Chakk

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British industrial funk band

title: "Chakk" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["english-industrial-music-groups", "musical-groups-from-sheffield", "musical-groups-established-in-1981"] description: "British industrial funk band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakk" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary British industrial funk band ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

FieldValue
nameChakk
originSheffield, England
genreIndustrial music
years_active1981–1987
labelDoublevision
Fon
MCA
associated_actsLongpigs, Moloko
past_membersAlan Cross
Mark Brydon
Dee Boyle
Sim Lister
Jake Harries
Jon Stuart
::

| name = Chakk | image = | caption = | image_size = | origin = Sheffield, England | genre = Industrial music | years_active = 1981–1987 | label = Doublevision Fon MCA | associated_acts = Longpigs, Moloko | alias = | website = | past_members = Alan Cross Mark Brydon Dee Boyle Sim Lister Jake Harries Jon Stuart

Chakk were an industrial funk band from Sheffield, who existed from 1981 until 1987. Members were Alan Cross, Mark Brydon, Dee Boyle, Sim Lister, Jake Harries and Jon Stuart. The band never achieved commercial success, but have been noted for their wide influence on later British dance music, particularly via Fon Studios. Mark Brydon later went on to form and achieved success with Moloko.

History

Chakk's first single, "Out of the Flesh", produced by Richard H. Kirk, on Cabaret Voltaire's Doublevision label, reached number three on the independent charts in 1984. The band recorded a John Peel session on 17 October 1984 ("Cut The Dust", "Sedative Ends", "No. 3 Sound", "Mother Tongues"). Their second single "You", released in 1985, was also an indie hit, reaching number 14. They then signed an album deal with MCA Records, who released 10 Days in an Elevator. The initial version of the album was rejected and a rerecorded version was finally released in 1986; it did not sell well and the band was dropped later that year. They released a few more singles and split in 1987.

Non-MCA recordings from "You" onwards were released on their own Fon Records label ("Fuck Off Nazis" or "Fear of Nazis", from a piece of 1940s graffiti on a wall in Sheffield), which was started by the band with their manager, Amrik Rai (formerly a journalist for New Musical Express). Rai also ran a record shop of the same name for a time.

The band built Fon Studios with the MCA advance money (reportedly £100,000) in 1985 as both Alan Cross and Mark Brydon had studied Architecture, with Cross having work experience designing recording studios and interior acoustics with Andy Munroe Associates and also as it was cheaper to build a studio in Sheffield than to record in London. Fon Studios and the Fon Force production team became important to Sheffield music and paved the way for labels like Warp. Brydon did significant later work in production (including "House Arrest" by Krush) and started Moloko with Róisín Murphy.

Alan Cross moved back to London where he continued to write songs for Warner Chappell Music and had dance hits with "So In Love" by Judy Cheeks and "Set Me Free" by Clubland.

Aftermath

In 2007, a digital compilation of the band's FON Records' singles was released.

Chakk were featured in Eve Wood's documentary films on the Sheffield music scene, Made in Sheffield (2009) and The Beat Is the Law (2011).

In 2016, the band's debut album Clocks and Babies was remastered and reissued on CD and digitally.

Discography

Albums

  • Clocks and Babies (cassette, 1982)
  • 10 Days in an Elevator (LP+EP, MCA MCG-6006, 1986)
  • Beneath the Dancefloor – Basement Tapes (Chakk 1983–1984) (mini-LP, Fon FONX-6, 1987)
  • Out of the Flesh: The Singles (download only, iTunes, 2007)

Singles

  • "Out of the Flesh (Mix I)" (6:00) // "Out of the Flesh (Mix II)" (3:53) / "Out of the Flesh (Mix III)" (5:06) (12", Doublevision DVR-6, 1984) – UK Indie no. 4
  • "You" / "They Say" (7", Fon FON-01, 1985) – UK Indie no. 14
  • "You (Mix 1)" / "You (Mix 2)" // "They Say (Mix 1)" / "They Say (Mix 2)" (12", Fon FONT-001, 1985)
  • "Imagination (Who Needs a Better Life)" (4:15) / "Imagination (Instrumental)" (7", MCA/Fon FON-2, 1986)
  • "Imagination (Extended Mix)" // "Imagination (Dub Mix)" / "Imagination (Instrumental)" (12", MCA/Fon FONT-2, 1986)
  • "Big Hot Blues" / "Cut the Dust" (7", MCA/Fon FON-3, 1986)
  • "Big Hot Blues (Extended Mix)" // "Big Blue Mix" / "Cut the Dust" (12", MCA/Fon FONT-3, 1986)
  • "Time Bomb" / "Just Pieces" (7", Fon FON-06, 1986) – UK Indie no. 20
  • Timebomb EP (12", Fon FONT-6, 1986) :"Take Your Time" (5:23) // "The Pieces" (5:14) / "Just Wait" (4:57)
  • Timebomb Crashpack (Fon FONT-6-P) included single-sided 12" "Out of the Flesh" (FONT-10)
  • Timebomb (Bombed-Out Remixes) (12", Fon FONL-6, 1987) :"Take Your Time (Earth Calling)" // "Just Pieces (Bumper Bomb Bonus)" / "Just Pieces (Bomb-Bay Mix)" / "Just Pieces (Bouncing Beats)"
  • "Brain" / "Years I Worked" (12", Fon CHAKK-1)

Collaboration

  • (with The Swanhunters) "Bloodsport" (12", Fon SWAN-3, 1986) :"Bloodsport (The Full Report)" // "Bloodsport (State of Emergency)" / "Bloodsport (Too Little Too Late)"

References

References

  1. [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chakk-mn0001177764 Chakk] (AllMusic)
  2. [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Chakk Chakk] (discogs.com)
  3. Simpson, Dave (2011) "[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jul/21/catalyst-bands-ruthless-rap-assassins 'Catalyst bands': What do you mean, you've never heard of them?]", ''[[The Guardian]]'', 21 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2012
  4. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1980s/1984/Oct07chakk/ BBC – Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – 07/10/1984 Chakk]
  5. Young, Rob (2005) ''Warp: Labels Unlimited'', Black Dog Publishing, {{ISBN. 978-1904772323, p. 29
  6. Lazell, Barry (1998) ''Indie Hits 1980–1989'', Cherry Red Books, {{ISBN. 0-95172-069-4, p. 39
  7. Fish, Mick (2002) ''Industrial Evolution: Through the 80s with Cabaret Voltaire'', SAF Publishing Ltd, {{ISBN. 978-0946719464, p. 172
  8. "[http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/city_music_beat_goes_on_into_new_decades_1_457409 City music beat goes on into new decades] {{Webarchive. link. (19 July 2011 ", ''[[Sheffield Telegraph]]'', 2 November 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2012)
  9. "[https://archive.today/20130505062552/http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/listings/cinema/city_bands_are_back_on_the_beat_1_3979176 City bands are back on the beat]", ''[[Sheffield Telegraph]]'', 18 November 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2012
  10. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Clocks-And-Babies/release/313834 Chakk – Clocks And Babies (Cassette) at Discogs]
  11. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-10-Days-In-An-Elevator/release/42582 Chakk – 10 Days In An Elevator (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs]
  12. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Beneath-The-Dancefloor-Basement-Tapes-Chakk-1983-1984/release/2076191 Chakk – Beneath The Dancefloor – Basement Tapes (Chakk 1983–1984) (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  13. [https://music.apple.com/gb/album/out-of-the-flesh-the-singles/264981244 iTunes – Music – Out of the Flesh – The Singles by Chakk]
  14. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Out-Of-The-Flesh/release/2051405 Chakk – Out Of The Flesh (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  15. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-You-They-Say/release/497704 Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  16. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-You-They-Say/release/30335 Chakk – You / They Say (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  17. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Imagination-Who-Needs-A-Better-Life/release/867215 Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  18. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Imagination-Who-Needs-A-Better-Life/release/42570 Chakk – Imagination (Who Needs A Better Life) (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  19. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Big-Hot-Blues/release/2083636 Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  20. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Big-Hot-Blues/release/1362377 Chakk – Big Hot Blues (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  21. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb/release/1020725 Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  22. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb/release/30336 Chakk – Timebomb (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  23. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb-Crashpack/release/2318017 Chakk – Timebomb Crashpack (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  24. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Timebomb-Bombed-Out-Remixes/release/200344 Chakk – Timebomb (Bombed-Out Remixes) (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  25. [http://www.discogs.com/Chakk-Brain/release/2021891 Chakk – Brain (Vinyl) at Discogs]
  26. [http://www.discogs.com/Swanhunterswith-Chakk-Bloodsport/release/635568 Swanhunters, With the Chakk – Bloodsport (Vinyl) at Discogs]

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english-industrial-music-groupsmusical-groups-from-sheffieldmusical-groups-established-in-1981