Chakk

{{Short description|British industrial funk band}} {{EngvarB|date=January 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Chakk | image = | caption = | image_size = | origin = Sheffield, England | genre = Industrial music | years_active = 1981–1987 | label = Doublevision Fon MCA | associated_acts = Longpigs, Moloko | alias = | website = | 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.<ref name="allmusic">[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chakk-mn0001177764 Chakk] (AllMusic)</ref> Members were Alan Cross, Mark Brydon, Dee Boyle, Sim Lister, Jake Harries and Jon Stuart.<ref name="discogs bio">[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Chakk Chakk] (discogs.com)</ref> The band never achieved commercial success, but have been noted for their wide influence on later British dance music, particularly via Fon Studios.<ref name=guardian>Simpson, Dave (2011) "[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jul/21/catalyst-bands-ruthless-rap-assassins 'Catalyst bands': What do you mean, you've never heard of them?]", ''The Guardian'', 21 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2012</ref> 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").<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1980s/1984/Oct07chakk/ BBC – Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – 07/10/1984 Chakk]</ref> 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.<ref name=guardian/> 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),<ref name="Young">Young, Rob (2005) ''Warp: Labels Unlimited'', Black Dog Publishing, {{ISBN|978-1904772323}}, p. 29</ref> 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.

The band built Fon Studios with the MCA advance money (reportedly £100,000) in 1985 as both Alan Cross and Mark Brydon had studied Architecture, with Cross having work experience designing recording studios and interior acoustics with Andy Munroe Associates and also<ref name="discogs bio"/><ref name="Lazell">Lazell, Barry (1998) ''Indie Hits 1980–1989'', Cherry Red Books, {{ISBN|0-95172-069-4}}, p. 39</ref><ref name="Fish">Fish, Mick (2002) ''Industrial Evolution: Through the 80s with Cabaret Voltaire'', SAF Publishing Ltd, {{ISBN|978-0946719464}}, p. 172</ref> 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.<ref name=guardian/> Brydon did significant later work in production (including "House Arrest" by Krush) and started Moloko with Róisín Murphy.

Alan Cross moved back to London where he continued to write songs for Warner Chappell Music and had dance hits with "So In Love" by Judy Cheeks and "Set Me Free" by Clubland.

==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).<ref name="sheftel">"[http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/city_music_beat_goes_on_into_new_decades_1_457409 City music beat goes on into new decades] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719221530/http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/city_music_beat_goes_on_into_new_decades_1_457409 |date=19 July 2011 }}", ''Sheffield Telegraph'', 2 November 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2012</ref><ref name="sheftel2">"[https://archive.today/20130505062552/http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/listings/cinema/city_bands_are_back_on_the_beat_1_3979176 City bands are back on the beat]", ''Sheffield Telegraph'', 18 November 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2012</ref>

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)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Clocks-And-Babies/release/313834 Chakk – Clocks And Babies (Cassette) at Discogs]</ref> * ''10 Days in an Elevator'' (LP+EP, MCA MCG-6006, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-10-Days-In-An-Elevator/release/42582 Chakk – 10 Days In An Elevator (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs]</ref> * ''Beneath the Dancefloor – Basement Tapes'' (Chakk 1983–1984) (mini-LP, Fon FONX-6, 1987)<ref>[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]</ref> * ''Out of the Flesh: The Singles'' (download only, iTunes, 2007)<ref>[https://music.apple.com/gb/album/out-of-the-flesh-the-singles/264981244 iTunes – Music – Out of the Flesh – The Singles by Chakk]</ref>

=== 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)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Out-Of-The-Flesh/release/2051405 Chakk – Out Of The Flesh (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> – UK Indie no. 4<ref name="Lazell" /> * "You" / "They Say" (7", Fon FON-01, 1985)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-You-They-Say/release/497704 Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> – UK Indie no. 14<ref name="Lazell" /> * "You (Mix 1)" / "You (Mix 2)" // "They Say (Mix 1)" / "They Say (Mix 2)" (12", Fon FONT-001, 1985)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-You-They-Say/release/30335 Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> * "Imagination (Who Needs a Better Life)" (4:15) / "Imagination (Instrumental)" (7", MCA/Fon FON-2, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Imagination-Who-Needs-A-Better-Life/release/867215 Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> * "Imagination (Extended Mix)" // "Imagination (Dub Mix)" / "Imagination (Instrumental)" (12", MCA/Fon FONT-2, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Imagination-Who-Needs-A-Better-Life/release/42570 Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> * "Big Hot Blues" / "Cut the Dust" (7", MCA/Fon FON-3, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Big-Hot-Blues/release/2083636 Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> * "Big Hot Blues (Extended Mix)" // "Big Blue Mix" / "Cut the Dust" (12", MCA/Fon FONT-3, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Big-Hot-Blues/release/1362377 Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> * "Time Bomb" / "Just Pieces" (7", Fon FON-06, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb/release/1020725 Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> – UK Indie no. 20<ref name="Lazell" /> * ''Timebomb EP'' (12", Fon FONT-6, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb/release/30336 Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> :"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)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb-Crashpack/release/2318017 Chakk – Timebomb Crashpack (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> * ''Timebomb (Bombed-Out Remixes)'' (12", Fon FONL-6, 1987)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb-Bombed-Out-Remixes/release/200344 Chakk – Timebomb (Bombed-Out Remixes) (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> :"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)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Brain/release/2021891 Chakk – Brain (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref>

=== Collaboration === * (with The Swanhunters) "Bloodsport" (12", Fon SWAN-3, 1986)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Swanhunterswith-Chakk-Bloodsport/release/635568 Swanhunters, With the Chakk – Bloodsport (Vinyl) at Discogs]</ref> :"Bloodsport (The Full Report)" // "Bloodsport (State of Emergency)" / "Bloodsport (Too Little Too Late)"

== References == {{Reflist|2}}

== External links == * {{Discogs artist}} * {{url| Last.FM/music/Chakk| Chakk}} statistics and tagging at Last.FM

Category:English industrial music groups Category:Musical groups from Sheffield Category:Musical groups established in 1981