After leaving Zao, he has had multiple other bands/projects, including Gods, My Own Halo, Jesse Smith & the Holy Ghost, and Serpent Servant Slave.
In 1993, Jesse Smith was recruited by friends Roy Goudy, Mic Cox and Eric Reeder to play drums in their newly formed band, which later was named Zao.
In 1997, The Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation was released with the line-up of Roy Goudy, Mic Cox and Shawn Jonas.
In 1997, all of the band members except for Smith quit Zao following the 1997 Cornerstone festival and a couple of shows they played on the way back home.
Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest and Training for Utopia / Zao split EP were recorded with this line-up before Detar left to start The Juliana Theory.