Power pop band THE CHINASKIS have a debut album under their belts, with all new music in the works, with plans to do more shows with further developments underway! The band discusses their time together, music, and shows coming up soon!
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members / What’s the origin of the band’s name?
The Chinaskis mix a heady, bittersweet cocktail of loud guitars, driving rhythms and huge four-part vocal harmonies, gleefully spiked with immigrant Scottish frontman Robbie Edmonstone’s acerbic lyrics and muscular vocals. Propelled by the incendiary rhythm section of drummer Bill Spellman (CLIFFFS, Ben Folds Laundry) and bassist Andy Lester (The Deathray Davies, CLIFFFS, Corner Suns) and the soaring guitar work of Nick Phelps (Micah P. Hinson), the band draws on a range of influences, from power-pop trailblazers like The Byrds, R.E.M, Big Star, CSN, Tom Petty and fellow Scots Teenage Fanclub to darker, heavier artists like Soundgarden, Rocket from the Crypt, Red House Painters, The Replacements, Bob Mould and Warren Zevon.
Named as an homage to Henry Chinaski – the battered, booze-soaked three-time loser immortalized by Charles Bukowski – the first iteration of the band was formed in Glasgow in 2009, and for seven years honed their craft on the sticky floor stages of the Scottish toilet circuit, playing over 75 gigs before going on indefinite hiatus in 2017 when Edmonstone emigrated to live and work in United States.
Debut album Songs for the Scunnered was completed in late 2021 with the help of acclaimed Dallas songwriter-producer John Dufilho (The Deathray Davies, CLIFFFs, The Apples in Stereo, Corner Suns) who mixed and added his inimitable sparkle to the twelve tracks. Edmonstone returned to live performance in 2022 with a series of solo acoustic shows across Dallas, growing his musical network in the hope of creating a new Dallas-based iteration of the band.
The Chinaskis’ first single Bought and Sold was released in December 2022, and quickly garnered praise and airplay in both Texas and Scotland, including on popular local station KXT 91.7, and by the summer of 2023 a new, Dallas iteration of the band was complete. Single releases of Wasting Away, Believe Me, Paper Tiger and Find a Hero were accompanied by a series of triumphal gigs in the DFW area, with the much-anticipated release of Songs for the Scunnered taking place in August.
2023 was brought to a majestic close with a sold-out Chinaskis Christmas show at Double Wide, and the band spent the first half of 2024 taking a break and writing, with recording, more gigs and the release of a new EP planned for autumn and winter.
2. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
The Dallas music scene is hugely diverse, with some incredible local artists and big bands alike. It’s been home to legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pantera and Meatloaf, and huge artists (who we love) like St. Vincent, Erykah Badu, Post Malone and, umm, Vanilla Ice. The alternative rock / indie scene has always been great, with bands like Tripping Daisy / Polyphonic Spree, Old 97’s, Slobberbone and others. Some great Dallas-based artists I’d recommend are Joshua Ray Walker, The Deathray Davies and American Werewolf Academy.
3. How would you describe your style?
I love the term “power-pop” – it’s about loud guitars, a classic rock ethos but with lots of harmonies and memorable hooks, all shot through with some 90s grunge-influenced guitars… and layered with heartfelt but very Scottish lyrics, full of wit and irony.
4. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
Our debut album came out in August 2023 – we’ve released five singles from the album and got some great airplay on Spotify, some cool reviews in digital and print media. People should expect to hear songs they can tap their feet to, lyrics that will hopefully make them either laugh or resonate with a particular emotion that they have.
5. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes! We’re tracking some demos just now with a view to recording an EP in the autumn.
6. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
We’ve had a bit of a hiatus for writing and because of work commitments, and we’re currently looking to recruit a new bass player, but are planning on some big shows towards the end of the year with a bit of luck.
7. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
For me it’s all about taking the music to the next level – live and on record. We’re all huge music fans and just want to make timeless, exciting music that celebrates the decades of artists that have all influenced us.
8. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
We’re on Spotify first and foremost, but also YouTube, Apple Music and all the other main channels. We have some cool merch and CDs for sale at our Bandcamp site located HERE.
9. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
As a songwriter it’s all about “earworm” – writing a hook or lyric that burrows into the listener’s brain and provokes an emotional reaction. I’d love our listeners to remember our songs, and the lovely juxtaposition of these beautiful-sounding arrangements with the angry and seemingly miserable Glaswegian singing over them!
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