Califone is the direct descendant of the late great Chicago blues-rock band Red Red Meat, whose four albums of rackety, helter-skelter and roll madness were crucial documents of the '90s post-Stones indie underground, which also included the likes of Royal Trux, The Grifters, and Railroad Jerk. After RRM disbanded in the late '90s, gravel-voiced frontman Tim Rutili began pursuing a new musical project (as well as running Perishable Records with fellow ex-Meater Ben Massarella) he dubbed Califone, after the audio supply manufacturer.
