In March, 2001, the founding members of Ponderisaac decided it was time to recruit other members to form a serious band. Jason Peakman and Andy Barrett, on drums and bass respectively, spent several months auditioning singers. That summer they enlisted Christine Merkosky and wrote several songs for her distinctively clear voice. Then the trio called Joel Deshaye, a friend of Andy's from classes at the university, to join as the main guitarist. Andy, being a globetrotter, has left the band twice to travel in Europe. Ponderisaac's first replacement was Rickie (Frank) Martin, who mystified the band by playing the bass left handed. When Andy left the second time, the band recruited Jason Berscheid because Frank had moved to Calgary. Upon Andy's return, he took up the acoustic guitar and Ponderisaac became a five-piece. The band realized early that their music is heavily influenced by the not-quite-mainstream pop of the 1980s and 1990s. The songwriting and bass playing reminds some people of early U2 and The Smiths, while the busy rhythms are drawn in part from bands like The Police nad The Dave Matthews Band. These lively undertones support a sound that is often clean and mellow. The lead vocals are often compared to those of Stevie Nicks and The Cranberries singer, Dolores O'Riordan. The guitar often echoes rhythms and leads similar to those found in Sarah McLachlan's band or in The Cowboy Junkies. On stage, Ponderisaac embellishes their musical variety by playing an occasional cover song by Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, or Radiohead, among others. They focus, however, on the original songs that they have written. They can play a full 3-hour set or shorter if required and can tailor their sound to either strictly acoustic or more lively environments. Ponderisaac has played gigs in Saskatoon and elsewhere in Saskatchewan and have entered several band competitions. They made it to the semi-finals in the Saskatoon Battle of the Bands in February and March of 2002. They were one of the only bands (out of more than twenty) that did not play punk or heavy rock styles. jason  andy  joel  christine  jason jr.