After six years and two albums, the Presidents of the United States of America are announcing they're calling it quits. With the humor typical of their songs and videos, Presidents drummer Jason Finn said, "The Presidents of the United States broke up because of the exact same reason Soundgarden broke up: Chris quit." He was referring to Presidents frontman Chris Ballew, not former Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell.

\\"I wasn't feeling the magic any more," Ballew said." I wanted a different life where I didn't have to go out on the road to make music anymore. I didn't want to have to repeat myself over and over again." Ballew, who informed his bandmates at a meeting last week, was emphatic that his decision had nothing to do with Finn or guitarist Dave Dederer. "I love those guys," he said. "But I have a new child and my home life has changed. I have other projects that I'm way more interested in."

\\The Presidents first attracted attention in 1995, when they recorded their self titled debut for the independent label PopLlama. Hearing a potential hit, Columbia picked up the record, which became a top seller due to the radio friendliness of the singles "Lump," "Kitty" and "Peaches." The album eventually sold 2.3 million copies, according to SoundScan.

\\The band's follow up, "II," sold only 330,000, but Ballew said that had nothing to do with the break-up. "Actually, [the lower sales] took a lot of the pressure off," he said. "We still made out fine."

\\As far as post-break-up plans, Ballew said he has more than enough projects to keep him busy, including a solo album due next month and a television pilot he describes as "like MTV meets the Muppets." Finn is looking for another band and said he "just wants to keep playing." Dederer said his only immediate plans were producing and to "go skiing a lot."

\\Fans also haven't seen the last of the Presidents, who are expected to release a video collection and a greatest hits album. The band is also featured in Adam Sandler's new movie "The Wedding Singer."

\\"I thought we had one more album in us and I think it would have been interesting what direction it took, but that's how it goes," Dederer said philosophically. "That Chris lasted four years in one band is