*bio*

Official Bio

Ten Speed Taxi first formed under the name of Sundog in 2007, when drummer Phil Neisser and guitarist/songwriter Dan Caldwell connected with Doug Schatz, a singer songwriter from Nashville. In 2008 bassist Dave Nelson joined the band, the name changed, and the band crafted an original sound that has, as one reviewer put it, "country influence, a hunk of funk, some straight-ahead rock, and other friendly indefinable bits - plus you can dance to it." Another reviewer described the original tunes as "barroom songs for thoughtful people." The Ten Speed Taxi sound has been compared to that of Wilco, the Counting Crows, John Prine, and the Velvet Underground, among others.

Doug Schatz's band credits include a national tour with the southern alt-rock band Gladys and currently he teaches sculpture at SUNY Potsdam. Schatz grew up in Nashville and recently bought a house in Potsdam.

Dan Caldwell's music history includes stints with The Shpiel and Decent Exposure. HeÕs also a science teacher at the Gouverneur Middle School. His understanding of young people comes through in the lyrics of "Mean Girls" and his humor is evident in "The Beach is That Way" and "It's the End." Caldwell lives in Morley with his wife Kate and their two small boys.

Phil Neisser has been playing drums for some 35 years: in The Spectators, The Hubtones, The Shpiel, and the Phil Neisser Trio, among elsewhere. Neisser grew up in Manhattan, but has long since learned to love the woods as well. He now lives in West Pierrepont, NY and he teaches political theory at SUNY Potsdam.

Dave Nelson, formerly of the Hazel Pearl Band, came to the North Country when he and his wife Rebecca Pickens bought a farm in Hermon, NY. He works for the county's Community Health Department. He and Rebecca have two small boys and have mangen "Mind's Eye Farm and Herbary" which sells teas and other herb based products.

Ten Speed Taxi's music is available on iTunes, digstation.com, cdbaby.com, and amazon.com. The band can be contacted through their website: tenspeedtaxi.com

Ten Speed Taxi: North Country Rock and Roll

By Bertha Venation* (unofficial taxi biographer)

Ten Speed Taxi is a hardworking group. Fresh from the success of their latest CD**, Spinning, the North Country quartet is planning to re-enter EudiePhil Studios to record another CD of all-original tunes.

"We had too many songs for our last album, so we need to do another," says principal song writer and guitarist, Dan Caldwell.

With a growing fan base and a regular gig at LaCasbah in Potsdam, Ten Speed Taxi is gaining momentum. The band recently changed its name from Sundog, in part to increase visibility on iTunes and CDBaby.

"But it is still the same great music," says drummer and band leader Phil Neisser.

The band plays original music that has been described as "barroom songs for thoughtful people". Themes explored in their songs range from love and loss, intimate desire, crippling depression and down home good times. Their music is not out of place on college radio and has garnered a loyal following with local college students. Songs from their CD Spinning, as well as from their first CD, True to Gone, have become essential downloads, according to Dylan S.*** (one of Phil's advisees).

"Taxi rocks hard and is a local favorite," he says.***