the strings, Wil laying down his heavy grooves, space, and loops, and myself playing the guitar as a maniac. We all fit together rhythmically and pitch wise in a natural way. Sometimes just sounding like noise with beautiful melodies peaking out, sometimes beautiful with chaos creeping in.
In the spring of 2004 John Gilbert, who has played with Tom and John before as 'Neshilo?', joined the group as our drummer. We played only one show with him as drummer, but it was a blast. The show was at the USF school of music on Feb. 14 and featured the premier of our Schoenberg tribute (which has me on screaming, rap, and improvised vocals, with Tom and Will doing a Schoenberg section and a walking bass lounge chorus). "Schoenberg was a tennis pro, Schoenberg wrote the 12 tone row" John Gilbert is not a core member of CFO anymore but still jams out with us
Then Ryan Pate, jazz guitarist, joined and John Russell started doing various electronics. These electronics included metal food strainer on altered turntable, rythum/EQ altered white noise, sampler, circuit bending keyboards, Atari 2600, kids guitar, shortwave radio, analog tape loops and more. This new lineup played a show that brought the house down at Yeoman’s Road Pub on March 27 th, 2004.
Then we took up the chaos and played Industrial Carnival on April 30th. A one day only 3d machinery and sculpture art show.
That summer We enjoyed many fine times playing at Sacred Grounds Coffee Shop. We really appriciate Karen and how cool she is to have us play there and have a neat alternative venue (Cheers to 8 years and many more).
Fall 04 CFO plays a very important gig: CFO @ CAM @ USF. Which showed video work by John Russell that the band played with. The video was of appropiated images, in the style of John's electronics of the time.
By the Winter of 04 CFO had a back to roots avant garde space jam at Centre Gallery for the annual collage show reception. This was a smaller CFO than in recent months and was a return to John on guitar. more fun chaos to come.
We were playing at Mirta's Gallery and Coffee Shop, now we all take it to the street and Tom is a dad to be. Also look out for Dynomite.