Editor's Note: Not long after I started this blog (two years ago), I asked my friend Eric Courtney to write about his friends The Caterpillar Scheme. Eric said he struggled to write without being too sentimental and talking about how important his friendships with the band's members were. But I've finally gotten these words out of him. He just wanted to make sure Dan Sheets, Danny King and Mindy Parsley were mentioned as the individuals who introduce him to the band.
While none of the members of the band would likely acknowledge it, North central West Virginia’s The Caterpillar Scheme was truly an inspiration to the community of talented musicians and artists who collected at the Morgantown bar 123 Pleasant Street during the middle years of the last decade. In 2003 (I THINK), brothers Joshua (guitar, vocals) and Ross Israel (drums), Jeremy Casto (guitar, keyboard, noise) and Todd Molina (bass), all of whom grew up around Clarksburg, formed The Caterpillar Scheme in the wake of the band Down July. The Caterpillar Scheme toured surrounding states and played gigs in various West Virginia towns, but Pleasant Street was where their brand of cosmic, art-damaged post-hardcore was truly embraced, and at home.
The Caterpillar Scheme's live show was something to behold - a surprisingly tight mix of tension and release, melody and caterwaul that destroyed guitars, amps, PAs, you name it. When they were at their best, their force was enough to levitate audiences ever so slightly, like sheer magic, leaving even the drunkest of crowds in awe. They made Morgantown feel a little bigger and more significant than before. Their music challenged the people who knew it intimately to create better. It bridged social cliques, helped forge lifelong friendships, and was the catalyst for countless nights of hazy elation. I look back on the years of my life spent among the members of this band with deep nostalgia, and I’m certain many others do as well.
The Caterpillar Scheme left us with only a single EP that doesn't quite capture what the band could produce live. They drew from a variety of musical influences, but fans of Unwound, Blonde Redhead, At the Drive-In and early Radiohead won't be disappointed. Down July also recorded a CD a few years before three of the bands four members created The Caterpillar Scheme. If anyone has a copy, I would love to see it posted.
Artist: The Caterpillar Scheme
Album: The Caterpillar Scheme
Year: 2003
For fans of: At the Drive-In, Blonde Redhead, Unwound
Album: The Caterpillar Scheme
Year: 2003
For fans of: At the Drive-In, Blonde Redhead, Unwound
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