As 2003 turned into 2004 a group of kids traveled to Trinity Cathedral for a New Years Eve show. It was at this show that Matthew Goold, Ian Everett and Christopher Stillitano changed the name of their band, the Never New Johnnys, to CatWar. The change was not only a name change, but also a style change, and a spiritual change. During that summer, while attending a week-long camp Ian and Matt played two songs with some of their friends. Todd Wilson and Chris Yaple were two of them. This camp experience was a very spiritually uplifing one, and the group's two ten minute songs were representational of that feeling. Upon returning home the two CatWar members both felt a connection with their friends that they had played with at camp, and it was then that Chris Yaple was asked to resign his position as bass player of Soon Enough and become a vocalist for the band. With his quick acceptance, Todd Wilson (a full decade older then the youngest CatWar member) was approached with the same request, but was more hesitant to agreeing. He made a deal that he would only act as a temporary member and see how things progress. CatWar played their first show as a five-piece on August Twentieth at Universal Unitarian Church in Titusville. After a few practices and shows, Todd became more comfortable singing in the band and him being temporary was never brought up again. Yaple's former band Soon Enough was forming into the "cowboy-core" supergroup Ariadne. These two bands would later go on to become closer then they already were, and play their best, worst and most important shows with each other. CatWar became known for their live performances in which there would be collections of branches, flowers, sticks, leaves and Christmas lights accross the set. After several months of playing shows both in Tom's River and Trenton areas, getting on shows and having them get cancelled and a few months worth of no-practice time, the summer of 2005 was coming to an end. With Ian and Matt both college bound, the future of the band looked uncertain. It was clear when Ian was accepted at the University of the Arts, for the 2005/2006 year, that CatWar was nearing it's end. Ariadne was faced with the same problem, and it was decided to have a pair of final shows for the two bands. The first being at Shore Vineyard Church in Beachwood, New Jersey on August Twelvth, and the final show the day later in Mansfield, New Jersey in a basement. The day of the last show was a rainy forcast, and as Ian, Yapes and Chris packed their van to go to the show with help from friends, it rained continuously. Not even five minutes into the ride, the two cars heading to the show crashed, leaving the three members of CatWar as well as their friends wearing trash bag jackets with a smashed van and no way of making it their show. It was then that Ariadne played their last show, and CatWar did not. Because of this, the band did not feel as if it ever ended correctly. And although at the moment it didn't seem like it, there was a reason that they did not make it to the show. That reason was June 30th 2006. Where CatWar and Ariadne reunited and played one final show as a family with The Lady is Not For Burning, Dino Velvet and the rest of their friends.
CatWar as a band is over, but if nothing else, we hope that the feeling and any kind of message will be rememberd and brought on through the people that we have met, and befriended.
Thank you to all of our long time friends. To everyone who supported us as friends through our adolescent threesome.
Thank you to everyone who paid to come to a show of ours or bought one of our demos. Watching and listening are two things that should be free, but you supported us anyway.
Thank you to anyone in any band that we played with though our short existance. Especially the ones we were closest to: Ariadne, The Lady is Not for Burning, Dino Velvet, Red Lights, The Silent Iris. You all inspired us more then you know. And any other bands and people that we have met.
Thank you to anyone that even took the time to leave us any kind of comment or message. Even if we were mean and didn't respond (which we tried to always) thank you for taking the time.
Thank you to everyone who came to the Family Reunion. And anyone that wanted to and couldn't because of the flood. We honestly love all of you.
And Thank you G-d for giving us the strength and the inspiration and the creativity to make music. Nothing is possible without You. Hopefully even one second of our music is worthy of You, and as meaningful and helpful to someone as You have been to us.
Thank You.
Love
Todd Wilson, Chris Yaple, Matt Goold, Ian Everett and Chris Stillitano.
R.I.P ARIADNE
"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always to all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
