The cover artwork of The Chesterfield Kings' Let's Go Get Stoned (1994) references the American version of the Rolling Stones' Aftermath (1966); the Mirror Records logo references the London Records logo.[1]
The Chesterfield Kings are a rock band from Rochester, New York, who began as a retro '60s inspired garage band, and evoking the sounds and styles of 1960s psychedelic rock music. The current lineup features longtime members: Andy Babiuk, Mike Boise, Jeff Okolowicz, Ted Okolowicz, and newcomer John Cammarosano. Former singer Greg Prevost left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career. The band, named after a brand of unfiltered cigarette, was instrumental in sparking the 1980s garage band revival that launched such groups as the Unclaimed, Marshmallow Overcoat, The Fuzztones, The Pandoras, Mystic Eyes, The Cynics, the Secret Service, and the Stomachmouths.
The early Kings were a late-1970s recreation of a mid-1960s garage band sound. Their self-released first single was a cover of The Brogues' 1965 "I Ain't No Miracle Worker" b/w The Heard's 1967 "Exit 9".[2] In a deliberate effort to create their own rare garage-band collectible singles, only 100 copies were pressed.
Their first broader public exposure came when a track on Greg Shaw's 1981 Bomp! Records compilation Battle of the Garage netted them a series of dates at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. They continued with this 1960s garage sound through the mid-1980s, releasing two albums—Here are the Chesterfield Kings (1982) which contained entirely cover songs, and Stop! (1985) which introduced their first originals. They then turned to a harder-edged rock sound for Don't Open Till Doomsday (1987) and Berlin Wall of Sound (1989) featuring the blues guitar work of new band member Paul Rocco. The group's next album was an acoustic blues record Drunk On Muddy Water (1990).
Their Let's Go Get Stoned (1994) was a mix of slightly post-Aftermath Stones covers and originals in the Stones' style. Surfin' Rampage (1997) featured pop harmonies; Where the Action Is (1999) was a return to garage band roots, a mix of covers and 1960s-styled originals.
In 2003 the band released The Mindbending Sounds of the Chesterfield Kings which pays tribute to the more baroque side of the 1960s underground, evoking at times the sound of the Electric Prunes ("Transparent Life", "Disconnection"), and featuring appearances by Jorma Kaukonen on two tracks. In 2004 the band briefly appeared performing two songs from the album, "I Don't Understand" and "Mystery Trip", on stage in a rock club scene in the fifth season episode of HBO's The Sopranos, "Irregular Around the Margins".[3]
As the late 2000's arrived the band released Psychedelic Sunrise (2008) which was an extension of sorts of the group's previous "Mindbending Sounds" album. Their next release Got Live…If You Want It (2009) was a dual live recording and DVD set, this was the band's final release before going on hiatus.
In 2009, Prevost left the band and took the solo route releasing a 45 "Mr. Charlie" b/w "Rolling Stone Blues" in 2012, and in 2013 releasing the blues-rock album "Mississippi Murderer".
In 2024, The Chesterfield Kings returned after a 15 year hiatus, starting off their return with a west coast tour.[6] Four longtime members of the band are carrying its music forward, namely, Andy Babiuk, Mike Boise, Jeff Okolowicz, Ted Okolowicz and newcomer John Cammarosano.[7] They released two brand new singles on Wicked Cool Records "Meet You After Midnight"[8] and "Electrified" which features a cover of the Bob Dylan song "My Back Pages"[9] In the summer of 2024 the band released their third new single "Fly the astral Plane" backed with a cover of The Who's 1966 song "So Sad About Us"
^Chris Morris, "Bayside's Exec Shift; Kings Get Stoned", Billboard, April 23, 1994, p. 73.
^The Brogues original "I Ain't No Miracle Worker" can be found on Nuggets; some information about The Heard can be found at The Heard StoryArchived September 10, 2005, at the Wayback Machine, accessed 14 January 2006
