Chevelle
Encyclopedia
Chevelle is an American alternative metal
trio that formed in 1995 in Grayslake
, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago
. The band was originally composed of two brothers and a local friend: Pete Loeffler
(lead vocals/guitar
), Sam Loeffler
(drums
/percussion
), and Matt Scott (bass
/backing vocals
). Matt was later replaced by brother Joe Loeffler
. When Joe left the band in 2005, Geno Lenardo subbed-in as the bassist until he was replaced by Pete and Sam's brother-in-law, Dean Bernardini
.
Chevelle has sold over three million albums in the United States. The band's first full-length album, Point #1
was released on a small record label called Squint Entertainment
. Chevelle's second album, Wonder What's Next
, was certified Platinum by the RIAA after a debut at No. 14 on the United States albums chart, Billboard 200
. This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)
, the band's third album debuted at No. 8 and has been certified Gold. Chevelle has since released a fourth album, Vena Sera, a fifth album, Sci-Fi Crimes
, which was released on August 31, 2009, and a sixth album Hats Off to the Bull
due December 6, 2011. Other releases from Chevelle include two live albums and DVDs.
, Illinois
, when the brothers Pete Loeffler
and Sam Loeffler
started enjoying music. Pete started playing guitar and singing while Sam began playing drums in their parents' garage. Their youngest brother Joe joined the band in 1994. The name Chevelle came from the band members' passion for fast cars. It was also a car their father liked, the Chevrolet Chevelle
. The band started playing small outdoor concerts and clubs around Chicago, Illinois
, with Joe being only 14 years old.
Chevelle recorded a demo
known as The Blue album, and played small concerts for the next three years until they were signed on to Steve Taylor
's Squint Entertainment
. The band recorded for 17 days in Electrical Audio
studios, and in 1999, Chevelle released its first full length album, Point #1
which was produced by Steve Albini
. Albini and an aspiring comedian named Fred Armisen
starred in the band's Point #1 EPK (electronic press kit)—several years before Armisen became a star on "Saturday Night Live
." Two singles were released from the Point #1 album with accompanying music videos, "Point #1" and "Mia
". The songs received GMA Dove Awards for the more popular song "Mia" in 2000 and "Point #1" in 2001. The album received an award for "Hard Music Album" in 2000 by the Dove Awards. Point #1 was well received by The Phantom Tollbooth, a Christian music website, and HM Magazine
, yet was criticized for its repetitive song structures by Jesus Freak Hideout
, a Christian music website.
, Machine Head
, Filter
, and Powerman 5000
for four years before Squint Entertainment shut down and the band were signed on to Epic Records
in 2002. In 2002 Chevelle released its second studio album Wonder What's Next
on Epic Records. The band released the single "The Red
", which reached number three on the Mainstream rock charts, and the video was played in regular rotation on MTV
. Wonder What's Next soon peaked at number 14 on the United States Billboard 200
album chart. Brian O'Neil of Allmusic stated the album "offers uniqueness not often heard in more commercial fare, no mean feat." Chevelle released two more singles from the album, "Closure
", and "Send the Pain Below
", the latter of which reached the number one position on both of the mainstream rock and modern rock charts. Wonder What's Next was certified platinum by the RIAA
with excess sales of one million copies sold in the United States alone in 2003.
In 2003, Chevelle co-headlined Ozzfest
, where the band recorded and later released its first live album
, Live from the Road
, and a live DVD
, Live from the Norva
. The band toured Europe with Audioslave
in early 2003, and later in the year they played on the Music as a Weapon II tour
with Disturbed. On the tour with Disturbed, Chevelle appeared on the tour compilation album, titled Music as a Weapon II, featuring the songs "The Red" and "Forfeit".
was recorded in early 2004, and was released in September 2004. The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold
by the RIAA six weeks later. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic described the songs on the album as "strong dynamically, but sound predetermined — they don't separate from the general loud rock malaise." The song "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)
" was released as the first single from the album and reached the number one position on the Mainstream Rock chart. Two other singles were released from the album, the titles of which are "The Clincher
" peaking at number three on the Mainstream rock chart, and "Panic Prone
" which peaked at number 26 on the same chart. Before the album's release, Chevelle received attention when "The Clincher" was featured in the game Madden NFL 2005
.
After the release of the album, the youngest of the brothers, Joe Loeffler, was dismissed from Chevelle. Due to different stories from the band members, it is unclear whether he was fired or left the band of his own accord. Pete and Sam stated the following on the band's official website: "After three years of non-stop touring and recording, Joe is taking a break to be home with family. We'll miss having him on the road with us, but as his brothers and bandmates we respect his decision and are looking forward to getting out there and playing for the fans. See you on tour." However, according to Ultimate Guitar Archive
, Joe said of his departure:
In late 2006, Pete discussed his brother's departure on MTV.com:
The band supported This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) with a headlining tour that included opening acts such as Taproot
and 30 Seconds to Mars
, and continued playing small tours in 2005 with Geno Lenardo from the band Filter
. In 2006 Chevelle supported Nickelback
for an arena tour across the United States, with a new permanent bassist, the Loeffler brothers' brother in-law and long time friend, Dean Bernardini
.
In 2006 Chevelle recorded its fourth studio album titled Vena Sera. The album was the first album Chevelle recorded with Bernardini. Vena Sera was released in April 2007, debuting at number 12 on the Billboard 200, and sold 62,000 copies during its first week of release. The title of the album translates to "vein liquid" in Latin, representing the blood Chevelle put into making the album, according to Pete.
Corey Apar of Allmusic States that "Vena Sera probably won't disappoint fans, and it didn't, if for the sole fact that it basically sounds just like Chevelle's other albums". He noted that the song "I Get It" "has a relatively lighter underbelly than the rest, which is a nice change of pace, but it's ultimately too little, too late". "Well Enough Alone
", the first single from the album, was written about the departure of Joe Loeffler, and reached number four on the Mainstream rock charts. A video was made for the song, and due to winning a "battle of the bands" contest, received rotation on MTV2. The single featured on the video game WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2008. Chevelle toured with Evanescence
, Finger Eleven
, and Strata
during March and April 2007, followed by a headlining tour with the latter two bands in May and June. The second single from the album, "I Get It
", was released on June 12, 2007, and a video for the song debuted on MTV on November 27, 2007. In July of the same year Chevelle toured Australia as a supporting act for the band The Butterfly Effect
. On the tour in Australia, Chevelle's band manager Rose died of cancer, much to the distress of the band.
On May 9, 2007, during a show in Fort Worth
, Texas
Chevelle's trailer containing all of the band's equipment was stolen from the hotel at which the members were staying. The band posted a notice saying, "Most items are labeled 'Chevelle' and if you notice anything suspicious on eBay
or other online resellers selling 'authentic' Chevelle items... guitar, basses, drums, amplifiers, risers, backdrops, tee shirts... please call the police..." A month later in an interview, Sam Loeffler stated, "Of the 14 guitars, we got two of 'em, and then we got some amplifiers back and our monitor system. So it's really, I mean it's cool because it's kind of like Christmas, only really weird. People have been calling us and saying, 'Hey, I bought this or that', and you know, we're just doing our best to buy it back from them. And certainly the issue is not a money issue, it's about having the pieces of gear that you did all your records with."
, Tennessee
with producer Brian Virtue. Sam Loeffler stated, "We have spent a lot of time making these songs something different from past records without losing the core of our passion. We are a hard rock, melodic band and it's still what drives us as musicians." Chevelle issued updates and videos from the studio on its official Myspace
page as the album was recorded. On April 9, 2009, in their first concert back in Atlanta Georgia, Chevelle premiered two new songs from the new album: "Letter from a Thief
" and "Sleep Apnea". During an interview with Sam, it was confirmed that Sci-Fi Crimes
would serve as the title of Chevelle's fifth studio album. Sci-Fi Crimes was released on August 31, 2009, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 album chart with sales of about 46,000, the highest entry onto the chart to date for the band. The tour following the release of Sci-Fi Crimes was in the Fall of 2009. Opening for Chevelle on this tour was Halestorm
, Adelitas Way
, and After Midnight Project..
Chevelle released a DVD entitled Any Last Words
in January 2011. It was filmed at The Metro in Chicago on October 29 and 30 for a special ten-year anniversary of Chevelle's career. The audio was recorded and mixed by Jef Moll, who also worked on This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us in) and Vena Sera.
mentioned the album could feature a duet with a female artist, and also mentioned that the album could either be fully acoustic or a return to the hard rock style Chevelle had on Wonder What's Next, however Sam Loeffler had mentioned it would be "definitely returning to heavy melodic rock, which is the sound we love." As of June 15, 2011, Pete Loeffler confirmed the rumors of a female duet, in a Facebook video, by bringing in his sister Natalie, who is also bassist Dean Bernardini's wife. Pete Loeffler was also expecting to have a single for the new album in August. Pete Loeffler also mentioned on his Twitter account that he was working on a song for Underworld 4. The new single, "Face to the Floor
", was leaked as of September 28, 2011 and debuted on radio starting October 10, 2011. On October 9, the band revealed the title of the new album to be Hats Off to the Bull with a December 6 release date.
label, and thus the band has mistakenly been labeled "Christian rock." Keith Miller of EvangelSociety.org has been critical of Chevelle due to the band touring on Ozzfest
with bands such as Cradle of Filth
, who he claims incorporate strong satanic and anti-Christian themes into their lyrics. Sam Loeffler said, "It’s something that’s probably going to follow us around forever and that’s fine. It’s pretty simple. We originally signed with a record company that was backed by Word
(a Christian label housing John Tesh
and Amy Grant
), so the record [Point #1] was in Christian bookstores. It was really an accidental thing."
Chevelle has tried to distance themselves from being labeled as a Christian band. Sam jokingly stated in an interview, "We're recovering Catholics." Sam also told the Chicago Tribune, "Our faith is still extremely important to us, but it's also very personal. None of us feels being a rock band on stage should be a pedestal for preaching."
Pete Loeffler also said in a 2009 interview: "To us, it was and is, not that big of a deal. Our first label was owned by a distributorship that distributed to Christian bookstores and things like that. And it doesn’t bother us at all to be called a Christian band. Although we have made a specific point to keep our religion out of our band and out of our shows because we believe it is everybody’s choice to go and do whatever they want. And though we do have our individual faiths and all those things, it is not something that we’ll preach to the people out there. So there were never any misconceptions for us or for our label in that regards. It really was what everybody else was putting out there."
, Tool
, and The Cure
. Chevelle has frequently been compared to Tool throughout its career, specifically when the band released its music video for "Mia" featuring a claymation doll throughout the video, much like the Tool music video for "Sober" or "Prison Sex
". Pete Loeffler's singing voice was stated to sound a "tiny bit" like that of Tool's Maynard James Keenan
, and the band's music has been compared to Tool's "dark" tone of music.
Despite comparisons to Tool, many critics such as Andree Farias and Andy Argyrakis of Christianity Today and Robert Rich of The Daily Texan have stated Chevelle as having a unique sound to their music. The Daily Texan described their music as “a kind of controlled chaos, a beautiful darkness, a gentle rampage of aural velocity”, and drew away from the band's comparisons to Tool by stating “Tool have always embraced their experimental side and released scathing social commentaries and criticisms, while Chevelle write radio-friendly tunes with subtly deep meanings, but with overtones easily grasped by any listener.” Andree Farias of Christianity Today has reviewed Chevelle's first three albums, praising them as “commanding vocals over jolting guitars and chest-thumping bass beats.”
Former
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
trio that formed in 1995 in Grayslake
Grayslake, Illinois
Grayslake is a village in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, about north of Chicago’s downtown, west of Lake Michigan, and south of the Wisconsin border....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, a suburb of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The band was originally composed of two brothers and a local friend: Pete Loeffler
Pete Loeffler
Pete Loeffler is the lead guitarist and lead singer for the Chicago alternative metal band Chevelle. His vocal delivery varies from clean melodic singing to a gut-wrenching scream....
(lead vocals/guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), Sam Loeffler
Sam Loeffler
Sam Loeffler is the drummer of the hard rock band Chevelle. He plays in the band with his brother and guitarist / vocalist Pete Loeffler and brother-in-law and bassist Dean Bernardini. Sam has recently started singing background vocals on certain songs such as "Another Know it All", "Sleep Apnea"...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
/percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
), and Matt Scott (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
/backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
). Matt was later replaced by brother Joe Loeffler
Joe Loeffler
Joseph "Joe" Loeffler is a bass player/backup singer formerly of of the Chicago hard rock band Chevelle. Joe joined the band in 1994 after it had been formed by his brothers Pete and Sam ....
. When Joe left the band in 2005, Geno Lenardo subbed-in as the bassist until he was replaced by Pete and Sam's brother-in-law, Dean Bernardini
Dean Bernardini
Dean Bernardini is the bass guitar player and backing vocalist for the hard rock band Chevelle, as well as being a brother-in-law to the Loefflers. He joined the band in 2005 after the departure of Joe Loeffler, who had been a member of the group since 1994...
.
Chevelle has sold over three million albums in the United States. The band's first full-length album, Point #1
Point No. 1
-Credits:* Buddy Jackson - Art Direction* Chevelle - Main Performer* Hank Williams - Mastering* Joe Loeffler - Bass* Mark Smalling - Photography* Pete Loeffler - Guitar, Vocals* Sally Carns - Back Cover, Design* Sam Loeffler - Drums...
was released on a small record label called Squint Entertainment
Squint Entertainment
Squint Entertainment was a record label owned by Word Entertainment, started in 1997 and run by musician and songwriter Steve Taylor. Squint pushed Sixpence None the Richer to mainstream success with their single "Kiss Me"....
. Chevelle's second album, Wonder What's Next
Wonder What's Next
-Chart positions:Album – Billboard Music Charts Singles – Billboard Music Charts...
, was certified Platinum by the RIAA after a debut at No. 14 on the United States albums chart, Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)
This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)
-Credits:* Andy Wallace – mixing* Ben Goldman – A&R* Chevelle – producer* Christian Lantry – photography* Dave Holdredge – digital editing, drum programming, engineer* Eddy Schreyer – mastering* Farra Mathews – A&R* Jef Moll – assistant...
, the band's third album debuted at No. 8 and has been certified Gold. Chevelle has since released a fourth album, Vena Sera, a fifth album, Sci-Fi Crimes
Sci-Fi Crimes
Sci-Fi Crimes is the fifth studio album from Grayslake-based rock band Chevelle, followed up to its predecessor, Vena Sera in 2007. It was released on August 31, 2009 through Epic Records.-Background:...
, which was released on August 31, 2009, and a sixth album Hats Off to the Bull
Hats Off to the Bull
Hats Off to the Bull is the upcoming sixth studio album by the alternative metal band Chevelle. It is scheduled to be released on December 6, 2011. The first single, "Face to the Floor", was released on October 10, 2011....
due December 6, 2011. Other releases from Chevelle include two live albums and DVDs.
Formation and Point #1 (1999-2001)
Chevelle formed in 1994 Illinois GrayslakeGrayslake, Illinois
Grayslake is a village in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, about north of Chicago’s downtown, west of Lake Michigan, and south of the Wisconsin border....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, when the brothers Pete Loeffler
Pete Loeffler
Pete Loeffler is the lead guitarist and lead singer for the Chicago alternative metal band Chevelle. His vocal delivery varies from clean melodic singing to a gut-wrenching scream....
and Sam Loeffler
Sam Loeffler
Sam Loeffler is the drummer of the hard rock band Chevelle. He plays in the band with his brother and guitarist / vocalist Pete Loeffler and brother-in-law and bassist Dean Bernardini. Sam has recently started singing background vocals on certain songs such as "Another Know it All", "Sleep Apnea"...
started enjoying music. Pete started playing guitar and singing while Sam began playing drums in their parents' garage. Their youngest brother Joe joined the band in 1994. The name Chevelle came from the band members' passion for fast cars. It was also a car their father liked, the Chevrolet Chevelle
Chevrolet Chevelle
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a mid-sized automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors in three generations for the 1964 through 1977 model years. Part of the GM A-Body platform, the Chevelle was one of Chevrolet's most successful nameplates. Body styles include coupes, sedans,...
. The band started playing small outdoor concerts and clubs around Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, with Joe being only 14 years old.
Chevelle recorded a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
known as The Blue album, and played small concerts for the next three years until they were signed on to Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
Roland Stephen Taylor , is an American Christian singer, songwriter, record producer and film director.-Early life:Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to...
's Squint Entertainment
Squint Entertainment
Squint Entertainment was a record label owned by Word Entertainment, started in 1997 and run by musician and songwriter Steve Taylor. Squint pushed Sixpence None the Richer to mainstream success with their single "Kiss Me"....
. The band recorded for 17 days in Electrical Audio
Electrical Audio
Electrical Audio is a recording facility founded in Chicago, Illinois by musician and recording engineer Steve Albini in 1997. Hundreds of independent music projects have been recorded there....
studios, and in 1999, Chevelle released its first full length album, Point #1
Point No. 1
-Credits:* Buddy Jackson - Art Direction* Chevelle - Main Performer* Hank Williams - Mastering* Joe Loeffler - Bass* Mark Smalling - Photography* Pete Loeffler - Guitar, Vocals* Sally Carns - Back Cover, Design* Sam Loeffler - Drums...
which was produced by Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
. Albini and an aspiring comedian named Fred Armisen
Fred Armisen
Fred Armisen is an American actor, comedian and musician best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and portraying off-color foreigners in various comedy films such as EuroTrip, Anchorman and Cop Out...
starred in the band's Point #1 EPK (electronic press kit)—several years before Armisen became a star on "Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
." Two singles were released from the Point #1 album with accompanying music videos, "Point #1" and "Mia
Mia (Chevelle song)
"Mia" is the second single from Chicago alternative metal band Chevelle's debut album Point #1.-Video:The video for the song was completely stop-motion animated, very much like the band Tool's music videos.-External links:...
". The songs received GMA Dove Awards for the more popular song "Mia" in 2000 and "Point #1" in 2001. The album received an award for "Hard Music Album" in 2000 by the Dove Awards. Point #1 was well received by The Phantom Tollbooth, a Christian music website, and HM Magazine
HM Magazine
HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity and hard rock. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists...
, yet was criticized for its repetitive song structures by Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
, a Christian music website.
Wonder What's Next (2002–2003)
Chevelle toured with bands such as SevendustSevendust
Sevendust is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group...
, Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....
, and Powerman 5000
Powerman 5000
Powerman 5000 is an American Metal band formed in 1991. Through the span of over two decades, the group has released several albums and gained their highest commercial success with 1999's science fiction themed Tonight the Stars Revolt!...
for four years before Squint Entertainment shut down and the band were signed on to Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
in 2002. In 2002 Chevelle released its second studio album Wonder What's Next
Wonder What's Next
-Chart positions:Album – Billboard Music Charts Singles – Billboard Music Charts...
on Epic Records. The band released the single "The Red
The Red
"The Red" is the breakthrough single from the Chicago-based hard rock band Chevelle. It is the fifth track and lead single from their major label debut, Wonder What's Next, released in 2002. It is often considered their most popular track, despite the fact that "Send the Pain Below" charted higher...
", which reached number three on the Mainstream rock charts, and the video was played in regular rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Wonder What's Next soon peaked at number 14 on the United States Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart. Brian O'Neil of Allmusic stated the album "offers uniqueness not often heard in more commercial fare, no mean feat." Chevelle released two more singles from the album, "Closure
Closure (song)
"Closure" is the third and last single from alternative metal band Chevelle's second album Wonder What's Next. It features a dark, melodic verse that carries into a similarly melodic chorus ending in heavy guitar chords...
", and "Send the Pain Below
Send the Pain Below
"Send the Pain Below" is a song by Chevelle and was released as the second single from their second album Wonder What's Next. The song is considered their most successful and hit #1 on both the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts. Lyrically, "Send the Pain Below"...
", the latter of which reached the number one position on both of the mainstream rock and modern rock charts. Wonder What's Next was certified platinum by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
with excess sales of one million copies sold in the United States alone in 2003.
In 2003, Chevelle co-headlined Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
, where the band recorded and later released its first live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, Live from the Road
Live from the Road
-Credits:* Barnaby Draper - Photography* Ben Goldman - A&R* Chevelle - Producer* Dave Pinsky - Engineer, Mixing, Producer* Farra Mathews - A&R* Thom Cadley - Mixing...
, and a live DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, Live from the Norva
Live from the Norva
Live from the Norva was a Chevelle concert filmed at the Norva Theatre in Norfolk, Virginia on May 23, 2003.-DVD track listing:# "Family System"# "Forfeit"# "Send the Pain Below"# "Until You're Reformed"# "Sma"# "Mia"# "Point #1"# "Closure"...
. The band toured Europe with Audioslave
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer/rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello , Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk...
in early 2003, and later in the year they played on the Music as a Weapon II tour
Music as a Weapon Tour
Music as a Weapon is a concert tour created by American rock band Disturbed. As of 2010, there have been five editions of the tour: four which took place in North America, and one in Oceania...
with Disturbed. On the tour with Disturbed, Chevelle appeared on the tour compilation album, titled Music as a Weapon II, featuring the songs "The Red" and "Forfeit".
This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) and the departure of Joe Loeffler (2004–2006)
This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)
-Credits:* Andy Wallace – mixing* Ben Goldman – A&R* Chevelle – producer* Christian Lantry – photography* Dave Holdredge – digital editing, drum programming, engineer* Eddy Schreyer – mastering* Farra Mathews – A&R* Jef Moll – assistant...
was recorded in early 2004, and was released in September 2004. The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA six weeks later. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic described the songs on the album as "strong dynamically, but sound predetermined — they don't separate from the general loud rock malaise." The song "Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)
Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)
"Vitamin R " is a single from Chevelle's album This Type of Thinking . It was their second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and reached number three on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. In interviews, it has been stated that "Vitamin R" is Ritalin...
" was released as the first single from the album and reached the number one position on the Mainstream Rock chart. Two other singles were released from the album, the titles of which are "The Clincher
The Clincher
"The Clincher" is the second single from Chevelle's third album This Type of Thinking . The song is about claustrophobia, as confirmed by Sam Loeffler. Despite this, many people still infer that the song is the band's take on The Passion of Christ, due to lyrics like "helped to nail down" which...
" peaking at number three on the Mainstream rock chart, and "Panic Prone
Panic Prone
"Panic Prone" is the third and final single from Grayslake band Chevelle's third album This Type of Thinking , and the album's sixth track....
" which peaked at number 26 on the same chart. Before the album's release, Chevelle received attention when "The Clincher" was featured in the game Madden NFL 2005
Madden NFL 2005
Madden NFL 2005 is an American football video game that was released on August 9, 2004. It features Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis on the cover...
.
After the release of the album, the youngest of the brothers, Joe Loeffler, was dismissed from Chevelle. Due to different stories from the band members, it is unclear whether he was fired or left the band of his own accord. Pete and Sam stated the following on the band's official website: "After three years of non-stop touring and recording, Joe is taking a break to be home with family. We'll miss having him on the road with us, but as his brothers and bandmates we respect his decision and are looking forward to getting out there and playing for the fans. See you on tour." However, according to Ultimate Guitar Archive
Ultimate Guitar Archive
Ultimate Guitar Archive, also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is a large guitarist community website known for its large amount of guitar and bass tablature, reviews of music and equipment, interviews with notable musicians, online written and video lessons, and forums...
, Joe said of his departure:
The band supported This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) with a headlining tour that included opening acts such as Taproot
Taproot (band)
Taproot is a four-piece rock group from Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are most known for their hit single "Poem" , as well as a number of other singles from 2000 to the present.-Pre-formation:...
and 30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
, and continued playing small tours in 2005 with Geno Lenardo from the band Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....
. In 2006 Chevelle supported Nickelback
Nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
for an arena tour across the United States, with a new permanent bassist, the Loeffler brothers' brother in-law and long time friend, Dean Bernardini
Dean Bernardini
Dean Bernardini is the bass guitar player and backing vocalist for the hard rock band Chevelle, as well as being a brother-in-law to the Loefflers. He joined the band in 2005 after the departure of Joe Loeffler, who had been a member of the group since 1994...
.
Vena Sera (2007–2008)
Corey Apar of Allmusic States that "Vena Sera probably won't disappoint fans, and it didn't, if for the sole fact that it basically sounds just like Chevelle's other albums". He noted that the song "I Get It" "has a relatively lighter underbelly than the rest, which is a nice change of pace, but it's ultimately too little, too late". "Well Enough Alone
Well Enough Alone
"Well Enough Alone" is the first single from the Chevelle album Vena Sera and was released to radio the week of February 13, 2007. According to lead singer Pete Loeffler, "Well Enough Alone" was an unreleased song that had been recorded prior to the release of their third album This Type of...
", the first single from the album, was written about the departure of Joe Loeffler, and reached number four on the Mainstream rock charts. A video was made for the song, and due to winning a "battle of the bands" contest, received rotation on MTV2. The single featured on the video game WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2008. Chevelle toured with Evanescence
Evanescence
Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording private albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide...
, Finger Eleven
Finger Eleven
Finger Eleven is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 1989. They have currently released five studio albums, with their album The Greyest of Blue Skies bringing them into the mainstream...
, and Strata
Strata (band)
Strata was a rock band from Campbell, California formed in 2001. They released two full-length albums with Wind-up Records, before disbanding after the departure of vocalist Eric Victorino on 19 January 2008.-History:...
during March and April 2007, followed by a headlining tour with the latter two bands in May and June. The second single from the album, "I Get It
I Get It
"I Get It" is the second single from Chevelle's 2007 album, Vena Sera. The song was announced on the band's website to be released to radio stations on June 12, 2007....
", was released on June 12, 2007, and a video for the song debuted on MTV on November 27, 2007. In July of the same year Chevelle toured Australia as a supporting act for the band The Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect (band)
The Butterfly Effect are an alternative metal band from Brisbane, Australia, formed in 1999. The band consists of Clint Boge , Ben Hall , Glenn Esmond and Kurt "Puddles" Goedhart . Their debut album received high rotation play on influential radio station Triple J.-The Butterfly Effect EP:The band...
. On the tour in Australia, Chevelle's band manager Rose died of cancer, much to the distress of the band.
On May 9, 2007, during a show in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Chevelle's trailer containing all of the band's equipment was stolen from the hotel at which the members were staying. The band posted a notice saying, "Most items are labeled 'Chevelle' and if you notice anything suspicious on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
or other online resellers selling 'authentic' Chevelle items... guitar, basses, drums, amplifiers, risers, backdrops, tee shirts... please call the police..." A month later in an interview, Sam Loeffler stated, "Of the 14 guitars, we got two of 'em, and then we got some amplifiers back and our monitor system. So it's really, I mean it's cool because it's kind of like Christmas, only really weird. People have been calling us and saying, 'Hey, I bought this or that', and you know, we're just doing our best to buy it back from them. And certainly the issue is not a money issue, it's about having the pieces of gear that you did all your records with."
Sci-Fi Crimes (2009–2011)
Chevelle started writing songs for their fifth album in 2008. In 2009, the band entered a studio in NashvilleNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
with producer Brian Virtue. Sam Loeffler stated, "We have spent a lot of time making these songs something different from past records without losing the core of our passion. We are a hard rock, melodic band and it's still what drives us as musicians." Chevelle issued updates and videos from the studio on its official Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page as the album was recorded. On April 9, 2009, in their first concert back in Atlanta Georgia, Chevelle premiered two new songs from the new album: "Letter from a Thief
Letter from a Thief
"Letter from a Thief" is the second single from Chevelle's album, Sci-Fi Crimes. It was released on December 7, 2009. Chevelle originally debuted this track on April 9, 2009 at a concert in Atlanta...
" and "Sleep Apnea". During an interview with Sam, it was confirmed that Sci-Fi Crimes
Sci-Fi Crimes
Sci-Fi Crimes is the fifth studio album from Grayslake-based rock band Chevelle, followed up to its predecessor, Vena Sera in 2007. It was released on August 31, 2009 through Epic Records.-Background:...
would serve as the title of Chevelle's fifth studio album. Sci-Fi Crimes was released on August 31, 2009, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 album chart with sales of about 46,000, the highest entry onto the chart to date for the band. The tour following the release of Sci-Fi Crimes was in the Fall of 2009. Opening for Chevelle on this tour was Halestorm
Halestorm
Halestorm is an American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania. The group's self-titled debut album was released on April 28, 2009 through Atlantic Records.-History:...
, Adelitas Way
Adelitas Way
Adelitas Way is a hard rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada that broke into mainstream in 2009 for their song "Invincible", which is the official theme song for WWE Superstars on WGN America. They also perform the song "A New Day" as the theme song for the defunct WWE Tag Team The Legacy and later used...
, and After Midnight Project..
Chevelle released a DVD entitled Any Last Words
Any Last Words
Any Last Words? is a live DVD/CD of a Chevelle concert filmed at Metro in Chicago, Illinois on October 28 and October 29, 2010. The shows were a sold-out celebration of the band's ten years in music.-Track listing:#"Antisaint" — 4:44#"Jars" — 3:35...
in January 2011. It was filmed at The Metro in Chicago on October 29 and 30 for a special ten-year anniversary of Chevelle's career. The audio was recorded and mixed by Jef Moll, who also worked on This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us in) and Vena Sera.
Hats Off to the Bull (2011–present)
In an April 2010 interview, drummer Sam mentioned that Pete Loeffler has been writing new material for a new album due for a possible fall 2011 release. In March, Chevelle were back in the studio working on the new album. According to Pete Loeffler's Twitter account, as of April 2011 the band had completed six songs. Drummer Sam LoefflerSam Loeffler
Sam Loeffler is the drummer of the hard rock band Chevelle. He plays in the band with his brother and guitarist / vocalist Pete Loeffler and brother-in-law and bassist Dean Bernardini. Sam has recently started singing background vocals on certain songs such as "Another Know it All", "Sleep Apnea"...
mentioned the album could feature a duet with a female artist, and also mentioned that the album could either be fully acoustic or a return to the hard rock style Chevelle had on Wonder What's Next, however Sam Loeffler had mentioned it would be "definitely returning to heavy melodic rock, which is the sound we love." As of June 15, 2011, Pete Loeffler confirmed the rumors of a female duet, in a Facebook video, by bringing in his sister Natalie, who is also bassist Dean Bernardini's wife. Pete Loeffler was also expecting to have a single for the new album in August. Pete Loeffler also mentioned on his Twitter account that he was working on a song for Underworld 4. The new single, "Face to the Floor
Face to the Floor
"Face to the Floor" is the first single from Chevelle's album, Hats Off to the Bull. According to the band, it is a "pissed off, angry song about people who got taken by the Ponzi scheme that Bernie Madoff had for all those years." "Face to the Floor" reached No. 1 on Mediabase's Active Rock chart,...
", was leaked as of September 28, 2011 and debuted on radio starting October 10, 2011. On October 9, the band revealed the title of the new album to be Hats Off to the Bull with a December 6 release date.
Christianity controversy
Chevelle has caused controversy among Christian groups, because at one point they were on a Christian rockChristian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
label, and thus the band has mistakenly been labeled "Christian rock." Keith Miller of EvangelSociety.org has been critical of Chevelle due to the band touring on Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
with bands such as Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
, who he claims incorporate strong satanic and anti-Christian themes into their lyrics. Sam Loeffler said, "It’s something that’s probably going to follow us around forever and that’s fine. It’s pretty simple. We originally signed with a record company that was backed by Word
Word Records
Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records...
(a Christian label housing John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
and Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
), so the record [Point #1] was in Christian bookstores. It was really an accidental thing."
Chevelle has tried to distance themselves from being labeled as a Christian band. Sam jokingly stated in an interview, "We're recovering Catholics." Sam also told the Chicago Tribune, "Our faith is still extremely important to us, but it's also very personal. None of us feels being a rock band on stage should be a pedestal for preaching."
Pete Loeffler also said in a 2009 interview: "To us, it was and is, not that big of a deal. Our first label was owned by a distributorship that distributed to Christian bookstores and things like that. And it doesn’t bother us at all to be called a Christian band. Although we have made a specific point to keep our religion out of our band and out of our shows because we believe it is everybody’s choice to go and do whatever they want. And though we do have our individual faiths and all those things, it is not something that we’ll preach to the people out there. So there were never any misconceptions for us or for our label in that regards. It really was what everybody else was putting out there."
Influences and style
Chevelle's primary musical influences as stated by the band members are HelmetHelmet (band)
Helmet is an alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....
, Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, and The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
. Chevelle has frequently been compared to Tool throughout its career, specifically when the band released its music video for "Mia" featuring a claymation doll throughout the video, much like the Tool music video for "Sober" or "Prison Sex
Prison Sex (song)
"Prison Sex" is a song by American rock band Tool. The song was released as their first single from their debut album Undertow. The song is unique for its use of modified drop-B tuning.-Music video:...
". Pete Loeffler's singing voice was stated to sound a "tiny bit" like that of Tool's Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
, and the band's music has been compared to Tool's "dark" tone of music.
Despite comparisons to Tool, many critics such as Andree Farias and Andy Argyrakis of Christianity Today and Robert Rich of The Daily Texan have stated Chevelle as having a unique sound to their music. The Daily Texan described their music as “a kind of controlled chaos, a beautiful darkness, a gentle rampage of aural velocity”, and drew away from the band's comparisons to Tool by stating “Tool have always embraced their experimental side and released scathing social commentaries and criticisms, while Chevelle write radio-friendly tunes with subtly deep meanings, but with overtones easily grasped by any listener.” Andree Farias of Christianity Today has reviewed Chevelle's first three albums, praising them as “commanding vocals over jolting guitars and chest-thumping bass beats.”
Discography
Studio albums- Point #1Point No. 1-Credits:* Buddy Jackson - Art Direction* Chevelle - Main Performer* Hank Williams - Mastering* Joe Loeffler - Bass* Mark Smalling - Photography* Pete Loeffler - Guitar, Vocals* Sally Carns - Back Cover, Design* Sam Loeffler - Drums...
(1999) - Wonder What's NextWonder What's Next-Chart positions:Album – Billboard Music Charts Singles – Billboard Music Charts...
(2002) - This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)-Credits:* Andy Wallace – mixing* Ben Goldman – A&R* Chevelle – producer* Christian Lantry – photography* Dave Holdredge – digital editing, drum programming, engineer* Eddy Schreyer – mastering* Farra Mathews – A&R* Jef Moll – assistant...
(2004) - Vena Sera (2007)
- Sci-Fi CrimesSci-Fi CrimesSci-Fi Crimes is the fifth studio album from Grayslake-based rock band Chevelle, followed up to its predecessor, Vena Sera in 2007. It was released on August 31, 2009 through Epic Records.-Background:...
(2009) - Hats Off to the BullHats Off to the BullHats Off to the Bull is the upcoming sixth studio album by the alternative metal band Chevelle. It is scheduled to be released on December 6, 2011. The first single, "Face to the Floor", was released on October 10, 2011....
(2011)
Members
Current- Pete LoefflerPete LoefflerPete Loeffler is the lead guitarist and lead singer for the Chicago alternative metal band Chevelle. His vocal delivery varies from clean melodic singing to a gut-wrenching scream....
: vocals, guitars (1999-present) - Sam LoefflerSam LoefflerSam Loeffler is the drummer of the hard rock band Chevelle. He plays in the band with his brother and guitarist / vocalist Pete Loeffler and brother-in-law and bassist Dean Bernardini. Sam has recently started singing background vocals on certain songs such as "Another Know it All", "Sleep Apnea"...
: drums (1999-present) - Dean BernardiniDean BernardiniDean Bernardini is the bass guitar player and backing vocalist for the hard rock band Chevelle, as well as being a brother-in-law to the Loefflers. He joined the band in 2005 after the departure of Joe Loeffler, who had been a member of the group since 1994...
: bass, live backing vocals (2005–present)
Former
- Matt ScottMatt ScottMatt Scott is a wheelchair basketball player. He was on the gold medal winning US team at the 2007 Parapan American Games in Brazil. He was nominated for the Best Male Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award for this. He has spina bifida and competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympics and 2008 Summer...
: Bass (1999) - Joe LoefflerJoe LoefflerJoseph "Joe" Loeffler is a bass player/backup singer formerly of of the Chicago hard rock band Chevelle. Joe joined the band in 1994 after it had been formed by his brothers Pete and Sam ....
:Bass, live backing vocals (1999-2005) - Geno Leonardo: Bass (Live Fill-In) (2005)