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Welcome to the Official YouTube Channel of Chevelle!
About Me:
Much as I love the Flaming Lips, were not going off in that direction, laughs singer/guitarist Pete Loeffler. If anything, this record represents a natural progression in the bands maturity and sound. We really wanted to take the time to write about some of our experiences and feelings since our last tour, both during and in the time afterwards.
In fact, the title Sci-Fi Crimes was inspired by some off-road adventures with one friend, whom Pete describes as this really off-the-wall character, who was driving us around, who believes so whole-heartedly in aliens and UFOs that the subject just really piqued my interest.
In like fashion, the simmering Roswell, with its plaintive refrain does anybody ever really see anything? was influenced by a subsequent visit to the Roswell International UFO Museum & Research Center in New Mexico, while the deceptively simple, acoustic-driven Highlands Apparition took its inspiration from time Pete and his brother Sam spent in an alleged haunted house where an overall eerie vibe and at least one instance of unexplained physical contact took place.
In typical Chevelle fashion, of course, those instances are embellished and expanded upon lyrically, to the point where the real-life details fall away in favor of engaging the listener in an almost tactile emotionalism. Weve always been about being more creative than simply reporting our experiences, Pete notes. It makes the music more multi-faceted.
Sci-Fi Crimes is the work of a band taking stock of itself after a strenuous decade of recording and touring (Weird to think were a veteran band; Im kind of shocked by how long weve been going, Pete muses) and, especially, a blistering tour schedule behind Vena Sera. After that run, they spend a significant amount of time away from one another before reconvening for Sci-Fi Crimes.
Having reconnected and re-energized, Pete soon found himself toying with ideas for songs. Usually Ill come up with something on my own, and then bring it in to the guys and well work it out, he says. A lot of rock bands out there use outside songwriters, but no one else writes our songs other than ourselves.
Maintaining control of the material on Sci-Fi Crimes extended to the choice of producer Brian Virtue, whose past work with Janes Addition, Korn and Audioslave had caught Chevelles attention. Hes a low-key guy, but real honest, Pete says. He understood what we wanted on this one and he helped us get there, instead of making sure everythings tuned perfectly and trying to fill every space. That approach can be overdone, which I think happened to a degree on our last record.
As a composer who writes from the heart, Pete Loeffler doesnt pay much mind to what may or may not be commercial; the fact that the band continues to enjoy significant airplay with Sci-Fis lead single, the mordant take on eco-friendliness-to-a-fault Jars, is something he views with bemusement.
Im the worst at choosing a single, he laughs. We played bits of some of the new songs on [Chicago alternative radio station WKQX] and asked people to vote on what the single should be, and Jars was the overwhelming favorite. Fortunately the record company agreed.
Other tracks hes particularly proud of include the righteously riffing opener, Sleep Apnea, inspired by a friend who suffers from the condition, and Letter to a Thief, based on the actual theft of the groups equipment on the last tour and the eventual return of Petes custom-made guitar.
The latter is highlighted by a gorgeously serpentine solo played on the same guitar. We really won the battle on that one, he grins. Its got a great vibe to it, and we plan to play it every night.
Too often lumped into the just another hard rock band ghetto, Chevelle emerges with Sci-Fi Crimes as an admittedly heavy-sounding group whose wit and intelligence now stand fully revealed.
Weve heard a lot about how were a depressing band, which I never really believed, Pete says. But if all you do is run away from the pain and the hard work thats part of your life, then whats the point? Were trying to show that you can use the bad parts of your life in a positive way, and create good things.
Record Label:
Epic Records
Label Type:
Major Label
Band Members:
PETE LOEFFLER - GUITAR, - VOCALS DEAN BERNARDINI - BASS - SAM LOEFFLER - DRUMS
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Sci-Fi Crimes out 8.31.09
More on Chevelle:
Official Website: http://www.chevelleinc.com/
Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/chevelle
Pre Order Sci-Fi Crimes: Chevelle.Skyroo.com
Official Website: http://www.chevelleinc.com/
Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/chevelle
Pre Order Sci-Fi Crimes: Chevelle.Skyroo.com
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Rock on Chevelle!!!!!