The Cheifs
The Cheifs are one of the early LA punk bands that are often cited as an inspiration to many around the LA punk scene of the late 70s and early 80s. Their music predates hardcore and is an aggressive yet melodic bridge. The Cheifs are often cited as the band that bridged the gap between West Coast punk and hardcore. They were a favorite of bands like The Descendents and Bad Religion. Their 45 EP Blues (Playgems, 1980) sells for $250 to $400. They have been included on Killed By Death compilations, and in 1997 a CD of their collective works was released.
Cheifs | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Chiefs |
| Origin | Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Years active | 1979–1982 2016–present |
Misspelling
Around 1979, Glassley had an uncle die from Leukemia. He'd worked as a butcher and always wore plain white T-shirts. When he died, Glassley inherited those shirts. One afternoon he bought some red and black spray paint, went to his room at Holly-West, and made band shirts. When he showed them to the rest of the band, the reaction was a resounding, "Ah dude, you spelled it wrong! On every single one of them!"
History
On the evening of October 17, 2017, cancer claimed the life of founding band member, Bob Glassley.
Formation
Hollywood, California, USA
- Jerry Koskie – vocals
- George Walker – guitars
- Bob Glassley – bass
- Rabit – drums
Recordings
- Blues (7" single) 1980
- Holly-West Crisis (CD) 1997
Compilations
- Chunks US 12" 1981 (New Alliance): The Lonelys
- Who Cares US LP 1981 (American Standard): No Justice / Riot Squad / Scrapped
- Killed By Death #2 US LP 1989 (Redrum): Blues
- Bloodstains Across California US LP 1993 (Bloodstains): Tower 18
Current members
- Brad Castlen – vocals
- Scott Hedeen – guitars
- Bob Glassley – bass
- James Joyce – drums
References
- Gibbon, Punky "Punk Hardcore Oi! New Wave Post-Punk" Punky Gibbon.
- Radford, Chad "Cheifin' Out" Creative Loafing.