The Cheifs

The Cheifs are an American early punk band, that are often cited as an inspiration to many around the LA punk scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their music predates hardcore and is an aggressive yet melodic bridge. The Cheifs are often cited as the band that bridged the gap between West Coast punk and hardcore. They were a favorite of bands like The Descendents and Bad Religion. Their 45 EP "Blues" (Playgems, 1980) sells for $250 to $400. They have been included on Killed By Death compilations, and in 1997 a CD of their collective works was released.

Cheifs
Background information
Also known as	The Chiefs
Origin	Hollywood, California, U.S.
Genres	Punk rock
Years active	1979–1982 2016–present

Misspelling

Around 1979, Glassley had an uncle die from leukemia. He had worked as a butcher and always wore plain white T-shirts. When he died, Glassley inherited those shirts. One afternoon he bought some red and black spray paint, went to his room at Holly-West, and made band shirts. When he showed them to the rest of the band, the reaction was a resounding, "Ah dude, you spelled it wrong! On every single one of them!"

History

On October 17, 2017, cancer claimed the life of founding band member, Bob Glassley.

Formation

Hollywood, California, US

• Jerry Koskie – vocals
• George Walker – guitars
• Bob Glassley – bass
• Rabit – drums

Recordings

• "Blues" (7" single) 1980
• Holly-West Crisis (CD) 1997

Compilations

• Chunks US 12" 1981 (New Alliance): The Lonelys
• Who Cares US LP 1981 (American Standard): No Justice / Riot Squad / Scrapped
• Killed By Death #2 US LP 1989 (Redrum): Blues
• Bloodstains Across California US LP 1993 (Bloodstains): Tower 18

Current members

• Brad Castlen – vocals
• Scott Hedeen – guitars
• Bob Glassley – bass
• James Joyce – drums

References

• Gibbon, Punky "Punk Hardcore Oi! New Wave Post-Punk" Punky Gibbon.
• Radford, Chad "Cheifin' Out" Creative Loafing.