The Essex Green

Neo-psychedelic pop outfit the Essex Green was formed in mid-1997 after four members of the Burlington, VT-based Guppyboy — singer/guitarist Chris Ziter, singer/keyboardist Sasha Bell, guitarist Jeff Baron, and bassist Mike Barrett — relocated to Brooklyn, NY. Completing the lineup with drummer Tim Barnes, the group appeared at various New York City clubs before touring the East Coast with Aden and Saturnine, releasing a split single with the Sixth Great Lake in the spring of 1999. the Essex Green’s full-length debut Everything Is Green appeared on Kindercore later that year, and a self-titled EP on Elephant 6 followed in early 2000; concurrently, both Bell and Baron also played in the like-minded Ladybug Transistor. Three years later, Essex Green inked a deal with Merge and issued The Long Goodbye. A worldwide tour was slated for the spring and summer.