SWEET SONIC BOOZY BLISS
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INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST JACQUE MENDEZ BY JOHN B. MOORE
hanks to a bottle of brown booze, Hey, Chels’ fate was sealed one day about three years ago. The band name came a little while later. “Ricky [Schmidt, bass] and I had an idea a while back to start a project together,� says Jacque Mendez. “We wrote a song just for fun and to see what we could create back in 2016. That song is now ‘I Know You Are, But What Am I?’ off of our first, self-titled EP. We wrote it and recorded it in a day over a bottle of whiskey. The lyrics were silly and changed later. However, we were pretty happy with the sound we created, so we decided to turn it into something.� Shortly after, they asked Kevin White to join on guitar, and, after writing for a bit as a three-piece, they brought in Steph Presz on drums.
Hey, Chels are following up their the group have worked out a sched- band had officially formed, Ricky debut EP with an LP later this year. ule that’s flexible enough for all. and I had been brainstorming The music is there; they are just sortband names. We weren’t liking ing out the specifics. “We pretty much have a system down any of the other’s ideas until this by now,â€? Mendez says. “Ricky and one night we were out with some “When we decided to commit to this I will write and record the songs friends in Oakland. I was having project, we agreed to record an as demos at home and then send a conversation with a friend at a EP, tour it up the West Coast, and them to Steph and Kevin. Kevin has bar, and the song “Hey Jealousyâ€? then see how we felt about moving also recorded some of his ideas for by The Gin Blossoms began to play. forward,â€? Mendez says. “After that songs and shared them with us in I told this person how, when I was tour, which was just about a year the same way. From there, everyone younger, I used to think the lyrics ago, I knew that I wanted to keep works out what they want to bring to were “Hey Chelsea.â€? For some reaHey, Chels going. We spent the rest the song, and we re-track the songs son, I liked the sound of it as soon of the year playing festivals here as they progress.â€? as I said it, and I ran straight over and there but mostly on writing for to Ricky to tell him the idea.â€? a full-length. By November, we had And band practices? They just have written and recorded our very first to schedule those way in advance. The two also happen to have a LP. This new record is certainly an good friend named Chelsea whom indication that Hey, Chels is more Finally, back to the origins of the they refer to as Chels. than a fun project.â€? name, Hey, Chels. There's this unwritten rule that’s it's not cool to ask “She is the Chels of Hey, Chels. BeSchmidt is a member of Western about a band's moniker, but... ing one of the friendliest and loveSettings, and the rest of the band liest bartenders in San Diego, ‘hey, have other commitments as well, “I actually really enjoy telling this Chels!’ is a phrase she hears quite but over the past couple of years, story,â€? says Mendez. “Before the often.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł
NEW NOISE 23
