Offering a funky, stripped-down fusion of indie pop, funk, garage punk, and lo-fi experimentalism, Chain & the Gang are a vehicle for the thoughts and talents of Ian Svenonius – musician, author, actor, Internet talk show host, and frontman with the groups Nation of Ulysses, the Make-Up, Scene Creamers, and Weird War.
httpv://https://youtu.be/0iXR6RBmazQ
Like many of Svenonius’ earlier projects, Chain & the Gang are a band with an overriding philosophy; as Svenonius sees it, freedom and liberty have been used by the lazy and corrupt to pollute the environment, promote greed, pit class against class, fill our cities with ugly buildings, and stuff our faces with greasy fast food, so the time has come for us to embrace a new sort of bondage and seek out convicts, hobos, and other outlaws as spiritual brethren.
Svenonius has filled his new band with a handful of noted indie rock musicians, including Fred Thomas of Saturday Looks Good to Me, Brian Weber of Dub Narcotic Sound System, Brett Lyman of Bad Thoughts, and Sarah Pedal of Seahorse Liberation Army.
http://https://youtu.be/Ss-MLCcoRDg
Chain & the Gang made their recorded debut with the album Down with Liberty…Up with Chains!, released by K Records in April 2009. To support the album’s release, Chain & the Gang set out on a North American tour with the Hive Dwellers, a new band featuring K Records founder and Beat Happening leader Calvin Johnson.
Chain & the Gang switched gears with 2012’s In Cool Blood, not only recording in mono for the first time but also shifting the lyrical focus more toward youthful mischief than the band’s philosophical-leaning past.
http://https://youtu.be/mKPOsK4uXi4
For the group’s fourth album, 2014’s Minimum Rock ‘n’ Roll, Svenonius unveiled a new edition of the group, with Brett Lyman returning on guitar alongside new members Chris Sutton on bass, Fiona Campbell on drums, and Katie Alice Greer on vocals.
Chain & The Gang LIVE
Wednesday, 18th June 2014 | 20:00 CET
Privatclub | Skalitzer Str. 85 | 10997 Berlin/Kreuzberg
chainandthegang.bandcamp.com | krecs.com | privatclub-berlin.de
