CHOW CHOW release COLOURS AND LINES debut album
Chow Chow is the result of the coming together of three unique individuals - Iain (vocals/guitar/electronics), Stu (bass/vocals/electronics) and Nathan (drums/vocals). Iain was born in Wales and moved to Edmonton, Canada when he was young. Stu is Edmonton through and through and he met Iain at high school there - when, as Stu puts it, he was ‘dancing like MC Hammer in our high school cafeteria.
They moved to London in 2002 and while Iain went over to play music and meet some interesting people, Stu had the intention of becoming a full-time happy hardcore DJ but things turned out slightly differently! The rave scene's loss appears to be the rock scene's gain. Drummer Nathan came over from New Zealand having flipped a coin and decided to come to London for a look around. The trio hooked up in London in 2006 and starting playing music together and soon signed to UK based independent FANTASTIC PLASTIC.
The ‘Colours And Lines' mini album is the culmination of the Chow Chow story. It follows two limited edition releases. The Chow Chow Chow Chow Chow Chow Chow Chow Chow EP saw the light of day in December 2006, was a BBC 6 Music Single Of The Week on release and sold-out so fast they couldn't be seen. ‘Dear Francis' was the follow-up single and came with a free snakes and ladders game as the artwork. It had dice and everything. It was very, very good. This mini-album does all that these previous releases did only more so.
With this eight tracker, Chow Chow have demonstrated a great number of skills. Summing these up is difficult but you do get the feeling that you're listening to a band that are completely uninhibited in what they will do. This is a band that try new things, a band that are musically daring, taking in influences from krautrock, Underworld, grunge, Sonic Youth, and so much more. There is a dizzying array of textures and moments within ‘Colours And Lines'. From the driving ‘Skelton With Hair' to the rolling, ragged glory of ‘Bright ‘Lights' and to the monumental ‘Metallica (Early)' and ending with the epic ‘Sit Down Synth', Chow Chow encapsulate an unpretentious, exciting sound.
Chow Chow have supported !!!, Apples In Stereo and made an appearance at the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, London. They appeared IN SESSION with Marc Riley on BBC 6 Music, were STEVE LAMACQ's "FAVOURITE NEW BAND" on BBC Radio One and also appeared in Session on XFM.
Sadly Iain Smith of Chow Chow passed away in June 2007. R.I.P
www.myspace.com/chowchowband
www.fantasticplasticrecords.com