Chakk Explained

Chakk
Origin:Sheffield, England
Genre:Industrial music
Years Active:1981–1987
Label:Doublevision
Fon
MCA
Associated Acts:Longpigs, Moloko
Past Members:Alan Cross
Mark Brydon
Dee Boyle
Sim Lister
Jake Harries
Jon Stuart

Chakk were an industrial funk band from Sheffield, who existed from 1981 until 1987.[1] Members were Alan Cross, Mark Brydon, Dee Boyle, Sim Lister, Jake Harries and Jon Stuart.[2] The band never achieved commercial success, but have been noted for their wide influence on later British dance music, particularly via Fon Studios.[3] Mark Brydon later went on to form and achieved success with Moloko.

History

Chakk's first single, "Out of the Flesh", produced by Richard H. Kirk, on Cabaret Voltaire's Doublevision label, reached number three on the independent charts in 1984. The band recorded a John Peel session on 17 October 1984 ("Cut The Dust", "Sedative Ends", "No. 3 Sound", "Mother Tongues").[4] Their second single "You", released in 1985, was also an indie hit, reaching number 14. They then signed an album deal with MCA Records, who released 10 Days in an Elevator. The initial version of the album was rejected and a rerecorded version was finally released in 1986; it did not sell well and the band was dropped later that year.[3] They released a few more singles and split in 1987.

Non-MCA recordings from "You" onwards were released on their own Fon Records label ("Fuck Off Nazis" or "Fear of Nazis", from a piece of 1940s graffiti on a wall in Sheffield),[5] which was started by the band with their manager, Amrik Rai (formerly a journalist for New Musical Express). Rai also ran a record shop of the same name for a time.

Brydon built Fon Studios with the MCA advance money (reportedly £100,000) in 1985[2] [6] [7] as it was cheaper to build a studio in Sheffield than to record in London. Fon Studios and the Fon Force production team became important to Sheffield music and paved the way for labels like Warp.[3] Brydon did significant later work in production (including "House Arrest" by Krush) and started Moloko with Róisín Murphy.

Aftermath

In 2007, a digital compilation of the band's FON Records' singles was released.

Chakk were featured in Eve Wood's documentary films on the Sheffield music scene, Made in Sheffield (2009) and The Beat Is the Law (2011).[8] [9]

In 2016, the band's debut album Clocks and Babies was remastered and reissued on CD and digitally.

Discography

Albums

Singles

"Take Your Time" (5:23) // "The Pieces" (5:14) / "Just Wait" (4:57)

"Take Your Time (Earth Calling)" // "Just Pieces (Bumper Bomb Bonus)" / "Just Pieces (Bomb-Bay Mix)" / "Just Pieces (Bouncing Beats)"

Collaboration

"Bloodsport (The Full Report)" // "Bloodsport (State of Emergency)" / "Bloodsport (Too Little Too Late)"

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chakk-mn0001177764 Chakk
  2. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Chakk Chakk
  3. Simpson, Dave (2011) "'Catalyst bands': What do you mean, you've never heard of them?", The Guardian, 21 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2012
  4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1980s/1984/Oct07chakk/ BBC – Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – 07/10/1984 Chakk
  5. Young, Rob (2005) Warp: Labels Unlimited, Black Dog Publishing,, p. 29
  6. Lazell, Barry (1998) Indie Hits 1980–1989, Cherry Red Books,, p. 39
  7. Fish, Mick (2002) Industrial Evolution: Through the 80s with Cabaret Voltaire, SAF Publishing Ltd,, p. 172
  8. "City music beat goes on into new decades ", Sheffield Telegraph, 2 November 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2012
  9. "City bands are back on the beat", Sheffield Telegraph, 18 November 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2012
  10. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Clocks-And-Babies/release/313834 Chakk – Clocks And Babies (Cassette) at Discogs
  11. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-10-Days-In-An-Elevator/release/42582 Chakk – 10 Days In An Elevator (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs
  12. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Beneath-The-Dancefloor-Basement-Tapes-Chakk-1983-1984/release/2076191 Chakk – Beneath The Dancefloor – Basement Tapes (Chakk 1983–1984) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  13. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/out-of-the-flesh-the-singles/id264981244 iTunes – Music – Out of the Flesh – The Singles by Chakk
  14. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Out-Of-The-Flesh/release/2051405 Chakk – Out Of The Flesh (Vinyl) at Discogs
  15. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-You-They-Say/release/497704 Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs
  16. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-You-They-Say/release/30335 Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs
  17. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Imagination-Who-Needs-A-Better-Life/release/867215 Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  18. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Imagination-Who-Needs-A-Better-Life/release/42570 Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  19. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Big-Hot-Blues/release/2083636 Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs
  20. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Big-Hot-Blues/release/1362377 Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs
  21. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb/release/1020725 Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs
  22. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb/release/30336 Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs
  23. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb-Crashpack/release/2318017 Chakk – Timebomb Crashpack (Vinyl) at Discogs
  24. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb-Bombed-Out-Remixes/release/200344 Chakk – Timebomb (Bombed-Out Remixes) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  25. http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Brain/release/2021891 Chakk – Brain (Vinyl) at Discogs
  26. http://www.discogs.com/Swanhunterswith-Chakk-Bloodsport/release/635568 Swanhunters, With the Chakk – Bloodsport (Vinyl) at Discogs

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chakk".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.