Date: Fri 19-Jul-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A7

Quick Words:

band-Box-Compass-Clinton-CJ

Full Text:

(feature on local band Box The Compass, 7/19/96)

A Boxed-Up Compass, A Global Message

(with photos)

By Shannon Hicks

In the rock or pop vein of the music industry, if you're still in the business

of performing by the time you turn thirty, you're getting a little long in the

tooth. Today's radio, which in turn becomes album sales for more home

listening, is permeated with teens and those in their early twenties who have

dug, scratched and clawed their way into the mainstream, all well before they

see a birthday cake with three decades' worth of candles on it. By that time,

too many of today's "hot" artists have usually burned out on the excesses of

living too hard, too fast, too young.

Which is why the members of Box The Compass, a trio working on breaking into

the "business" is fighting a tough battle, albeit uphill. None of the

threesome - bassist/guitarist/vocalist John Skudlarek, percussionist CJ (a/k/a

Chris Johnston) and guitarist/vocalist Grant Clinton - are in their teens

anymore, but none of the three are about to give up their shared dream: To

make it in the music world.

A Box The Compass show is a mixture of old songs and new, many of which are

collaborations by all three band members. Their reach is far, with each

original song carrying a positive message of hope, passion and the strength of

life. A conversation with the three musicians and their always-present,

supportive manager will touch upon longevity, something the foursome refuses

to give up on.

"Our big break could be right around the corner," John says. "We're

straightforward. We have a lot of integrity; we care about what we are doing.

"We really want to be around for the next ten to fifteen years."

Don't Try To Box

These Guys In

The name of the band comes from a saying that is decades old. Literally, "box

the compass" means putting a compass back into its box and finding your way

somewhere without the aid of the instrument. It is the practice of following

an unbeaten path, going your own way.

John, Grant and CJ were following their own paths until a few years ago, when

fate pulled them together.

Some background: John Skudlarek began playing guitar when he was in high

school. He always loved singing, so he picked up the guitar and taught himself

how to play. He picked up the bass three months ago and added that to his list

of talents, which includes songwriting.

CJ is a percussionist. His first serious drum kit was put together in 1986

while he was a member of Mutual Assured Destruction; CJ has pounded on one

type of drum or another since the first grade - the calluses on his fingers

attest to this.

Mutual Assured Destruction was the first of "about ten million bands... metal

bands, funk bands" he has been in before his latest incarnation with John and

Grant.

Grant Clinton is a guitar instructor who also works in a downtown record store

during the day. Born and reared for six years in the Bahamas surrounded by the

reggae, calypso and island bands always playing on the beach, Grant has a

natural rhythm and musical aura about him.

"Something about the way they always played and always had a smile on their

face was really alluring," says Box The Compass' guitarist. "I still carry

that with me today, an affection for a real good groove, or funk. That's were

it comes from. That really inspired me."

CJ knew John before he knew Grant. While living in a house on Danbury's 9th

Street where musicians always seemed to be moving in and out, and one day, CJ

says, "I'm washing the dishes and I hear this guy upstairs singing Mr Mister,

and I'm sitting there with my roommate and we looked at each other and said

`That guy's pretty good!'"

Finding a "real" singer in the music business is always a trial. Yet, here was

this guy in his building who wasn't a "real musician," CJ heard singing

everything from Mr Mister to REM. The two crossed paths one day, jam sessions

quickly followed, and John began showing CJ some of his songs. Although not

arranged well, CJ saw possibilities in John's songs, and the two began

collaborating - writing more songs and recording on John's four-track.

Eventually a demo was recorded, but then John got married.

"That was a very big thing," CJ said, sitting with his bandmates and their

manager, Karen Skudlarek - John's wife - as they took turns telling the

group's history at Danbury's Ives Street Cafe.

"I didn't think there would be a huge future... that was [when] I joined The

Dwellers," CJ continued. The Dwellers was a New York City originals band, but

things fell apart with that project, so CJ got out, but on his own terms.

After The Dwellers, CJ wanted to start an acoustic duo, an idea newfound

friend Grant Clinton was entirely enthusiastic about. And so Cuzin It was

born.

Cuzin It played four gigs before CJ enlisted John's talents, in January 1994.

John was somewhat uncommittal at first, but Grant had heard some of his songs

and was very interested in getting them to full potential - all three were

more interested in writing and producing original music ("We all, I think,

started with the intention of expressing ourselves through our music, it's a

form of personal expression," Grant said) and before they knew it, it was

August 1995 and Cuzin It was out the door.

Time to create a global image, something that would reach out to anyone on the

planet. In came Box The Compass, with CJ, John and Grant all totally committed

to making it big, by throwing away the compass and following their own

direction.

"We want to be a band that represents, as much as possible, everyone," manager

Karen Skudlarek said. "They're looking - all of us are looking - at more of a

unity between the people, and we're trying to get that across."

The band, of course, wants to get signed to a record label. The group enlarges

its mailing list every time it plays out - to them, the most important annual

appearance is for Healing The Children. Held at five area coffee shops, Box

The Compass has played the last two years.

Box The Compass has also released a self-titled, three-song EP which includes

its first single, "The Brink," although they have about a dozen originals that

can be incorporated into a show (right now, they play about a 60-40 ratio of

covers to originals).

"I think we'll stick around, we'll stay," CJ prophetizes, "because we're so

diversified."

"Box the Compass fits a wide market," John adds. "[And] we are as diverse as

the market. We have already played for very diverse audiences.

"You take a positive message and give it a groove... that's a Box the Compass

song."

Be sure to check out Box the Compass' video debut, airing this month on

Charter Communications Channel 21, on Friday nights at 8:30 pm. The program

will be aired through Friday, August 2. For info on upcoming Box the Compass

dates or to obtain your own copy of the band's debut EP, call the BTC Hotline,

792-2054.