Chavez (band)

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Chavez is an indie rock band from New York active in the national club scene. They first gained popularity in the mid to late '90s. The band reformed in 2006 playing three shows and as confirmed by guitarist Matt Sweeney are working on their third album. This will be their first new recordings since 1996. Formed in 1993 from the ashes of Wider, the band owed much to the sonic approach of math rock pioneers Slint and the post-punk outfit Mission of Burma, utilizing angular, asymmetrical riffs, dramatic dynamic shifts and a brutal sonic attack.

The band is fronted by guitarist Matt Sweeney, who was previously a member of Skunk and Wider, and played with Guided by Voices. Drummer James Lo also came from Wider; the band is rounded out by guitarist Clay Tarver (Bullet Lavolta) and bassist Scott Marshall.

The band quickly gained a following in the New York underground scene following the release of their first single "Repeat the Ending". Their 1995 debut Gone Glimmering received critical acclaim. They released a follow-up EP, Pentagram Ring, and in 1996 released the Ride the Fader.

Chavez never officially broke up, but they released no new material and played few shows between 1999 and 2006.^[1] In 2006, Matador Records released Better Days Will Haunt You, a compilation of virtually all of Chavez's studio material up to that point. The band played a few shows in support of the compilation; a recording of one of those shows is available at the Music Schlack blog.

During Chavez's period of inactivity after 1999, guitarist Matt Sweeney went on to join Smashing Pumpkins frontman/guitarist Billy Corgan and Slint guitarist David Pajo to form Zwan in 2001. Most recently, Sweeney teamed up with Will Oldham (under the moniker Bonnie 'Prince' Billy) for the 2005 album Superwolf, as well producing and playing on Early Man's debut record for Matador, Closing In. Clay Tarver has kept himself busy directing various television commercials as well as writing the script for the movie Joy Ride.