Chum

Chum is a heavy rock band from Huntington, West Virginia, active from 1992 to the present. The group forms around bassist Chris Tackett and guitarist Mac Walker, with vocalist and guitarist John Lancaster and drummer Chuck Nicholas among its core members. Its sound is described as heavy and melodic, and it is also associated with alternative metal.

History

The band begins in 1992 after the breakup of Guru Lovechild, a Huntington power trio that includes Lancaster, Nicholas and bassist Barry Smith. Lancaster already plays with Tackett and Walker in earlier years, and when Tackett and Walker start putting together a new group, Lancaster joins after an invitation to jam. Brian Myers is initially the drummer, but Nicholas replaces him and completes the early lineup.

Chum first performs in Huntington with Clutch at Gumbys, a venue founded by Jon Kerwood. The band then plays regularly, builds a following and develops the live sound that becomes its signature. It records at Barrick Recording in Glasgow, Kentucky, with David Barrick, and this work leads to two self-financed cassette EPs, Postblisstheory and Godgiven, both issued in 1994, followed by the album Dead to the World.

Recordings and label history

Before Dead to the World appears, Chum performs on the East Coast and appears at CBGB in New York, where Monte Conner of Roadrunner Records sees the band. Conner does not place the group with Roadrunner, but recommends it to Borivoj Krgin at Century Media Records, which signs Chum and funds the debut album sessions. The band considers several producers, including Alex Newport, Doug Pinnick and Ross Robinson, before choosing Barrick again.

Recording on Dead to the World starts in November 1995. The opening track, “Stepping on Cracks,” draws on Lancaster’s experience and deals with child neglect. Before the album is released, Nicholas leaves and joins Karma to Burn, and Chum brings in Elliot Hoffman from Kent, Ohio. Hoffman’s time in the band is brief, and Carlos Torres later takes over after auditioning for the drummer’s role. New material includes “Embracing the Eyesore,” “Raise Your Broken Glass” and “Route 60.”

Line-up changes and later activity

After Chum is dropped by Century Media, Tackett and Walker leave for other projects. Phil Scoggins joins as a replacement for Walker, and Temper bassist Phil Collett takes the bass role, but that version of the band is short-lived. Tony Rorbough, associated with Byzantine, then joins, and the group moves to Cincinnati, Ohio. Rorbough leaves, Myers returns briefly as bassist, and Chris Sprinkle later fills the drum seat. This three-piece version of Chum ends in 1999.

After the split, Tackett appears in The Heptanes and later forms Hyatari with Walker and Brett Fuller. Lancaster remains in Cincinnati and forms Dead Letter Room and Semi-Automatic. Chum reunites for a one-off show in January 2002 at The Stoned Monkey in Huntington, with Dave Becknell filling in on drums. A fuller reunion follows in 2004, with Nicholas commuting from Indianapolis to rejoin Tackett, Walker and Lancaster. The reunited band plays Monkeybar in Huntington and then WAMX’s X-Fest alongside Monster Magnet, and it continues to write material for a second album that remains unreleased in the information given.