!!! (Chk Chk Chk)

!!! (Chk Chk Chk)
Leena Tarjamo · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	!!!
Background	group_or_band
Origin	Sacramento, California, United States
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Touch and Go Records, Warp Records, Caroline Records, Warp Records
Associated acts	Thee Oh Sees, LCD Soundsystem, Death From Above 1979, TV on the Radio

!!! (Chk Chk Chk)

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) is an American rock band formed in Sacramento, California, known for a dance-punk fusion that blends post-punk, funk, and electronic elements. The group has released multiple studio albums and toured extensively across North America, Europe, and Australasia, performing at festivals and venues associated with acts across indie rock, electronic, and punk scenes. Their work intersects with scenes and labels tied to indie stalwarts and dance-punk contemporaries.

History

The group originated in the mid-1990s in Sacramento alongside contemporaries from the Pacific Northwest and California scenes such as Pavement, Fugazi, and Sleater-Kinney while labels like Touch and Go Records and Warp Records expanded their rosters with dance-oriented rock. Early associations placed them near acts including LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, and Refused as the late-1990s and early-2000s post-punk revival unfolded alongside festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury, and SXSW. International exposure grew through tours that connected them with bands such as Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, and Interpol and through partnerships with promoters and venues linked to Primavera Sound, Roskilde Festival, and All Tomorrow's Parties. Over time their releases found distribution in circles overlapping with Matador Records, Sub Pop, and Domino Recording Company artists while collaborations and remixes tied them to DFA Records and Warp Records alumni.

Musical Style and Influences

Their music combines elements associated with dance-punk, punk rock, funk, disco, and electronic music, sharing lineage with acts like Talking Heads, Gang of Four, New Order, and Joy Division as well as contemporaries such as LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, and Hot Chip. Rhythmic emphasis and groove-oriented arrangements recall influences from James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and Chic while production aesthetics reference producers and studios associated with Brian Eno, Steve Albini, and Nigel Godrich. The band’s approach has been contextualized in discussions alongside Talking Heads’ collaborations with Brian Eno, Kraftwerk’s electronic innovations, and Prince’s funk-pop hybrids, drawing comparisons in reviews alongside Sonic Youth, The Strokes, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Band Members and Lineups

The band’s lineup has rotated through vocalists, guitarists, bassists, and drummers with members participating in side projects and collaborations with musicians tied to Thee Oh Sees, The Dismemberment Plan, Hella, and Deerhunter. Over their career they have worked with producers and guest musicians who have connections to David Byrne, John Cale, Mark Ronson, and Nile Rodgers as well as engineers associated with Electric Lady Studios, Sunset Sound, and Abbey Road. Touring personnel have often intersected with members of Queens of the Stone Age, The National, Spoon, and Modest Mouse when schedules and session work created overlaps.

Discography

Their studio albums, singles, and EPs were released on independent and major-affiliated labels and have been distributed in markets alongside releases by Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, Blur, and Oasis. Key records charted on alternative and dance charts in territories where charts were tracked alongside entries by Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, Portishead, and Massive Attack. Their catalog includes full-lengths that critics compared to albums by Talking Heads, New Order, and LCD Soundsystem, and their singles have been remixed by producers and DJs associated with DFA Records, Warp Records, and Ninja Tune.

Live Performances and Tours

The band has performed at major festivals and venues linked to the international indie and electronic circuits including Glastonbury, Primavera Sound, Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Roskilde, sharing bills with acts like Arcade Fire, The Killers, Phoenix, and Tame Impala. Tours have brought them into arenas, clubs, and art spaces that have hosted bands such as Interpol, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, and The Strokes, and their live reputation has been noted alongside performances by LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, and !!!-aligned dance-punk peers. Collaborations and onstage guest appearances have connected them with artists from James Blake, David Bowie archival lineups, and Nile Rodgers' touring ensembles.

Reception and Legacy

Critics and publications that cover alternative and electronic music have placed the band within conversations that include Talking Heads, Gang of Four, New Order, and Joy Division while music journalists drawing lines through post-punk revival and dance-punk cite contemporaries such as LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, and Bloc Party. Their influence is observed among newer acts and scenes that include groups associated with Sub Pop, Matador Records, Domino Recording Company, and Warp Records, and their work is referenced in discussions about the cross-pollination of indie rock with electronic dance music seen in festival lineups and label catalogs. The band’s contribution to live dance-oriented rock and post-punk revivalism remains part of the narrative alongside legacy acts and modern successors such as Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, and Tame Impala.

Category:American rock bands