Formed as a two piece in 1997 by former Sperm Wail Rob (guitar) and Pam (vocals), Chester recorded a twelve track demo Living Room On Tour before Rob recruited old friend - and fellow band member from early eighties Goth band Danse Macabre - The Elusive Stranger (drums) who after a couple of gigs suggested bringing in former Angel and Demon (and fellow Toyah fan) Chris (bass) to form a full band.
In 1998 the band recorded at the legendary and sadly missed, Pathway Studios and released a self-financed split single No Need For Wise Guys with The Griswalds and Fett. By the end of the year they had recorded 20 more tracks, again at Pathway, which formed their debut CD Malpleasurability released on Smokin' Troll in 1999, preceded by the 7" single Song About Nothing c/w I Lost My Boyfriend and Psychobillybunter.
1999 also saw the band touring Europe with Belgian band The Buckweeds plus Seven Inch Chord and Think Tank Pink Po(n)p from Japan. Recording that year included a cover of anarcho-punksters Dirt's Hiroshima with Wreckless Eric guesting on fuzzbass for a Crass Records tribute compilation, and a version of Margate for a Chaz n' Dave tribute.
In 2000 Pam left, eventually returning to her native America and the band continued as a three-piece, Rob taking over on vocals. In this guise the band recorded another couple of dozen tracks. Ten of these were released as the ten-inch picture disk Ten Inches of Chester on Smokin' Troll in 2001, and another, Killing Made Easy - a collaboration with Toyah Willcox - was eventually released as a self-financed CD single under the band name Family of Noise in 2004.
Jill took over as vocalist for a while in 2000-2001, Chester again being fronted by another singer from stateside. Athough Jill never recorded with Chester, she played several gigs with them including Punk Aid - her on-stage antics becoming the stuff of legend! They say lightning never strikes twice but, Jill returned to the USA just as Pam did before and the band reverted to a three piece and recorded the second album No Light Here.
Circumstances and other commitments lead to the drummer being elusive, not just in name and Chris went on to play bass for successful tribute band, The Gonzo Dog-do Bar Band. Rob kept the spirit alive, playing gigs as Rob Chester in places as far away as Brazil! For a handful of gigs Rob recruited the services of tour buddies Paul (Anal Beard) on bass and Sonny (Combat Shock) on drums with Toyah fan Annalise Vineer taking up the vocals.
Rob continued to play with other bands such as Age of Chaos and Rockabilly influenced The Creeping, and often played again as Rob Chester, keeping the Chester noise still out there. As fate would have it, Creeping drummer Daz was unable to do a gig and no longer so elusive, Mr Stranger sat on the drum stool and the Chester link was back, with The Creeping doing a version of Goth Classic at this one off gig.
The 'classic' Chester line up of Rob, Tes and Chris got together to finally release No Light Here to the light of day with 2 gigs at Chat's Palace, the first being a celebration of the album's long awaited release on Catmachine Music in October 2007.
After a summer of Chester outings, supporting Neurotic and the PVCs (Punk Voice Choir) with Rob playing bass for Neurotic whilst Chris and Tes became members of the PVCs for three nights at the ICA in July 2008, Chester played the aftershow party at the 12 Bar Club in Soho on the final night, but this was not to be all that was achieved in 2008. Going back into the rehearsal studios followed with the year ending and gigs in Reading and Walthamstow, London, the last gig being a benifit for MADPRIDE, with fellow PVC's and all round great band, Scrotum Clamp! The CLAMP connection being secured with the hope of putting the Scrotum Clamp album out on Catmachine in 2009. Watch this space! For the last 5 months of the year, Tes could be seen holding the drum stool for long time Chester fans, Foundlings, untill a new drummer was found at the end of the year. Meanwhile Rob has been writing the next album and is constipated with new material so look out for your favourite punksters in 2009, starting at the 12 Bar in February!
In addition to their own releases, Chester have contributed to a number of compilations, including Nothing to Prove, The New Wave of Chas and Dave, Kicking a Dead Horse to Death, International Punk Rock Box Set and Punk Aid: 25 Years of Anarchy
Have you ever read a bad review of this band in Maximum? Nope, that should tell you something. Finally, after years of struggling, there's a full-length CD from England's CHESTER. Great manic punk with totally crazy girl vocals. The fact that it sounds great even though it was probably recorded in a toilet somewhere is a testament to this band's natural energy and genuine excitement about playing these songs. It's loose, but it's three-or-four-pints loose. Not lack-of-ability loose. Not a dry spot on this great punk record.
Lance Hahn (RIP)
MAXIMUM ROCK'N'ROLL
It's a really varied album with more than its fair share of sneakily good tunes, so don't think we have a timewarp on our hands. Being to one side of hardcore ebullience it can get through to anyone with a high regard for punk spirit which bleeds off into various areas... nutty vocal encouragement over grimtoned guitar and comes over as highly miffed and then like a scampering Damned (or a poppy Motorhead for some reason) they charge through.
Mick Mercer
January 2008
Thanks for supporting the first ever International Brigade memorial trust benefit gig. All the IBMT members send there regards to you all. Salud, Paul!
