On-Campus Band CHUCK Releases Single
This past Friday, campus country sensation CHUCK released their first original single "Stella," now available on Soundcloud.
While the band’s line-up has seen some turnover due to member’s D-Plans, CHUCK has maintained its core membership of guitarist and lead singer Chase Klein ’14, lead guitarist Pablo Marvel ’15 and Zach Wooster ’15 on back-up vocals, keys and occasionally harmonica. Recent additions include drummer Nick Deveau ’16, bassist Felipe Jaramillo ’16 and back-up vocalist Gigi Anderson ’16.
CHUCK began last spring when Klein approached Marvel — "the only kid in [his] fraternity who played guitar" — to come up with a part for a song that Klein wrote. In a warm-up rehearsal for a Wednesday night open mic at One Wheelock, Marvel's then-roommate Wooster, whom Klein had only met the day before, picked up a harmonica and joined in. Klein was taken aback and impressed.
“I was like ‘Okay, that kid’s in the band,’” Klein said.
After the performance, they were asked to do a show that Friday at Sigma Delta sorority, Klein said. Over the next 48 hours the three scrambled for a bass player, drummer and set list.
Over the past year, they have performed at numerous Greek houses and fundraisers, and are currently "talking to" some Hanover restaurant venues, Klein said.
According to Klein, the standard set list includes about 10 originals and always includes "I Can't Talk to God" and "Stella."
"A lot of people know the words," Wooster said. "It's to the point where you give them the mic and they can sing the words."
Like CHUCK’s origins, the recording of Stella also came out of chance encounter.
While Klein was in Los Angeles over the summer, he met Elon University music production student Marshall Rogalski, who opened the door to professional-level recording.
"He was like 'Wow I love this song. Can I produce it?'" Klein said of Rogalski, who needed material for a senior production project.
Klein recorded the vocals and acoustic guitar during his time in Los Angeles. After the summer, the production process continued over the long distance.
"We showed him a live performance from one of the sets we had done as a whole," Klein, who had since returned to Hanover, said. "At that point we did everything over the phone."
From North Carolina, Rogalski was able to mimic the bass and guitar parts for the recording, while Wooster sent in tracks of the backing vocals.
"Technically it was only me and Wooster on the song, but he emulated how we play it every time," Klein said. “This kid is a prodigy.”
The song received 1,000 hits in the first three days after release, and the band is now focused on increasing their exposure.
"It will hopefully get picked up [by] radio stations," Klein said. "The long-term goal is to get it on Spotify and iTunes once we feel that we have reached a broad enough audience."
Klein added that he would love to make similar recordings of their original songs in the future. However, Klein’s graduation poses complications.
"We haven't really talked too much about the future," Klein said. "I assume everyone wants to stay in school and finish. Ideally I would love to make an album with all our songs."
Klein has decided he’s going to continue playing music under the name CHUCK after graduation.
Hoping to make the most of their remaining time together on campus, CHUCK is looking forward to Lawn Party over Green Key and upcoming shows at Sigma Delt and Bones Gate fraternity, Klein said.
“Writing a song and playing that song for a group of people is the biggest high,” Klein said. “But when they're singing along and know the words, that's the coolest feeling in the world.”