Chris Eskola

Chris Eskola
Chris Eskola performing with Matalon at the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge MA
Background information
Birth name	Christopher James Eskola
Born	(1976-02-23) February 23, 1976 (age 41)
Origin	Boston, MA, United States
Genres	Heavy metal, hard rock, alternative rock, industrial, experimental rock, punk, ska, hardcore
Occupation(s)	Musician, performer
Instruments	bass guitar, trombone, backing vocals
Years active	1988–present
Associated acts	Matalon, Face of the Sun, Whitey, deadlikedeath, The Newtz, Pipe, Alchemilla, Pivot, Chris Opperman, Choke Puppy

Chris Eskola (born February 23, 1976) is musician from Boston, Massachusetts, locally known as a bassist who has performed with a number of hard rock, metal, punk, and experimental bands in the Boston area. Chris briefly attended Berklee in the late 1990s, and plays trombone in addition to the bass. He is currently the bassist for Matalon (with brothers Scott Matalon on guitar, and Craig Matalon on the drums) and Face of the Sun (with Brian Viglione of The Dresden Dolls, Ron Arra Jr. and Scott Matalon.)

Eskola was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, but grew up in Westbrook, Connecticut. He started playing trombone at the age of 12 and eventually became the section leader of his high school's concert band and jazz/rock ensemble. At 14, a few of Chris' classmates had started a metal band and needed a bassist. Chris asked his father for a bass and an amp for Christmas and got his wish. This band became known as Glass Eyed Smash. and Chris was their bassist through high school. Chris also played for about a year with a local grunge band by the colorful name of Kermit Bloomgarden.

Chris graduated from high school in June 1995. That fall, he moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music where he studied Music Business/Management and Film Scoring, while improving his abilities on bass guitar and trombone. While at Berklee, Chris would perform with fellow Berklee musician Chris Opperman and played trombone on his debut album Oppy Music, Vol. I: Purple, Crayon (1998), which was produced by former Frank Zappa guitarist, and current guitarist for Dethklok, Mike Keneally. In his personal blog, Keneally quipped, "I am happy to claim responsibility for making Chris Eskola overdub three trombones on the last repeat of the melody—I love that texture to death. Since I have yet to work with horns on my own albums, it was great fun to mess around with them on this album." Chris joined this project on stage for about a dozen shows around the Boston area, including one at the Boston ICA and an appearance in San Diego at Nonkerstock, which was fan created fanfest for Mike Keneally, culminating in an epic performance by his band, Beer for Dolphins.