Who We Are
That Old Car is Worth Money is a Chicago-based recording project that plays short, sweet, catchy and sharp music. Influences range from The Velvet Underground, Leonard Cohen, Devo, Buddy Holly and The Beatles.
A motley crew of some of Chicagoland's most talented musicians, That Old Car's line-up is ever-changing. We all come and go, depending on our availability and the needs of the songs in progress. If Bill hears a violin in his head, someone willing to lend their talents is usually only a phone call away. Most of us play with other groups on a regular basis, and all of us contribute our own flavor to the unique sound that belongs only to That Old Car. Now, if only we could find someone with a sitar!
The ones we are:
| Bill Britt: | Guitars, Keyboards, Lead Vocals, Fearless Leader |
| Tom Conlon: | Bass, Keyboards, Backup Vocals, Engineer Extraordinaire |
| Tim Anderson: | Bass, Backup Vocals |
| Stacy Dean Britt: | Saxophone, Backup Vocals |
| Al Casiello: | Bass, Backup Vocals |
| Brad Gallagher: | Jew's Harp |
| Neil Gottstein: | Guitar |
| Mark Janus: | Drums |
| John Roche: | Drums |
| Pat Samson: | Drums, Backup Vocals |
| Jay Septoski: | Guitar |
| Bryan Zera: | Backup Vocals, Percussion, Keyboards |
Photos & Videos
Photos: Phyllis' 1/21/2012
Photos: Phyllis' 1/21/2012
Photos: Phyllis' 1/21/2012
Photos: Cole's 1/21/2012
Photos: Cole's 1/21/2012
Photos: Cole's 1/21/2012
Video: First Star
Live at Cole's 1/21/2012
Our Story As Told By Bill
The Long And Short Of It
I've been playing and writing music since 1983. It was during early guitar lessons with Gary "Sonic" Bloom that I learned to see chord patterns and progressions in early 1960s rock and roll. The 1-4-5 chord progression was the first. Twelve-bar blues and variations in country songs became easier to identify and mimic as well. After learning how to put three chords together and make a three-minute song, I never stopped playing with songwriting. I continue to listen to new kinds of music and sit down with a guitar and learn those patterns.
So, whether I was playing in a band or not, I always listened for new music and wrote melodies, lyrics, and songs.
In 2009, after spending the last few years focused on raising a toddler and a 15-year-old stepdaughter with my sweet genius wife, Stacy, I realized I had a lot of songs.
Almost all of them were written about and during my three-year relationship with Stacy and our new family, and often composed in the quiet, early morning hours of a weekend morning.
Some of these songs had already been demoed with the help of the best engineer I know, Tom Conlon. With those in hand, I called on a wide variety of talented friends to help me turn the demos into finished songs.
Over the course of ten months, we met once a week at Tom's homegrown Storm King Studios (now Conlon's Tavern) and finished an eight-song CD. It was mastered by Carl Saff of Saff Mastering and is now available on iTunes, Facebook and our own website.
The Band
During the making of The Raspberry Jam Sessions, I always made it a point to refer to what we were doing as a "recording project" and NOT a band. "We aren't sitting in some cold basement or some cramped, cheap rehearsal space playing our same ten song set list over and over," I would say. "We've retreated to the comforts and opportunities of the studio."
This civilized approach to the project worked extremely well and turned out to be a social hit because of its chill atmosphere and ability to produce quality music. There were so many musicians available that at one point, we counted three bass players and four guitarists on the roster. But people started to show up even after their parts were recorded.
It turned into a great little party where we just turned on the microphones and played some good music. We were getting so much work done and having still having such a good time that it felt like we were getting away with something.
After the CD was printed and all systems were go on the social media and internet presence, we took an opportunity to play a show. That gave us all the bug. And now we're gearing up for more shows as well as more recordings.
And I've succumbed to calling ourselves a band.
My many thanks to the whole lot of you: Pat, Tom, Al, Tim, Bryan, Stacy, Neil and Brad.
The Name
The inspiration for our name came one day while watching television. I had been wondering about a name for the project for a while when I saw a familiar commercial. If you're not from Chicago, you didn't grow up seeing this auto wreckers commercial for the past 30 years. It begins with the line, "That old car is worth money!" The reason all we natives know it because a guy nearly gets hit "in da friggin' nuts" with a car door. The same mullet -sporting star of the commercial is wearing one of the sweetest leather watch bands the mid -1970s had to offer. So, hearing those six words always gets me ready to see an awesome near-nut shot.
Okay, that has nothing to do with music, but this does: those six words really hit home to a guy just entering his 40s. That Old Car is Worth Money is a reminder to me that although I'm gray, not a legendary songwriter/rock star/philanthropist, I'm doing a-okay and I still have something under the hood.
Band Members
Bill Britt
'77 Olds Delta 88
The brains behind the operation, Bill has played and written music for more than twenty years. He's fronted the Bunnies and Slow Planet, and played numerous instruments with the Dan Whitaker Country Band, Athletic, The Black Labs and the Jay Harris Band. His songwriting can be described as very eclectic, but one constant remains: they are damn catchy!
Tom Conlon
'52 Packard
Bass Player for All Seasons, Tom Conlon also recorded, mixed and engineered all of the tracks on The Raspberry Jam Sessions. Tom keeps himself and his bass busy with The Black Labs, Majors Junction and On The Sun.
Tim Anderson
'77 Olds
Country Bass Player Extraordinaire, Tim Anderson opens a can of "whup ass" on Oak Lawn Rag and then slows it down to a simmer on the mellower Whistling Song. You can see and hear Tim perform with Dan Whitaker & The Shinebenders, The Gyps, and The Syrup Eddies.
Stacy Dean Britt
'87 Plymouth Horizon
"My Irish Rose from the Wrong Side of the Tracks" is how Bill described Stace in "The Oak Lawn Rag." A little lady with big talent, Stace shared her vocal talents on several tracks on The Raspberry Jam Sessions. She's also brought back her tenor saxophone to add some "growl" to new recordings by the Old Cars. Both Stacy's singing and sax playing can be heard at all live shows.
Al Casiello
'87 Chevy Cavalier with a Broken Tape Deck
As chill as a morning in February, Al Casiello provides sweet, grooving bass lines on several of The Raspberry Jam Sessions tracks. A seasoned player and multi-instrumentalist, Al has performed with The Renfields and numerous other groups in and around Chicago.
Brad Gallagher
Anything with T-Tops
Laid back, Oklahoma-cool musician Brad Gallagher drops some sweet "twang" on the Jew's Harp for "The Oak Lawn Rag." You can also hear Brad perform with Bosco & Jorge.
Neil Gottstein
'82 Pinto
Guitarist and Pop Culture Guru Neil Gottstein played with Bill in the back-to-basics rock and roll band, The Bunnies. Bill's friend since kindergarten, Neil generously lays down some blistering lead guitar on "The Oak Lawn Rag."
Mark Janus
'58 Ford Edsel
Globe-trotting percussionist Mark Janus has been playing drums for nearly his entire life. He began playing his father's kit before he could even walk! A child of rock, blues, R&B, alternative rock and punk, to name a few, Mark's musical knowledge and styles are robust and crafty. He's played with The Precious Moments, The Bunnies, Dose after Dose, and The Rockmoore Brothers.
John Roche
'93 Jeep with 150,000 miles; usually starts on first turn of key
Strong and steady on the drums, John blends American folk, country and rock beats with thunderous Celtic-influenced percussion. A good friend of the Old Cars, John regularly gigs with The Gyps around Chicago and the Great Lakes Region.
Patrick "Pat" Samson
'75 VW Beetle with an '84 Horizon engine
Drummer of Tomorrow Today, Pat Samson played with Bill Britt in Slow Planet and now again with the Old Cars. His well-documented talents are once again at play on The Raspberry Jam Sessions. Check Pat Samson out with his band, Miracle Condition, or his old band U.S. Maple.
Jay Septoski
'70 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda
A gentleman guitar slinger, Jay played with That Old Car at our inaugural live show at Cole's. Ever ready to play and more ready to hit you with a new nickname, Jay has gigged around the city, state and region for many years. He's currently sharpening his axe on his work with On the Sun and The Black Labs.
