Chester

Chester is a UK punk band from London. The group forms in 1997 as a two-piece built around Rob Bartram on guitar and Pam on vocals. It later expands to include The Elusive Stranger on drums and Chris Limb on bass. The band works in a punk style, and its material is also described as pop-punk.

Recording and releases

As a two-piece, Chester records a twelve-track demo called Living Room On Tour. In 1998 the band records at Pathway Studios and releases the self-financed split single No Need For Wise Guys with The Griswalds and Fett. The following year it releases its debut CD Malpleasurability on Smokin' Troll, preceded by the 7-inch single Song About Nothing b/w I Lost My Boyfriend and Psychobillybunter.

In 2000, after Pam leaves and Rob takes over vocals, Chester records more material as a three-piece. Ten of those tracks appear on the ten-inch picture disc Ten Inches of Chester on Smokin' Troll in 2001. Another recording, Killing Made Easy, is a collaboration with Toyah Willcox and later appears as a self-financed CD single under the name Family of Noise in 2004. The band also records a second album, No Light Here, which is eventually issued on Catmachine Music in 2007.

Live work and collaborations

Chester tours Europe in 1999 with The Buckweeds, Seven Inch Chord, and Think Tank Pink Po(n)p from Japan. The group also contributes recordings to several compilations, including Nothing to Prove, The New Wave of Chas and Dave, Kicking a Dead Horse to Death, International Punk Rock Box Set, and Punk Aid: 25 Years of Anarchy. Its other recording work includes a cover of Dirt’s Hiroshima with Wreckless Eric on fuzz bass for a Crass Records tribute compilation, and a version of Margate for a Chas n’ Dave tribute release.

Later line-up changes

After Pam leaves, Jill fronts the band for a period in 2000–2001, although she does not record with Chester. During the period around No Light Here, the line-up returns to Rob, The Elusive Stranger, and Chris Limb. Rob also performs live as Rob Chester, and at other times plays with Age of Chaos and The Creeping. For some gigs he is joined by Paul from Anal Beard on bass, Sonny from Combat Shock on drums, and vocalist Annalise Vineer.

The band later appears with Neurotic and the PVCs (Punk Voice Choir), and members also perform with the PVCs at the ICA in July 2008. Chester also plays an aftershow party at the 12 Bar Club in Soho on the final night of those performances.