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Chevelle
Chevelle, as the name implies, are gearheads—a passion passed down from their father, whose hobby is building street rods. Sam, Pete and Joe Loeffler (three of a total of seven siblings) are brothers-as their name implies. They are also carpenters—another direct imprint of their father's. But first and foremost, Chevelle is a distinctly intense rock band from Chicago.
"We set out to make a heavy record with a lot of depth; we wanted it to be more than hard on the surface. I think that's what we did," explains 22-year-old Pete. To do so, the band were selective about who they wanted at the helm. Perched at the top of their wish list was the notorious Steve Albini. "We wanted a clean, undoctored sound and that's why he was our obvious choice," says Sam, Chevelle's 24-year-old bandleader. Albini's studio pedigree ranges from Nirvana and Bush, to PJ Harvey and The Breeders, as well as his own band, Shellac. With Albini soon behind the board, Chevelle set about recording Point #1, their debut on Squint Entertainment.
The Loefflers' calm, good natured personas hardly let on to the fires that burn within them, yet the moment Point #1 begins, the truth is evident. Musically, Chevelle create a soundscape steeped in shards of moody guitars and propulsive rhythms, while intensely personal and emotional lyrics swivel clarity within mystery. Is it any wonder that the band's influences range from Helmet, Firehose and Tool, to Sinead O'Connor and even Cat Stevens? Singer / lyricist Pete wears his heart on his sleeve, but does so more through vocal emotion than black and white dialogue.
For four and a half years, Chevelle has been steadily building momentum as one of the Windy City's most promising young rock bands. Sam, Pete and Joe seem to read one another's thoughts on stage, via a sibling-inherent telepathy. The trait is uncanny, yet somehow expected from three who have spent their whole lives in such close quarters. While they were habitually bashing away in their parents' basement from the beginning, the band was also busy booking gigs. Although they started out playing the obligatory party and outdoor social event circuit, in short order Chevelle was being booked in Chicago clubs such as the Fireside Bowl and Lounge Axe. Eighteen-year-old Joe, the youngest member, is one of few teens who can brag about playing Chicago's prestigious Double Door when he was a mere fourteen.
These lads may still be more relaxed shooting the breeze on the specs of rebuilding an engine than they are about discussing strategic tour routing, but that's all changing. Landing a performance slot at 1999's South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, the band wowed a packed club audience, which set the stage for the national buzz-mill.
Chevelle have had their less than glamorous moments as well. For example, Pete offers up the song "Dos" to illustrate the universal experience of a band playing for an all but empty room. Though surely excruciating, the event produced a song with lyrics that are wryly humorous in context. "You two, you're what's left / I don't take requests." Though amusing, there's a touch of anger in the line as well, which is underscored by Pete's emotive voice (which can alternate between dispassionate detachment and primal scream in the course of a song). It's an emotion prominent throughout Point #1, and a major part of Chevelle's brand of expression. "Music can help get aggression out of you," says Pete. "I don't want to live an angry life." Which is obvious from the subject matter at hand in the first single from Point #1, "Mia." "Though it's named after a girl I know, the song is simply about quality," offers Pete, who delivers the lyric, "I'm made of peanuts, not of shells" as a way of saying that the payoff exists when you get below the surface.
The same can be said of Chevelle. As anyone who discovers Point #1 will quickly realize, this is a band of substance.
Visit Official Website.
"We set out to make a heavy record with a lot of depth; we wanted it to be more than hard on the surface. I think that's what we did," explains 22-year-old Pete. To do so, the band were selective about who they wanted at the helm. Perched at the top of their wish list was the notorious Steve Albini. "We wanted a clean, undoctored sound and that's why he was our obvious choice," says Sam, Chevelle's 24-year-old bandleader. Albini's studio pedigree ranges from Nirvana and Bush, to PJ Harvey and The Breeders, as well as his own band, Shellac. With Albini soon behind the board, Chevelle set about recording Point #1, their debut on Squint Entertainment.
The Loefflers' calm, good natured personas hardly let on to the fires that burn within them, yet the moment Point #1 begins, the truth is evident. Musically, Chevelle create a soundscape steeped in shards of moody guitars and propulsive rhythms, while intensely personal and emotional lyrics swivel clarity within mystery. Is it any wonder that the band's influences range from Helmet, Firehose and Tool, to Sinead O'Connor and even Cat Stevens? Singer / lyricist Pete wears his heart on his sleeve, but does so more through vocal emotion than black and white dialogue.
For four and a half years, Chevelle has been steadily building momentum as one of the Windy City's most promising young rock bands. Sam, Pete and Joe seem to read one another's thoughts on stage, via a sibling-inherent telepathy. The trait is uncanny, yet somehow expected from three who have spent their whole lives in such close quarters. While they were habitually bashing away in their parents' basement from the beginning, the band was also busy booking gigs. Although they started out playing the obligatory party and outdoor social event circuit, in short order Chevelle was being booked in Chicago clubs such as the Fireside Bowl and Lounge Axe. Eighteen-year-old Joe, the youngest member, is one of few teens who can brag about playing Chicago's prestigious Double Door when he was a mere fourteen.
These lads may still be more relaxed shooting the breeze on the specs of rebuilding an engine than they are about discussing strategic tour routing, but that's all changing. Landing a performance slot at 1999's South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, the band wowed a packed club audience, which set the stage for the national buzz-mill.
Chevelle have had their less than glamorous moments as well. For example, Pete offers up the song "Dos" to illustrate the universal experience of a band playing for an all but empty room. Though surely excruciating, the event produced a song with lyrics that are wryly humorous in context. "You two, you're what's left / I don't take requests." Though amusing, there's a touch of anger in the line as well, which is underscored by Pete's emotive voice (which can alternate between dispassionate detachment and primal scream in the course of a song). It's an emotion prominent throughout Point #1, and a major part of Chevelle's brand of expression. "Music can help get aggression out of you," says Pete. "I don't want to live an angry life." Which is obvious from the subject matter at hand in the first single from Point #1, "Mia." "Though it's named after a girl I know, the song is simply about quality," offers Pete, who delivers the lyric, "I'm made of peanuts, not of shells" as a way of saying that the payoff exists when you get below the surface.
The same can be said of Chevelle. As anyone who discovers Point #1 will quickly realize, this is a band of substance.
Visit Official Website.
Albums
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Point #1
Wonder What's Next