School of Fish
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Defunct | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California , United States |
| Products | Albums, singles |
School of Fish was an alternative rock group established in 1989 and dissolved by 1994. The principal figures were Josh Clayton-Felt (lead vocals and guitar) alongside Michael Ward (guitar). They produced two albums and gained recognition primarily for their hit track "3 Strange Days" released in 1991.
History
Initially, Clayton-Felt and Ward performed as a duo in Los Angeles, California, utilizing programmed bass and drums.
After adding drummer Michael Petrak and bassist David Lipson to their lineup, the band secured a contract with Capitol Records in 1990 and issued their debut single on 7-inch vinyl that same year. Their self-titled first album was released in March 1991, featuring the notable single "3 Strange Days." In 1991, they also contributed to the KROQ-FM concert compilation titled Acoustic Christmas.
Following their initial release, the rhythm section shifted from Petrak and Dominic Nardini to Chad Fischer and Chris MacDonald. Despite this change, these new members did not participate in the recording of the second album, which relied on session musicians Josh Freese and John Pierce; Fischer continued to perform during live shows.
Their sophomore effort, Human Cannonball (1993), did not achieve the commercial success of their debut. The band disbanded shortly thereafter.
Members’ careers
Vocalist Josh Clayton-Felt embarked on a solo path, issuing two studio albums along with one live album before being diagnosed with cancer in 1999. He passed away on January 19, 2000, at age 32. Since his death, his estate has overseen three posthumous releases.
Guitarist Michael Ward collaborated with John Hiatt before joining The Wallflowers. Following the group's breakup, he spent several years with Ben Harper's band The Innocent Criminals, worked extensively as a sought-after session guitarist in Los Angeles, and authored children's literature. Ward passed away on April 1, 2024.
Chad Fischer went on to create Lazlo Bane, known for performing the theme song of Scrubs, and established a career as a record producer and composer.
Christopher MacDonald, who served as touring bassist without recording credits with the band, produces synthesizer-driven space music under the name Telomere.
Dominic Nardini continues to perform as a bassist based in New England.
Releases
Around 2007, two previously unreleased songs—"Broken Arm" (from before Human Cannonball) and "Goodbye Green World" (from prior to the self-titled album)—were made available digitally.
Although there were discussions about assembling a rarities collection involving surviving members, these plans were ultimately abandoned.
Josh Clayton-Felt’s posthumous EP The Spirit Shines Through featured "Goodbye Green World" and "Who Am I Today," both performed by Clayton-Felt and Ward.
In 2020, Chad Fischer reunited with the classic lineup—Ward, Nardini, and Petrak—to record a new rendition of "3 Strange Days" as a tribute to Clayton-Felt. This track was included on Lazlo Bane's 2021 release Someday We'll Be Together.
Members
- Josh Clayton-Felt – vocals, guitars (1989–1994; deceased 2000)
- Michael Ward – guitars, vocals (1989–1994, 2020; deceased 2024)
- David Lipson – bass (1989)
- Craig Aaronson – drums (1989)
- Dominic Nardini – bass, tambourine (1990–1991, 2020)
- Michael Petrak (aka M.P.) – drums (1990–1991, 2020)
- John Pierce – bass, cello (1992–1994)
- Josh Freese – drums (1992–1993; featured only on Human Cannonball)
- Chad Fischer – live drums (1991–1994), vocals, guitar (2020)
- Chris MacDonald – live bass (1991–1992)
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Heatseekers | ||
| 1991 | School of Fish | 142 | 5 |
| 1993 | Human Cannonball | – | 16 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Mod | US Main | |||
| 1991 | "3 Strange Days" | 6 | 12 | School of Fish |
| 1993 | "Take Me Anywhere" | 5 | – | Human Cannonball |
- Promotional singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Wrong" | School of Fish |
| "King of the Dollar" | ||
| 1993 | "Jump Off the World" | Human Cannonball |
| "Everyword" |
Promotional EPs
| Year | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Wrong Sampler | A five-track EP containing four previously unreleased recordings, including three original compositions by Josh Clayton-Felt and Michael Ward ("The Greatest Living Englishman", "The Turtle Song", "Disconnected") alongside a cover of The Kinks' "This is Where I Belong". Also includes a radio edit of "Wrong" from School of Fish. |
| Live in L.A. | Six-track EP featuring five exclusive live performances plus the track "King of the Dollar" from School of Fish. |
Other appearances
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | "3 Strange Days" (collaboration with Lazlo Bane) |
Someday We'll Be Together |
Music videos
| Year | Song | Director(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "3 Strange Days" | School of Fish | |
| 1993 | "Take Me Anywhere" | Human Cannonball |
In media
- The track "Rose Colored Glasses" appeared in the 1991 motion picture Point Break
- The song "3 Strange Days" was featured in the 1990 film Reversal of Fortune