Chrome

Currently delving into the back catalogue of Chrome, one of a trio of great experimental outfits to emerge from San Francisco in the late 70’s (Tuxedomoon and Factrix being the other two). It’s regrettable that Chrome still languish in relative obscurity, I rarely see them celebrated like Throbbing Gristle or Cabaret Voltaire (their closest contemporaries) despite mining a similar sound – distorted vocals, squally guitars, loops, cut-ups, dialogue samples, found sounds and various types of tape manipulation. Chrome’s most vital music ran parallel with Industrial Music but they were never fully embraced by the scene - I suspect as result of Chrome’s more rockist leanings which channeled the garage punk of The Stooges spliced with the motorik of Neu! Industrial or not the music Damon Edge and Helios Creed made from 1978 to 1982, on albums like Alien Soundtracks, Half-Machine Lip Moves, Red Exposure and Blood on the Moon remain essential documents from the post-punk years and if you like any of the bands mentioned above, these albums are well worth seeking out…