Hailing from Rochester, New York, The Chesterfield Kings (named after a brand of unfiltered cigarette) began as a retro 1960s-inspired garage band evoking the sounds and styles of psychedelic rock music.
Their self-released debut single was a cover of The Brogues’ I Ain’t No Miracle Worker (1965). Their first real public exposure came when a track on Greg Shaw’s Bomp! Records compilation Battle of the Garage (1981) netted them a series of dates at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City.
They released two albums – Here are the Chesterfield Kings (1982) and Stop! (1985) – before turning to a harder-edged rock sound for Don’t Open Till Doomsday (1987) and Berlin Wall of Sound (1989), which featured the blues guitar work of new band member Paul Rocco.
Their next album was an acoustic blues record, Drunk On Muddy Water (1990), while Let’s Go Get Stoned (1994) was a mix of Rolling Stones covers and originals in the Stones’ style.
Surfin’ Rampage (1997) featured pop harmonies, and Where the Action Is (1999) was a return to their garage-band roots, featuring a mix of covers and 1960s-style originals.
In 2003, the band released The Mindbending Sounds of the Chesterfield Kings, which paid tribute to the more baroque side of the 1960s underground and, at times, evoked the sound of The Electric Prunes. Psychedelic Sunrise (2008) extended this theme.
Got Live . . . If You Want It (2009) was released as a dual live recording and DVD set. It was to be the band’s final release before a 15-year hiatus. Vocalist Greg Prevost left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career.
The Chesterfield Kings returned in 2024, releasing new singles – Meet You After Midnight, Electrified and Fly the Astral Plane.
We’re Still All The Same (2024) was their first new studio album in 16 years.
Andy Babiuk is the author of the critically acclaimed Beatles Gear – the ultimate encyclopedic guide to the instruments and musical equipment used by The Beatles throughout their career.
Greg Prevost
Vocals Andy Babiuk
Bass, vocals Rich Cona
Guitar, vocals Orest Guran
Organ, guitar Doug Meech
Drums, vocals Bob Ames
Guitar Steve Larreau
Guitar, vocals Frank Moll
Guitar Walt O’Brien
Guitar, organ Brett Reynolds
Drums Paul Rocco
Guitar Kris Hadlock
Drums Paul Morabito
Guitar Jeff Okolowicz
Bass Ted Okolowicz
Guitar Mike Boise
Drums
You May Also Like
Ides of March, The Formed in Berwyn, Illinois, in 1964 as a four-piece English-influenced band called The Shon-Dels, The Ides…
Arrested Development When Arrested Development's debut appeared in 1992, the Atlanta band seemed to herald a new dawn…
Kissing The Pink Originally renowned for their avant-garde musical textures and classical training, English new wave and synth-pop band…
Mock Turtles, The Manchester band The Mock Turtles were together for nearly four years before they signed to Siren/Virgin…
Phil Collins Phil Collins was born in Chiswick in 1951. As a young man, his father had run…
Roman Holliday Roman Holliday formed in Harlow, Essex, and settled on a blend of swing/jive that appealed to…
Everclear The major label debut by neo-Nirvana trio Everclear, Sparkle and Fade, caught the authentic note of vacant…
MEO 245 MEO 245 (the name referred to the catalogue number of an obscure French pressing of a…
They released two albums – Here are the Chesterfield Kings (1982) and Stop! (1985) – before turning to a harder-edged rock sound for Don’t Open Till Doomsday (1987) and Berlin Wall of Sound (1989), which featured the blues guitar work of new band member Paul Rocco.
