Straight Up Random

Female Fronted Band Feature: Kelsey And The Chaos

Interview with Kelsey And The Chaos

How did the band come together?

Nick and I [Kelsey Merrit] met at Berklee College of Music in Boston in September of 2008. We found Justin and Brian on Myspace. We got together to jam and everything just clicked.

How long have you all played your instruments/sang for?

We’ve all been singing or playing an instrument since we were about 12 or 13 years old. So awhile!

Who are your musical influences?

 We’re inspired by 80’s rock. Pat Benatar, Joan Jett are a couple of favorites. We all like modern rock as well. I draw inspiration from No Doubt, Reel Big Fish as well as some old R&B music. Basically EVERYTHING!

 How would you describe your music from your Against The Wall EP?

 Our EP “Against The Wall” is just great party music. There are pop songs, rock songs and dance songs all in one six song EP. It’s just a lot of fun, catchy and easy to relate to.

What does your live show consist of?

Tons and tons of energy. If you’re unsure about us from just hearing the music, come to a show before you make a decision. We love to get the audience involved and you can always tell we’re having a great time on stage.

How do you try to stand out amongst other bands?

 We try not to compare ourselves to other bands. I also think our overall vibe is a lot different than a lot of the bands out there today. We’re heavily influenced by classic rock and the great female fronted bands of earlier times (i.e. Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Blondie) So we’re really trying to bring kids back to that place in music.

Are you planning on recording a full length or are you going to keep touring on your EP for a while?

We’re going to do both. We’re going to start writing new material in Early 2009 and tour at the same time. For tour updates and more check out our myspace page.

What do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment as a band thus far?

It’s hard to pinpoint one exact accomplishment. We have done so much in such a sort time span and in such a short time of actually forming the band . We’ve played 10 dates on the V ans Warped Tour, been in Alternative Press Magazine, and have played with so many amazing bands that we admire. We’re taking the attitude that things can only get better from here. So I’d say our biggest accomplishment is yet to come!

Can you give SUR readers a peek into the not-so-distant future of Kelsey and The Chaos?

We plan on touring in all of 2009, writing some new music and making sure everyone knows about us. We will also be releasing a full-length sometime in 2009.

Can you give us one Straight Up Random fact about each of the band members?

Kelsey has lived in Indiana, Florida, Boston and New York City

Brian is balding :(

 Nick is the youngest band member (18 years old!)

Justin is part Jamaican. (Really!)

Any last words for the readers of Straight Up Random?

Say Hi to us on our Myspace page and definitely come check us out at a show! We’d love to meet you!

*For more information about Kelsey and The Chaos regarding shows, merch, etc, please check out their MySpace at www.myspace.com/kelseyandthechaos