Owen Ashworth started CFTPA after dropping out of film school in 1997. The project was initially established under a set of
Dogme 95-like rules: short songs, played in C, on the white notes of
Casio keyboards. The band's musical style was characterized by the use of electronically-produced beats, cheap keyboards, and slow, frank lyrics. From
Etiquette onwards, CFTPA widened in musical scope, adding more analog instruments and crafting an overall more organic sound. In 2010, Ashworth announced that he was retiring Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, as well as the songs he wrote under that name, although he planned to continue making music under the name Advance Base. The project's final show was on December 5, 2010, the thirteen-year anniversary of its first show. In 2011, Ashworth started the label
Orindal Records, through which he releases his own music as Advance Base, as well as other artists including
Gia Margaret and
Dear Nora. Owen Ashworth's brother is Gordon Ashworth, who makes experimental harsh noise as
Oscillating Innards and ambient works as Concern; Gordon also plays in grindcore/black metal project Knelt Rote. ==Discography==