The Chesterfield Kings: 6 Albums

 

The Chesterfield Kings are a rock band from Rochester, New York, who began as a retro-1960s garage

band, and who have heavily mined the underside of 1960s music, including some spot-on borrowings from the 1960s Rolling Stones. Core members are former Distorted Level singer, underground music journalist and Andy Babiuk (16 years old at the time of the band's founding); others have come and gone. The band, named after a defunct brand of unfiltered cigarette, was instrumental in sparking the 1980s garage band revival.
                    

The Chesterfield Kings led the psychadelic revival of the early 1980s that bands like Distorted Level

had pioneered in the late Seventies with weird ditties like Her Mister (1978). Formed in 1979 in Rochester, NY by former Distorted Level singer, underground music journalist and avid record collector Greg Prevost with enfant prodige Andy Babiuk and keyboardist Orest Guran the Chesterfield Kings offered an oleographic and overly nostalgic view of psychadelia.
                      

Not only did their repertory consist entirely of obscure covers, but the band also aimed at duplicating

the look and feel of the garage-punk bands of the Sixties. Here Are (Bomp, 1982) was the album that contributed to starting the psychedelic revival of the 1980s. The group, so unlike any other underground sensations of the period, arguably kickstarted the entire '80s garage rock revival, which flourished in small circles until the end of the decade.
                        

After releasing two scene-defining LPs, Here Are the Chesterfield Kings and Stop!, the combo changed

its lineup and sound. With only singer Greg Prevost and bassist Andy Babiuk remaining from the Kings' 1979 incarnation, the band rescinded its promise never to sound like anything from rock's post-1966 history, and began to generate a '70s Rolling Stones/Flamin' Groovies hard rock image and sheen, which culminated in its 1994 LP, Let's Go Get Stoned, a sendup/tribute of post-Aftermath Rolling Stones.
               

Still, the Kings have never drifted too far from their garage band roots, and the group's subsequent

albums, which include Don't Open Til Doomsday (1997), Where the Action Is (1999), The Mindbending Sounds of the Chesterfield Kings (2003), and Psychedelic Sunrise (2007), have all been cut from the same fabric.

LINE - UP

                

Greg Prevost (lead vocals, multi-instrumentalist 1979–current)
Andy Babiuk (bass, multi-instrumentalist 1979–current)  
Orest Guran (organ, guitar, 1979–1986)Blair Buscareno, Richard Cona (lead guitar 1979–c.1987)
Doug Meech (drummer 1979–c.1988)
Walt O'Brien (guitar, organ, 1986-1987)
Paul Rocco (guitar 1990-1995)
Brett Reynolds (drums 1990-1995)
Jeff Okolowicz (guitar 1995-1999)
Ted Okolowicz (guitar 1995-1999)
Paul Morabito (guitar 1999–current)
Mike Boise (drums, percussion 1995–current)

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS - HERE ARE THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS 1982

         

Like most early-'60s rock records, Here Are... is a collection made up entirely of R&B and rock & roll

covers (mostly obscure here), but this album was released in 1983. Avoiding campy thematic retreats, The Chesterfield Kings will impress you with both their intense musical knowledge and their evasion of revivalism. The sound quality, like their early-'60s antecedents, is horribly monaural, but The Chesterfield Kings wanted that dirty, 1960s two-track atmosphere on this album. This is a record that both mimics and honors the time-lost tradition of abrasive and abrupt, underproduced rock & roll.

The Chesterfield Kings – Here Are The Chesterfield Kings
Label: Mirror 2011
Released: 1982
Format: CD  
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

                    

01. The Hustler    2:06
02. You Better Look Now    2:07
03. Outside Chance    2:42
04. I Told Those Little White Lies    2:42
05. Won't Come Back    2:28
06. I Can Only Give You Everything
07. I'm Going Home    2:32
08. Expo 2000    2:25
09. No Way Out    2:11
10. Come With Me    2:00
11. Fluctuation    4:01
12. Satisfaction Guaranteed    2:02
13. 99th Floor    2:15
14. Time To Kill    1:53
15. 60 Second Swinger    2:16

MP3 @ 320 Size: 99 MB
Flac  Size: 250 MB

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS - STOP! 1985

                       

Stop! continues in The Chesterfield Kings' fantastic survey of all things '60s, This is the album where

the band began to perform mostly originals, which are both more pop-oriented than the covers on the first Kings full-length and of higher musical quality, as the band progressed past the murkiness of '60s garage sloppiness. In all, Stop! is the best Chesterfield Kings album to date.

 

The Chesterfield Kings – Stop!
Format: CD
Label: Mirror 10
Year: 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

                   

01. Stop       2:01
02. It's Alright       2:10
03. I Cannot Find Her     2:06
04. Cry Your Eyes Out    2:28
05. You Belong To Me    2:04
06. Say You're Mine    1:45
07. Hey Little Bird      2:25
08. She Told Me Lies    2:13
09. Fight Fire    2:08
10. I Don't Know Why    2:34
11. She's Got No Time    1:57
12. My Canary Is Yellow    1:42
13. Bad Woman    2:13

MP3 @ 320 Size: 78 MB
Flac  Size: 202 MB

THE CHESTERFFIELD KINGS - DON'T OPEN TIL DOOMSDAY 1987

              

The Chesterfield Kings still stun with their talent for writing catchy garage pop reminiscent of the '60s,

despite the facts that by 1987, the widespread underground garage-rock revival had already passed its climax, and that this album has a higher production level than previous efforts.

 

 

 

The Chesterfield Kings – Don't Open Til Doomsday
Label: New Rose Records – ROSE 128
Format: CD, Album
Country: France
Released: 1987
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock

TRAXS

                   

01. Selfish Little Girl    3:22
02. I'll Go  (Written-By – T-Bone Burnett)   2:18
03. Everywhere    3:00
04. Time Will Tell  (Written-By – Ray Davies)   2:44
05. I Can't Get Nothin'    2:42
06. You're Gone    2:41
07. Someday Girl   2:33
08. Social End Product  (Written-By – John Harris)    2:56
09. Baby Doll  (Producer, Written-By, Backing Vocals – Dee Dee King)   3:10
10. No Mind - No Soul    2:47
11. Ain't No Use    2:52
12. Look Around    2:23
13. I'll Be Back Someday    2:30
14. Doin' Me Wrong    2:31

MP3 @ 320 Size: 89 MB
Flac  Size: 268 MB

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS - NIGHT OF THE LIVING EYES 1989

                  

Night Of The Living Eyes (Mirror, 1989) collects rarities and live tracks.

An all-covers collection of early 45s and unreleased material makes the A-side of this record the definitive sound-history of pre-1984 Chesterfield Kings. The style of these songs, particularly the band's first 1979 single "I Ain't No Miracle Worker," is even more stripped down than their debut album, and though the music had already progressed to an astute level of playing, singer Greg Provost sounds like he's still trying to develop. The B-side is a live recording from a 1983 concert and, despite its relatively poor sound quality, is a raucous and fleeting example of things to come.

The Chesterfield Kings – Night Of The Living Eyes
Label: Mirror Records Inc. – CD-13
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

STUDIO SELECTIONS 1979 - 1983       

                    

  
01. I Ain't No Miracle Worker   2:47
Written-By – A. Tucker, M. Nantz
02. Exit 9   1:53
Written-By – Heard
03. You Can't Catch Me   2:15
Written-By – Weick, Finchum, Evans, Motley, Greibel
04. I Won't Be There   2:02
Written-By – M. Frieser
05. Hey Little Bird   2:20
Written-By – Tommy Kaye
06. I Can Only Give You Everything   3:20
Written-By – P. Coulter, T. Scott
07. One More Day, One More Night   3:52
Written-By – Armand Schaubroeck

LIVE SELECTIONS - RECORDED LIVE AT THE PEPPERMINT LOUNGE, NEW YORK CITY 2/'83       

                       

  
08. Night Of The Phantom   2:54
Written-By – Larry, Larry
09. Really Mystified   2:00
Written-By – Gustafson, Crane
10. 7 Days Of Cryin'   2:00
Written-By – Cavaliers
11. Taste Of The Same   2:30
Written-By – Mike Taylor (11)
12. Don't Tell Me No Lies   1:50
Written-By – J. Fogerty, T. Fogerty
13. Don't Burn It   2:10
Written-By – John Nitzinger
14. My Confusion   2:12
Written-By – R. Brownlee
15. Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love-In)   2:09
Written-By – D. Bennett, E. McElroy

MP3 @ 320 Size: 93 MB
Flac  Size: 264 MB

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS - SURFIN' RAMPAGE 1997

                 

Surfin' Rampage (Mirror, 1997) is an equally faithful tribute to surf music. 32 tracks released in 1997

on MIRROR Records, MIRROR 23. Produced by Bob Irwin. Greg Prevost on vocals, Andy Babiuk, Bass.SEALED!!! Surfin' Rampage (1997) showed that they were fully capable of pop harmonies.

 

The Chesterfield Kings – Surfin' Rampage
Label: Mirror Records Inc. – MIRROR CD-23
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1997
Genre: Rock
Style: Surf

TRAXS

                   

01. The Surf Is In    2:04
02. Top Down Time    2:30
03. Anywhere The Girls Are    2:19
04. Farmer's Daughter    2:16
05. Draggin' Deuce    2:07
06. Moon Relay    2:32
07. Shelby GT 356    2:38
08. Wax Board And Woodie    1:58
09. Black Denim    1:53
10. R.P.M.    2:43
11. Ballad Of Bonneville    2:24
12. Little Honda    2:12
13. Beat '65    1:57
14. Our Car Club    2:32
15. Summer Means Fun    2:13
16. No Go Showboat    1:58
17. Devil On Wheels    2:04
18. Little Beach Bunny    2:10
19. Double O Surf    3:07
20. Hot Rod High    2:18
21. D/Gas Chevy    1:46
22. My Little Bike    1:56
23. Custom Machine    1:47
24. The Swim    1:52
25. Echo    2:41
26. Surfin'    2:45
27. Surf Side Steady    3:05
28. Competition Coupe    2:31
29. Coffin Nails    2:00
30. Land Beyond The Moon    2:22
31. Tell 'Em I'm Surfin'    2:04
32. Surfin' Rampage    3:02

MP3 @ 320 Size: 202 MB
Flac  Size: 507 MB

THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS - THE MINDBENDING SOUBDS OF... 2003

                 

These guys have been cranking out unhinged garage music since the early ’80s, except for a brief flirtation with a more ’70s hard rock sound in the early ’90s. After bouncing back with a surf album (!) and then the fantastic Where The Action Is album in 1999, they regained their status as true garage kings. This new album is the first Kings album to feature all original material, and is also their most

psychedelic release yet. We’re not talking hippie-dippy jammed-out crap, either. This is fuzzed-out, manic, and often demented sounding acid-punk. “I Don’t Understand,” previously released in a slightly different version as a 7″ single, kicks things off and features pal Little Steven on guitar, organ and production. Former Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen also adds some guitar to a couple of songs, “Mystery Trip” and “Death Is the Only Real Thing,” the latter of which sounds like a lost track from the Rolling Stones’ Between the Buttons LP. The rest is all played by the four Kings, utilizing tons of vintage guitars, pedals, keyboards, Theremin, Clavioline, Mandolin, Violin, Viola, Sitar, various percussive instruments and much more.

The Chesterfield Kings – The Mindbending Sounds Of... The Chesterfield Kings
Label: Sundazed Music – SC 11131
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: Aug 26, 2003
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

                   

01. I Don't Understand
Mixed By – Little Steven, Mick Guzauski
Organ, Guitar [Baritone Fuzz], Backing Vocals – Little Steven
Producer – Little Steven
3:30
02. Running Through My Nightmares    3:58
03. Somewhere Nowhere    3:32
04. Trip Through Tomorrow    3:13
05. Transparent Life    2:49
06. Death Is The Only Real Thing
Guitar [Lead] – Jorma Kaukonen
3:51
07. Disconnection    4:15
08. Stems And Flowers    3:11
09. Flashback    3:17
10. Memos From Purgatory    3:05
11. Mystery Trip
Guitar [Lead] – Jorma Kaukonen
4:36
12. Non-Entity    2:56
13. Endless Circles    2:57
14. The Fading Of My Mind    3:56

MP3 @ 320 Size: 121 MB
Flac  Size: 354 MB

The Chesterfield Kings on Urban Aspirines HERE

The Chesterfield Kings: The Berlin Wall Of Sound 1989 + Where The Action Is! 1999

 

Upstate New York's Chesterfield Kings landed upon the growing punk/new wave scene in the late '70s

with an unbelievably raw '60s rhythm & blues sound that borrowed heavily from pre-1966 Rolling Stones. The group, so unlike any other underground sensations of the period, arguably kickstarted the entire '80s garage rock revival, which flourished in small circles until the end of the decade.
                                                            

Their first broader public exposure came when a track on Greg Shaw's 1981 Bomp! Records compilation Battle of the Garage netted them a series of dates at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. After releasing two scene-defining LPs, "Here Are the Chesterfield Kings" and "Stop!", the

combo changed its lineup and sound. With only singer Greg Prevost and bassist Andy Babiuk remaining from the Kings' 1979 incarnation, the band rescinded its promise never to sound like anything from rock's post-1966 history, and began to generate a '70s Rolling Stones/Flamin' Groovies hard rock image and sheen, which culminated in its 1994 LP, "Let's Go Get Stoned", a sendup/tribute of post-Aftermath Rolling Stones.
                                                        

They then turned to a harder-edged rock sound for "Don't Open Till Doomsday" (1987) and "Berlin

Wall of Sound" (1989) featuring the blues guitar work of new band member Paul Rocco. The group's next album was an acoustic blues record "Drunk On Muddy Water" (1990). Still, the Kings have never drifted too far from their garage band roots, and the group's subsequent albums, which include "Don't Open Til Doomsday" (1997), "Where the Action Is" (1999), "The Mindbending Sounds of the Chesterfield Kings" (2003), and "Psychedelic Sunrise" (2007), have all been cut from the same fabric.
                                       

Their "Psychedelic Sunrise" (2008) was an extension of sorts of the group's previous album. "Got

Live…If You Want It" (2009) was a dual live recording and DVD set, as well as the group's final release. The Kings' full-length feature film Where is the Chesterfield King? (2000) is described on their web site as "A comedy/drama in the vein of The Bowery Boys, Batman, The Monkees Show, A Hard Day's Night, Hawaiian Eye, and The Munsters, with a little Three Stooges slapstick to boot…"
                                     

In 2011, Prevost took the solo route releasing a 45 "Mr. Charlie" b/w "Rolling Stone Blues" (Mean Disposition Records MDR45001) in 2012, and in 2013 releasing the blues-rock album Mississippi Murderer (Mean Disposition Records MDLP 001-vinyl & CD format). Mean Disposition is a division of Penniman Records out of Barcelona, Spain.

THE BERLIN WALL OF SOUND 1989

                                               

After taking three years off from recording, the Chesterfield Kings finally released The Berlin Wall of

Sound in 1990 and no doubt frightened many longtime fans by relinquishing every grasp on '60s garage-rock, instead delivering a New York Dolls/Heartbreakers approach. Retaining only original singer Greg Provost and original bassist Andy Babiuk, the album is surprisingly heartfelt, despite a wooden blues progression and some overblown, metallic nonsense that borders on the edge of ridiculous. The Hammond organ has disappeared, but The Kings make the new sound work for them, at least until the end of the record.

The Chesterfield Kings – The Berlin Wall Of Sound
Label: Mirror Records Inc. – CD-15
Format:    CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock
Style: Rock

TRAXS

                                

01. Richard Speck    3:03
02. Dual Action    3:29
03. No Purpose In Life    3:19
04. Coke Bottle Blues    3:34
05. (I'm So) Sick And Tired Of You    4:36
06. Love, Hate, Revenge    4:02
07. Branded On My Heart    3:35
08. Teenage Thunder    2:38
09. Come Back Angeline  (Drums – Doug Meech/Engineer – Harris Johns/Written-By – Daniel Ray, Dee Dee King)  2:57
10. Pills  (Written-By – E. McDaniel)  2:45
11. Who's To Blame    2:50
12. Coke Bottle Blues Revisited (A Tribute To Johnny)    1:12

Bass, Backing Vocals – Andy Babiuk
Drums, Backing Vocals – Brett Reynolds
Guitar [Additional], Piano [Additional] – Richie Scarlet
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Paul Rocco
Lead Vocals, Other [Animal Violence] – Greg Prevost
Producer – Richie Scarlet
Written-By – A. Babiuk (tracks: 1 to 5, 8, 11, 12), G. Prevost (tracks: 1 to 8, 11, 12), M. Pappert (tracks: 1, 2, 8), P. Rocco (tracks: 5, 6, 8, 12)

MP3 @ 320 Size: 90 MB
Flac  Size: 268 MB

WHERE THE ACTION IS!  1999

                                                 

Where the Action Is (1999) was a return to garage band roots, a mix of covers and 1960s-styled

originals.
In 1999, the Chesterfield Kings were still doing pretty much the same thing they were 15-20 years earlier: an album comprised mostly of covers of '60s garage classics, with a few originals in the same style. In fact, just four of the 17 tracks here are group compositions, the covers spanning nuggets relatively obscure (the Spiders' "Don't Blow Your Mind," the Electric Prunes' "Ain't It Hard"), hits (by the Syndicate Sound, Blues Magoos, and Hollies), and kinda cultish cuts (the Yardbirds' "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago," the Kinks' "I'm Not Like Everybody Else," the Standells' "Sometimes Good

Guys Don't Wear White"). By this time, it should be clear to everybody that the CKs are not innovators but popularizers of the form, just as some contemporary blues band would be popularizing B.B. King and Muddy Waters on a mostly covers disc, or a Scottish folk singer would be popularizing reels and jigs.

The Chesterfield Kings – Where The Action Is!
Label: Sundazed Music – LSD 13, Living Eye Records – LSD 13
Format:    CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1999
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

                                                            

01. Action, Action, Action  2:10
Written-By – B. Hart, T. Boyce
02. Ain't It Hard  2:34
Written-By – R. Tillison, T. Tillison
03. Wrong From Right  2:54
Written-By – A. Babiuk, G. Prevost, J. Okolowicz
04. I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time  2:21
Written-By – R. Evans, V. Pike
05. Where Do We Go From Here?  3:16
Written-By – A. Babiuk, G. Prevost, M. Lindsay
06. Misty Lane  3:01
Written-By – M. Siegel
07. I Walk In Darkness  2:57
Written-By – A. Babiuk, G. Prevost
08. Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White  2:32
Written-By – E. Cobb
09. Don't Blow Your Mind  2:36
Written-By – Dunaway, Furnier
10. Look Through Any Window  2:20
Written-By – Silverman, Gouldman
11. 1-2-5  2:27
Written-By – B. Burgess, J. Peters
12. I'm Not Like Everybody Else  3:49
Written-By – Davies
13. (We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet  2:21
Written-By – E. Thielhelm, M. Esposito, R. Scala, R. Gilbert
14. A Lovely Sort Of Death  4:55
Written-By – A. Babiuk, G. Prevost
15. Little Girl  2:38
Written-By – B. Gonzalez, D. Baskins
16. You Rub Me The Wrong Way  2:31
Written-By – D. Passerllo
17. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago  4:10
Written-By – J. Beck, J. McCarty, J. Page, K. Relf

MP3 @ 320 Size: 116 MB
Flac  Size: 316 MB

The Chesterfield Kings: Let's Go get Stoned (1994) on Urban Aspirines HERE

The Chesterfield Kings: Let's Go Get Stoned 1994

The Chesterfield Kings were a rock band from Rochester, New York, who began as a retro-1960s garage band, and who have heavily mined 1960s music.

The early Kings were a late-1970s recreation of a mid-1960s garage band sound. Their self-released first single (Living Eye Records, LSD-1) was a cover of The Brogues' 1965 "I Ain't No Miracle Worker" b/w The Heard's 1967 "Exit 9". In a deliberate effort to create their own rare garage-band collectible singles, only 100 copies were pressed.

Their first broader public exposure came when a track on Greg Shaw's 1981 Bomp! Records compilation Battle of the Garage netted them a series of dates at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. They continued with this 1960s garage sound through the mid-1980s, releasing two albums—Here are the Chesterfield Kings (1982) which contained entirely cover songs, and Stop! (1985) which introduced their first originals. They then turned to a harder-edged rock sound for Don't Open Till Doomsday (1987) and Berlin Wall of Sound (1989) featuring the blues guitar work of new band member Paul Rocco. The group's next album was an acoustic blues record Drunk On Muddy Water (1990).

Their Let's Go Get Stoned (1994) is a mix of slightly post-Aftermath Stones covers and worthy originals in the Stones' style.
[ AllMusic Review by Matt Carlson

Although the Chesterfield Kings promised that the group would never sound like anything after The Rolling Stones' Aftermath, Let's Go Get Stoned is a tribute to the post-Aftermath Stones, replete with Stones covers ("Street Fighting Man" and "Can't Believe It"), songs The Stones covered (Merle Haggard's "Sing Me Back Home"), and Kings originals that mimic The Stones. Mick Taylor even guests on "I'm Not Talking." Singer Greg Provost has always worshipped at Mick Jagger's altar, but here, the attempt is deliberate. Musically, the results are different, of course, but The Chesterfield Kings go beyond mere ripoff or idolatry.]

Surfin' Rampage (1997) showed that they were fully capable of pop harmonies; Where the Action Is (1999) was a return to garage band roots, a mix of covers and 1960s-styled originals.

The Mindbending Sounds of the Chesterfield Kings (2003) pays tribute to the more baroque side of the 1960s underground, evoking at times the sound of the Electric Prunes ("Transparent Life", "Disconnection"), and featuring appearances by Jorma Kaukonen on two tracks.

Their Psychedelic Sunrise (2008) was an extension of sorts of the group's previous album.
Got Live…If You Want It (2009) was a dual live recording and DVD set, as well as the group's final release.

TRAXS

01. Johnny Volume (Saxophone – James Locigno)   2:16

02. Street Fighting Man (Piano [Additional] – Gilby Clarke)Written By – M. Jagger, K. Richards   3:25

03. Drunkhouse     2:58

04. It's Getting Harder All The Time  (Lead Guitar – Kim SimmondsWritten-By – K. Simmonds)   3:35

05. I'd Rather Be Dead  (Arranged By – G. Prevost, P. Rocco ) Traditional   3:49

06. Can't Believe It    Written-By – M. Jagger, K. Richards   3:05

07. Rock N' Roll Murder   (Saxophone – James Locigno)   Written-By – Kim Fowley   2:53

08. Sing Me Back Home  (Steel Guitar [Pedal] – Chuck Clarke)  written-By – Merle Haggard   3:24

09. Long Ago, Far Away     3:51

10. I'm Not Talking  (Slide Guitar – Mick Taylor)  Written-By – Mose Allison   2:31

11. One Foot In The Graveyard     3:29

12. Worried Life Blues   Written-By – M. Merriweather   2:50

13. I'm So Confused, Baby     4:32

14. Cannonballs For Christmas     1:12

MP3 Size: 103 MB

Flac Size: 294 MB