Hello, people.

Now that we've finally recovered (for the most part) from our first foray into Oshkosh, we wanted to thank everyone that came out to the Reptile Palace last night and made the trip more than worthwhile.  Save for a couple of diehards who made the trek from out of town, most all of the people there had never heard or seen CHIEF before as far as we know and you all seemed to heed the Call Of The Chief quite nicely.  Thanks to the rest of the bands on the bill.  The Catastrophe brought a large crowd out and really laid it down.  Chris was amped to see Jeff (guitar/vocals, formerly of Rebel Waltz) play again and caught up on some old times after 15 or so years.  Razor Fist more than brought it, reminding us of early Exciter and just rocking everyone's bloody heads off.  We really hope to rock with them again in the future.  We unfortunately had to hit the road before we could check out Bloodhawk, but we trust they rounded out the evening in fine rock and roll fashion.

Apparently, the music of CHIEF not only rocked some...word on the street is that it's sexy as well.  We received this very nice letter today from one lovely lady in attendance at the Reptile Palace last night.  Dig it:

" hey guys!
i saw you play in oshkosh last night and i have to say that your music is definitely some of the sexiest music i've ever heard! not as sexy as ted nugent but close. if you can get close to being as sexy as ted nugent, that's pretty good. from henceforth, i am now replacing the word "sex" with "chief" in my everyday conversation. for example, if i believe that something is sexy, i will refer to it as being "chiefy." your band is that good, that the word "sexy" is no longer appropriate to define the actual concept of being sexy. the next time i see you guys play, i will have to wear condoms over my ears due to the severe sexual assault laid upon them by your chiefy playing!
michelle "

Thank you, Michelle, for allowing us to walk around today with our manly chests jutted out just that much more.  Hot.

     Don't forget…  pick up Issue #132 of Classic Rock magazine (coming out in June), whose monthly covermount CD compilation will feature the song "Give It A Fight" from CHIEF's "Reign Of Rock" EP.  Time to start laying it down CHIEF-style across the pond.  Spread the word…

CHIEF salutes you.

Cheers and Beers, CHIEF

         We are pleased to announce that we've posted the new CHIEF EP 'The Reign Of Rock' to stream in its entirety on our myspace page (www.myspace.com/chiefisrock).  We hope you dig it.  Even if you don't, we encourage you to leave comments.  We dig constructive criticism as much as we dig undying praise.  However, if you are simply too exhausted to comment from completely rocking out to the new EP, leaving you in a smoldering, crumpled mass of 'I've just totally been rocked OUT' in the corner of the room, we'll totally understand.  Stranger things have happened…

     Keep your eyes peeled for another posting when we'll let you know about how to download the new EP for FREE.  Until then, crank the hell out of it, air jam and pump your fists to your heart's delight.  Be sure to spread the word so all can rock out to the call of the CHIEF.

CHIEF salutes you.

Cheers and Beers, CHIEF

     Hola, peoples.  Wanted to shoot a transmission out there for all to rest assured that CHIEF is still alive and well.  It's just that when the snows come, it makes the CHIEF beast stay in the cave a little more often than it'd like.  Don't worry, though.  All of you CHIEFheads will get your fix in various ways sooner than you may imagine...

     After a bit of a holdup, the new CHIEF EP is now boiling and is almost ready to be served.  This will be a limited edition release, so with that in mind, we're finally entering the modern age.  Watch your emails, bulletins, etc in the coming couple of weeks when we will reveal when the CHIEF EP will be available for FREE download exclusively on our myspace page for a limited time.  We'll have it up and for your comsumption very soon...just wanted to give you the teaser.  Normally we're (mainly/especially Chris, that is) not too hip on the free download thing, simply because we (again, mainly/especially Chris is) are old farts who believe that to get the full experience of a new release you've got to sit in your rock throne with the cans on full tilt, rocking out to a hard copy with the gatefold sleeve in your hands.  There are a couple of problems with that concept nowadays, however.  One is that we realize that many rockers today were born after 'gatefold sleeves' and such became all but extinct.  (Except, of course, for Chris.  He has a hard time believing that this is the case and is usually in a state of severe denial when it comes to such things.)  The other is that, being an unsigned, independent band doesn't really always lend itself to being able to stock the shelves of your local record store in, say, Irkutsk or Kamatchka (or even Madison) with the new CHIEF EP.  Thus, us old farts have to cave a bit to get the rock to the masses.  With that being said, again-keep your eyes peeled for news on the download dates.

Onward...

     With the holidays fast approaching, shopping for rock is paramount.  Of course that means buying your rocking loved one CHIEF for the holidays.  However, just because we've got a new thang coming out doesn't mean you should forget about the old one.  The 14-track debut CD from CHIEF (brilliantly titled 'CHIEF') is still available in the Milwaukee area at Rush-Mor, Atomic Records and The Exclusive Company as well as worldwide online at http://cdbaby.com/cd/chiefster and on iTunes (just make sure that you search for the "rock" CHIEF, otherwise we cannot be held responsible for the hip hop album you might purchase...).  There.  Our whoring is out of the way...

     We sincerely hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday time and hope that your upcoming holiday season-however you celebrate...or don't celebrate it-is a total jam filled with good times, good company and plenty of excellent music, rock or otherwise.  Whatever makes you want to jam, you know?

     As always, CHIEF is eternally grateful to all of you who keep track of our rockings, come out to the shows, give us your support (and your criticisms) and just generally keep the 'roll' in our rock and roll.  Keep kicking ass, people.  CHIEF salutes you.

Cheers and Beers, CHIEF

     Greetings once again, people.  Slacked on updating the blog...lot's of shit going down.  Try to play catch-up witha review of the road trip, recording, etc...

     As any of you who apy attention to our goings-on, CHIEF made our first foray out on the road last month.  Just a two-day affair, but it was a good time.  Chris recalls the weekend (as much of it as he can remember, anyway...).  Seeing as it's Chris recalling it, you can scratch the whole 'quickie' part of it...

Friday, 9.19 - After gigging (with the other band two of us are in) the night before, got home at 2:30 or so, ate something, slept for about four hours, then got up to get ready to leave.  Fucking tired, but amped to get the hell out of Dodge for a couple of days.  Dave arrives at my place while Matt and I are getting transpo set.  Hit the road around 10am.  Matt ends up driving the whole way there.  Great day for driving-sunny, warm. traffic is cool, etc.  Also, played some comedy station on satellite radio which had this awesome George Carlin bit on, covering hotel continental breakfasts ("Which fucking continent did this come from, anyway?  The BLAND continent?!?", etc) and shitty drivers (where you deal with them and then have to "pull up next to them just to see what this slow-ass fucker LOOKS like!").  Brilliant.   Stopped at a multi-fast-food-gas-truck-stop craphole somewhere in Michigan for lunch.  There was a sign right by a doorway leading upstairs in the place that offered 24-hour 'Japanese massage' starting at $6/hr or some shit.  Why I didn't take a picture of that, I don't know. 

     Got to the hotel in good time, checked in, hung out.  Went down to grab a bite and found Dave sitting doing the same.  We hung for a little bit...I was going to sit and write, but his company was better than my own, anyway.  Matt slept.  Went back up, showered, etc.  Drove to the Belmont, other band was loading in already.  Got there at 8:30 for soundcheck, we weren't going on until 11:30.  Nothing to do but read the local rags and hang.  By 'hang', that of course meant getting pretty loaded off of my ass on Pabst.  Ugh.  Played pool by myself on one of the worst billiard tables I've ever experienced (dark purple felt, flourescent balls and a black light overhead = LAME) until Dave came over.  I asked if he wanted to play a game, he kept saying how he doesn't play pool, etc.  I racked anyway.  First game a doinked the 8-he won.  Second game he just won outright after a shitty break led a game down the slow road.  'Doesn't play pool.'  WHATEVER.  Fucking SHARKED my ass. 

     Anyway...finally got onstage after sitting through the other band (no comment) and we were ready to kill.  Only about nine people there, but that doesn't matter.  (If there's only ONE person there, that one person came to rock out, so you provide.  You provide regardless, otherwise it's a waste of time, if you ask me.)  Rocked in head first and was going great, despite being loaded.  Third song in, right at the beginning of 'Idling', broke my 'D' string.  Fuck.  Talk about killing your momentum.  Made it through the tune somewhat alright.  Switched guitars...couple of songs later asked dude from the first band if he'd so kindly change the string for me (the thought never seemed to cross his mind at first...whatever happened to 'the code', man?).  He did, but wound it around the peg backwards.  Great.  Whatever.  At least we got to play a full set (about 90 minutes), which included 'Slaughterstone'-which is fucking awesome.  Nine people...who left pummeled by our rock anyway. 

     After getting a little bit lost, stopped for gas.  Some dude who was at another car macking on some ladies was shouting some hassling shit at me.  I only found this out once we were headed back to the hotel, as I was just smiling at him and nodding and whatnot.  I was deaf from the gig, so I had no idea what he was saying to me.  I was also still hammered.  Oh well-up with people!  Got back to the hotel, I made a cup of tea and watched a bit of 'The A-Team', Matt went to sleep and Dave passed out on some couch/padded bench thing at the foot of the bed.  I covered him up with one of the comforters from my bed because I'm a good mom.

Saturday, 9.20 - All got up pretty early.  Got a terrible cup of coffee in the lobby of the hotel (they lied about the continetal breakfast...bastards - couldn't even find out if it came from the BLAND continent or not), and just bailed.  I drove the leg to Lakewood, OH.  We were cranking the new Metallica album in its entirety.  (Awesome, if not tiring at times due to the constant pummeling.  Awesome, nonetheless.)  Got in to Lakewood at around noon.  Made good time.  Checked in to the hotel (craphole...smelled like feet and damp towels) then went to check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

     Dave wasn't that excited about it and neither was I...at least until I walked in.  Pretty kick ass.  We ate lunch there and then decided to split up.  Matt was going to absorb the entire thing.  I made it through about two and half hours I think and then I just had to get the hell out...just too much to take in.  I got to say that I touched the wall from 'The Wall', though.  That was cool.  Also seeing all the old soul stuff- Wilson Pickett's black stage outfit and fedora, Otis Redding's leather coat, James Brown suits and the Four Tops jackets, etc.  Badass.  Makes me want to re-up my wardrobe.  Anyway...

     Ends up Dave was only in there for a little while and then just went and bummed around downtown.  I met up with him outside on the lakeshore, which is right there outside of the Rock Hall.  It's a beautiful scene there...also, apparently, THE place to have your wedding photos taken, as there were about eight different wedding parties coming and going with their photographers.  Lots of attractive bridesmaids, though, so it was fine footage indeed.  We were still waiting for Matt, so Dave and I walked back to downtown for a little bit.  Still no Matt.  Not that anything would happen to him...just getting tired of sitting around.  Matt showed up right around when they closed the Hall.  Dude's got serious tolerance for that much scenery.  Then again, how many times do you get to go to the R&R Hall Of Fame, I guess.

     Headed back to the hotel, hung out for a bit.  Talked to my son on the phone, which felt good.  Dave and I polished guitars, I took some phone video of Dave and Matt starting to wrestle, we watched the rest of 'Blades Of Glory' (again, brilliant), then headed to the HiFi.  Met some of the other band people there.  This wasn't too hard, as there were five bands on the bill, so they were everywhere.  Loaded in then walked down the street to some Italian restaurant.  Food was ok.  Not good enough to keep me out of the bathroom right afterwards, though.  (We'll just leave that at that.)  Got back and our bud Eric from Pittsburgh and his lady showed up, which was nice to finally meet them in person.  We all hung out and it was cool.  Matt slept on a couch in the middle of it all through the first couple of bands, which, to put it lightly, was pretty easy to do.  Actually the band before us was pretty alright, but they had this whole stage show rehearsed and shit, complete with the two guitarists standing on either side of the drum riser holding their guitars up in the air by the necks with one hand at the same time.  That shit is queertastic.  We went on and killed.  Only got to play a 40 minute set, but people came in and payed attention and whatnot, which is really all you can ask for.  Eric was right up front rocking out, which fuled the fire.  He also was lip-syncing to the tunes...which for me is bad because I usually (as was the case during 'ManClimber') forget my own lyrics and make shit up.  He was more 'on' than I was.  Oh well. 

     Next band went on and we barely got off of the stage...they had all of these 'roadies' and shit and were giving us the full-on rockstar treatment (i.e. - getting in our way while we're trying to break down gear, being generally uncool, etc).  All of this hubbub for a band who comes out and ended up covering Green Day and The Ramones.  Oh-they took their tops off near the end to show they were wearing bras and had naughty words scrawled on their bellies, though.  Not to bad-mouth anyone else or anything, but when you pretend to act cool to us beforehand and then pull a bunch of 'rock and roll' bullshit, act like a bunch of assholes to us yet then can't even back it up on stage, I've got to call you out on it.  Fucking weak. 

     Matty walked back to the hotel (about four blocks) and Dave and I stayed around, kept drinking their 24 oz. cans of Pabst (hooray!) and then hit an all-night diner on the way back.  We wanted to adopt the waitress as our road mom.  Total sweetheart.

     Trip back was fairly uneventful.  Best part of it was discovering THE TALE OF THE HAWK.  (It's a band thing.)  Great fucking weekend out with friends.  Had a damn good time.  Pretty sorry to be back home, actually.  Give me more road.

     There you have it.  Right from the horse's ass...um, we mean 'mouth'.  Thanks to everyone who came out in Hamtramck and Lakewood, hung out with us and helped us have a good time.  See you next time around.  Onward...

     After some delay, we're going back in to the studio to finish the mixing of the new EP.  We recorded "I Am Hellbound", "The Reign Of Rock", "Rollin' " and "Give It A Fight" and we think they turned out pretty damn solid.  A quick overview  -

"Rollin' " is probably as close to our writing a song for "Van Halen II" as we'll ever come.  "Reign Of Rock" will make you want to mount a steed with the thousands and charge the horizon.  "I Am Hellbound" will make you high-five each other until your hands bleed.  Lastly, "Give It A Fight" will most likely come with a 'do not drive your car or operate heavy machinery' disclosure, as it will probably either get you a speeding ticket or force you to drive that forklift at top speed right into that wall, just to see what happens.  ...and the cover art is DEFINITELY something designed by CHIEF.

   Not sure exactly where it will be sold digitally just yet, but it WILL be sold digitally as well as we're pressing a limited number of hard copies.  We will keep you posted as to it's progress once it's in the pressing stages.

     That's it for now from CHIEF HQ (as this is way too long already).  Keep your rock flag flying.

Cheers and Beers, CHIEF

     Hello again, people.  Many things brewing in the CHIEF camp, so we wanted to send out a transmission from the pod...

     First of all, we've got many to thank for the gig other night at Club Garibaldi's in Milwaukee.  First and foremost the people that actually did make it out on a Tuesday evening to get their heads rocked off.  You may have been few in number, but you were larger than life in enthusiasm, noise and just plain old rocking out.  Nothing tops that shit.  Second, the guys at Garibaldi, especially Hamtone for doing sound and all of those guys eating some bucks in the name of rock.  It's pretty damn cool when adversity arises and people band together, smile through it, turn everything up and just have a good time.  Good to know that there are still some like-minded souls out there.  Speaking of like-minded souls, the other bands that we played with that evening are worthy of all greatness that comes their way.  The Beowolves (www.myspace.com/rocknrollbrothas) were just damn cool dudes and brought some serious rock to the table.  You all should check them out any time you possibly can.  You won't regret it.  Last but definitely not least, Grendels Arm came all the way from Maryland and most definitely rock the hell out of the place.  It's good to know that we, the boys in CHIEF, have met yet more true brothers in the cause of rock and roll.  Heavier than lead, louder than god and cooler than the Fonz (not that Bronze bastard, either).  We were glad to all be able to show them the kind of hospitality that only Milwaukee can provide (aside form the fact that no one, ourselves included, put them up for the night...shame on all of us...that'll be different next time)...they amazingly made it home alive and with no jail time.  We will definitely be doing more gigs with both bands in the future.  Very kick ass experience. 

     On to near future endeavors...

     As late summer approaches, CHIEF is finally getting in some road time.  This Friday, we play our first gig at Reggies Music Joint, 2105 S State St in Chicago.  The lineup's changed a few times over the past couple of weeks (to which we thank Elle Diabla in advance for dealing with the bullshit), but CHIEF has remained the only constant.  Lasat we checked, it's My Velouria at 10p, CHIEF at 11p and Hail The Black Dragons (www.myspace.com/hailtheblackdragons) after.  21+, $3 Goose Island beers all night long.  Make the jaunt and rock with us.  After that, we take a month off of gigging to concentrate ..ing up our latest EP in the studio and getting it pressed to we can share it with all of the CHIEFheads once we emerge once more in September (more on recording in a bit...).  September 19th & 20th, CHIEF embarks on our first ever 'tour' (if you can call two days a tour...we are, anyway).  Friday, 9/19 we hit The Belmont, 10215 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck, MI (check out http://www.myspace.com/thebelmont or http://www.thebelmontbar.com/).  The bill has yet to be fleshed out, but all we can say is that we know that Hamtramck, and The Belmont in particular, is a 'ground zero' for rock, punk and all of the savage trappings that go along with it.  The next night we hit the HiFi Concert Cafe in Lakewood, OH (http://www.myspace.com/thehificoncertclub), on a bill with Lower 13 (www.myspace.com/thebandlower13) , Mechanics of Things (www.myspace.com/mechanicsofthings1) and headlined by 11After (www.myspace.com/sugarcoatedrock).  Tickets can be (more like SHOULD be) purchased in advance via PayPal.  This is being conducted by Jenn at Toxic Entertainment (the booker for the HiFi in Lakewood).  Contact Jenn at toxicent_jenn@yohoo.com or (440) 521-3193 to get yours.  Jenn, along with the folks at Rise Above Promotions in Cleveland have already been unbelievably cool with us in setting this whole thing up.  We're really looking forward to both shows and bringing CHIEF's rock out even further to the people.

     It's funny how when you finally get a mention in a local rag after not having played out for a month or so, in their eyes you've been 'in a period of inactivity'.  We guess that all of the emailing/sending of promo etc the whole time must've just gotten lost in the mail somehow...  Taking a year off from doing ANYTHING is a 'period of inactivity'.  Not doing a gig for a month or so while you're writing, recording, etc is more working than anything else.  We can forgive, however.  Just treat it as though you haven't 'seen' us in a while because we've been busy building a CHIEF bomb.  On that note, a quick mention on our latest recording...  We've just got onemore little bit to aly down on one song.  Chris got a little wrapped up in all things percussive (cowbell, tambourine, shaker, beer bottle, etc) and by the time he was back home after the last session forgot to put in handclaps.  "Handclaps", you ask?  You may be thinking "What kind of pop bullshit is THAT?"  Trust us on this one-without the handclaps for this tune, it'd just be another awesome rock song.  WITH the handclaps, it's going to be a TOTALLY awesome rock song.  Mixing will happen soon after that and we should have this little puppy on the platter for everyone by early September.  We're already really proud of how the songs are coming along.  We won't blow the surprise load just yet, but suffice it to say that a couple of them aren't so much a departure from the 'classic' sound of CHIEF is they are a sign of expansion.  Ooo-how mysterious.  That and the only other thing that we'll give out is that the cover art alone will make you want to rock out.  Cool.

     That's all for now.  Thanks again for supporting the CHIEF cause, keeping tabs on us, coming out to rock with us and generally making it still completely worthwhile to maintain the CHIEF machine.  You rule.

Cheers and Beers, CHIEF

The WMSE broadcast. Enjoy.

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Hello again, fine people. 

     Whilst it may seem CHIEF has been inactive for a while, things are simmering just below full boil in the CHIEF camp.  We've a few upcoming shows to mention that will help round out your summer in rock and roll fashion, as well as other news.

     As you notice in our upcoming shows calendar, CHIEF will be heading south to Illinois twice, first to South Barrington on 7/19 at the Penny Road Pub and then to Chicago proper at Reggie's Music Joint on 8/15.  The people involved at those venues have already been quite cool to us and we want to reciprocate by not only bringing them the 150% of rock that we bring every time, but also by bringing CHIEFheads through the door.  Start your planning now...whether you follow us down from Miltown, make the drive from wherever else you may be, ride with us-whatever.  Let's show the mighty Illionis how the CHIEF Worldwide Rock Force does it, baby.

     In September, we're excited as hell to finally dust off the wheels and take our first, if not small, foray out on the road, where we hit The Belmont in Hamtramck (Detroit), MI on 9/19 and then swing down to the HiFi Concert Cafe in Lakewood (Cleveland), OH the night after on 9/20.  Final details on the full bill for both shows will come soon, but let's just say that we believe that our rock is NEEDED in Michigan and Ohio (not to mention the rest of the world...that'll come after).  It promises to be a whirlwind for both band and CHIEFheads alike.  (...and Eric, we hope you'll be wearing your drinking helmet.  You'll need it.)  We haven't even really started with promotion on it and we've already got to thank Melody/The Belmont in MI and Jenn/Toxic Entertainment and Brodie/Rise Above Productions in OH for being infinitely cool to us in helping with booking, promotion, etc in preparation for CHIEF's assault on the 'eastMidwest'.

     In other thangs...  CHIEF will be re-entering the studio very soon to be recording the newest, latest, greatest epics to beef up our catalog of rock solid rock.  We're not giving away TMI just yet, but be ready for a possible EP once we hit the road.  We're keeping our fingers crossed that all goes according to plan so that we can bring you a platter to remember us by from when we come to rock your bones.

     That's all for this transmission.  Just wanted to keep you abreast of the fact that we are still indeed alive, well and are now breathing even newer life into the CHIEF machine because of the 'call of the road'.  Remember, you can still purchase the debut CD from CHIEF on CDBaby.com, iTunes, local Milwaukee retailers and at all shows, where you can also score CHIEF swag, t-shirts and 'Hot Blood, Volume XIII', a collection of horrorerotica short stories featuring the work of CHIEF's very own Dave Benton.  Thanks to all of you who keep in constant contact with us, post bulletins about/for us, rock with us and still minute by minute make it worthwhile to be CHIEF.  You kick ass and we salute you all.

Cheers and Beers, CHIEF

Just a quick one, so you know that we’re still alive and charging the horizon...

     First, we thank all of you who showed up to the BBC show, hung out, had a beer with us, bought us shots (Paris-um...thanks? ...ugh...), picked up the CD, bought a shirt, high-fived us - whatever.  The fact that you showed up and plain ol’ rocked your asses off at the front of the stage with us made it a hell of great time and a fun hang.  That’s really all we ever ask for in a rock show.  Cool.

     Just so’s you knows, we’ve got a copy of our recent appearance on WMSE’s ’Local/Live’ show, so we’ll be posting a couple of the newer songs from that show on our page over the next few days...just to give you something new to bite into until we hit the studio again (which should be in the next few months or so).  Be prepared for the rumblings of ’Hellbound’ and ’The Reign of Rock’.

     Also, as you can see from our latest posted pic, we’re making our first foray into Chicago with an appearance at the Elbo Room on Wednesday, April 2nd.  Yeah, it’s a ’school night’, but really any night is a night for rock and roll.  Getting the word out early on this one because we want to make sure the rock is HEARD.  Spread the word.

Soon...

Cheers and Beers, CHIEF