Chakk

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.

Chakk
OriginSheffield, England
GenresIndustrial music
Years active1981–1987
LabelsDoublevision
Fon
MCA
Associated actsLongpigs, Moloko
Past membersAlan Cross
Mark Brydon
Dee Boyle
Sim Lister
Jake Harries
Jon Stuart

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
  • Clocks and Babies (cassette, 1982)[10]
  • 10 Days in an Elevator (LP+EP, MCA MCG-6006, 1986)[11]
  • Beneath the Dancefloor – Basement Tapes (Chakk 1983–1984) (mini-LP, Fon FONX-6, 1987)[12]
  • Out of the Flesh: The Singles (download only, iTunes, 2007)[13]

Singles
  • "Out of the Flesh (Mix I)" (6:00) // "Out of the Flesh (Mix II)" (3:53) / "Out of the Flesh (Mix III)" (5:06) (12", Doublevision DVR-6, 1984)[14] – UK Indie no. 4[6]
  • "You" / "They Say" (7", Fon FON-01, 1985)[15] – UK Indie no. 14[6]
  • "You (Mix 1)" / "You (Mix 2)" // "They Say (Mix 1)" / "They Say (Mix 2)" (12", Fon FONT-001, 1985)[16]
  • "Imagination (Who Needs a Better Life)" (4:15) / "Imagination (Instrumental)" (7", MCA/Fon FON-2, 1986)[17]
  • "Imagination (Extended Mix)" // "Imagination (Dub Mix)" / "Imagination (Instrumental)" (12", MCA/Fon FONT-2, 1986)[18]
  • "Big Hot Blues" / "Cut the Dust" (7", MCA/Fon FON-3, 1986)[19]
  • "Big Hot Blues (Extended Mix)" // "Big Blue Mix" / "Cut the Dust" (12", MCA/Fon FONT-3, 1986)[20]
  • "Time Bomb" / "Just Pieces" (7", Fon FON-06, 1986)[21] – UK Indie no. 20[6]
  • Timebomb EP (12", Fon FONT-6, 1986)[22]
"Take Your Time" (5:23) // "The Pieces" (5:14) / "Just Wait" (4:57)
  • Timebomb Crashpack (Fon FONT-6-P) included single-sided 12" "Out of the Flesh" (FONT-10)[23]
  • Timebomb (Bombed-Out Remixes) (12", Fon FONL-6, 1987)[24]
"Take Your Time (Earth Calling)" // "Just Pieces (Bumper Bomb Bonus)" / "Just Pieces (Bomb-Bay Mix)" / "Just Pieces (Bouncing Beats)"
  • "Brain" / "Years I Worked" (12", Fon CHAKK-1)[25]

Collaboration
  • (with The Swanhunters) "Bloodsport" (12", Fon SWAN-3, 1986)[26]
"Bloodsport (The Full Report)" // "Bloodsport (State of Emergency)" / "Bloodsport (Too Little Too Late)"

References
  1. Chakk (AllMusic)
  2. Chakk (discogs.com)
  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. BBC – Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – 07/10/1984 Chakk
  5. Young, Rob (2005) Warp: Labels Unlimited, Black Dog Publishing, ISBN 978-1904772323, p. 29
  6. Lazell, Barry (1998) Indie Hits 1980–1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-95172-069-4, p. 39
  7. Fish, Mick (2002) Industrial Evolution: Through the 80s with Cabaret Voltaire, SAF Publishing Ltd, ISBN 978-0946719464, p. 172
  8. "City music beat goes on into new decades Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine", 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. Chakk – Clocks And Babies (Cassette) at Discogs
  11. Chakk – 10 Days In An Elevator (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs
  12. Chakk – Beneath The Dancefloor – Basement Tapes (Chakk 1983–1984) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  13. iTunes – Music – Out of the Flesh – The Singles by Chakk
  14. Chakk – Out Of The Flesh (Vinyl) at Discogs
  15. Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs
  16. Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs
  17. Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  18. Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  19. Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs
  20. Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs
  21. Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs
  22. Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs
  23. Chakk – Timebomb Crashpack (Vinyl) at Discogs
  24. Chakk – Timebomb (Bombed-Out Remixes) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  25. Chakk – Brain (Vinyl) at Discogs
  26. Swanhunters, With the Chakk – Bloodsport (Vinyl) at Discogs
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