L to R: Brandon, Dan, Mike, Chris, Phil

The short bio:
"To all my friends I hope that every word I wrote finds you well, you know I loved you all along / To all my enemies, unwelcome memories, I hope these words connect like a swift kick to the head." These are the lyrics to the chorus of "Rollerskates," a bouncy, shuffling pop-rock tune from their debut EP, "Behind Our Calm Demeanors." Those words sum up Treaty Of Paris' songs and sound. Sometimes lighthearted and carefree (chasing after girls in "Hello Nurse,"), and sometimes a little darker (going through the step-by-step of a failed relationship in "Top of My Lungs," or a nervous breakdown in "Personal Self-Help Program"), Treaty Of Paris want to have their cake and rock out, too. Since forming in January 2005, Treaty Of Paris have toured the Midwest and East Coast, selling a few thousand EPs along the way, and losing/gaining a few band members as well. The current and hopefully permanent lineup includes lead singer Mike Chorvat, guitarists Dan Wade & Phil Kosch, drummer Chris Insidioso and original bassist Brandon Capetillo.

The long bio:
Bands get named in a variety of interesting and unique ways. With Treaty of Paris it was an accident of fate, timing, and necessity; the band needed a fake name for a secret show in their hometown of Chicago. As a joke, they played under the name Treaty Of Paris after guitarist Phil Kosch suggested it as a temporary name. The name stuck, and within a few months Treaty of Paris was on its way to building up staying power as a band as well.

Immediately after settling on the name in early January of 2005, demos were recorded, flyers were passed out, t-shirts were printed up. The band hit the ground running, playing shows to sold out crowds at Schuba’s, Double Door, Metro, and other Chicago and Midwest venues with bands such as The New Amsterdams, Local H, Sum 41, Rise Against, Motion City Soundtrack, Lucky Boys Confusion, Lovedrug, Unwritten Law, and others. When not onstage in front of an enthusiastic audience, the band focused on writing, and by March they had 20 complete songs to work with.

The 6 best of these were chosen for recording, which were to become the Behind Our Calm Demeanors EP. Produced by Tadpole and recorded at Rax Trax Studios / Under The Radar Studios over the summer months of 2005, the EP showcases Treaty Of Paris' love affair with anthemic, poppy songs and compact arrangements. At the end of the recording sessions, Treaty of Paris encountered its first major obstacle when bass player Brandon Capetillo left to pursue other interests. A mutual friend introduced them to Dan Prasil, who was invited to join the band – provided that he bought his own gear and learned bass and backup vocal parts to 13 songs in the three weeks leading up to their headlining CD release show. Prasil proved more than up to the challenge, performing with unmatched energy to a sold out crowd that gave him a proper Treaty of Paris welcome.

After successfully completing the EP and headlining a sold out CD release show, Treaty of Paris spent September and October 2005 on tour in the Midwest and along the East Coast with Quietdrive (Epic Records). It was the first tour for all of the band’s members, making it fun, exciting, and quite a learning experience for everyone: learning how to deal with smelly band mates on six-hour trips, how to take turns driving and sleeping, and, most importantly, how to put on a great show every night no matter what. After the tour, drummer Scott Hoeft decided to amicably part ways with the band. He graciously stayed on board until the band was able to secure a new drummer. Chris Insidioso filled Scott's big shoes nicely and is the most tattooed member of the band. Shortly after coming home from their last tour, the band fired Dan Prasil and he beamed up to his home planet of Minnesota.

With another early 2006 tour with Ludo & Quietdrive and a self-booked independent East Coast tour already under their belts - and playing again with their original bassist - Treaty Of Paris are currently working on material for their debut full-length album.