!!!

!!! ( ch(i)k-ch(i)k-ch(i)k), also known as Chk Chk Chk, is an American rock band from Sacramento, California. Formed in 1996 by lead singer Nic Offer, members of !!! came from other local bands such as the Yah Mos, Black Liquorice and Pope Smashers. They are currently based in New York City. The band's ninth album, Let It Be Blue, was released in May 2022.

Background and history

!!! was formed in the fall of 1996 by the merger of members of the groups Black Liquorice and Pope Smashers, while on tour. After a successful joint tour, the two bands decided to mix the disco-funk with more aggressive sounds and integrate the hardcore singer Nic Offer from the Yah Mos. The band's name was inspired by the subtitles of the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy, in which the clicking sounds of the San people's Juǀʼhoan language were represented as "!". However, as the bandmembers themselves say, !!! is pronounced by repeating thrice any monosyllabic sound. "Chk Chk Chk" is the most common pronunciation, and the URL of their official website and the title of their Myspace page suggest it is the preferred pronunciation. Offer cites Depeche Mode and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) as influences.

The band's full-length debut record came out in 2000 as a self-titled album on the label Gold Standard Laboratories. This was followed in 2003 by the single "Me and Giuliani Down By the School Yard", a lengthy track combining house beats with sinewy basslines, psychedelic guitars, and simple lyrics which quote the title song of the musical Footloose.

A second full-length, Louden Up Now, was released on Touch and Go in America and on Warp Records in Europe in June 2004. In June 2005 !!! released a new EP covering "Take Ecstasy with Me" by The Magnetic Fields, and "Get Up" by Nate Dogg. The following December, the original drummer for the band, Mikel Gius, was struck and killed by a car while riding his bike.

They released their third album, Myth Takes in 2007.

!!! is composed of Mario Andreoni (guitar), Dan Gorman (horns/percussion/keys), Nic Offer (vocals), Rafael Cohen (bass/various electronic devices), Chris Egan (drums) and Meah Pace (vocals).

Vocalist and drummer John Pugh officially left the band in July 2007 to concentrate on his new band Free Blood. Vocalist Shannon Funchess stood in for Pugh during much of their 2007 tour. The band also shared membership with the similar, defunct group Out Hud (including Tyler Pope, who has played with LCD Soundsystem and written music for Cake).

Discography

Albums

EPs

• GSL26/Lab Series Vol. 2 (Split with Out Hud, 1999, Gold Standard Labs)
• Live Live Live (November 2004, Beat Records, Japan only)
• Take Ecstasy with Me/Get Up (June 7, 2005, Touch and Go Records)
• Yadnus (2007)
• Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass E.P. (November 2010)
• MEGAMiiiX Vol.1: Shake Shake Shake (2018)
• Certified Heavy Kats (July 31, 2020)

Singles

Other projects

• !!! (1997, tour cassette)

Footnotes

References

• Anon (2017). "!!!(チック・チック・チック)のランキング" [Ranking of tick, tick, tick]. Oricon News (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 24, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
• Anon (2017a). "Chart Log UK: Numerals". Zobbel. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
• Anon (2014). "!!! (Chk Chk Chk) discography". lescharts.com (in French). Retrieved March 21, 2021.
• Anon (December 19, 2005). "Orangevale bicyclist killed". Sacramento Bee. p. B2. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
• Chinen, Nate (March 18, 2007). "Still Disco-Punk, Still Spoiling for a Fight". The New York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
• Coscarelli, Joseph (July 30, 2007). "!!! (Chk Chk Chk) post-punk puctuation". The Deli Magazine. Archived from the original on June 25, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
• Diver, Mike (November 18, 2006). "It's no rumour, it's a Myth. Takes eight to make it !!!". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
• Lopez, Michael (September 6, 2010). "!!! at The Clubhouse Last Night". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on July 9, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
• Maher, Dave; Solarski, Matthew (July 11, 2007). "John Pugh Leaves !!!, Fires Up Free Blood". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
• Minsker, Evan (January 29, 2013). "The New !!! Album Is Called THR!!!ER". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
• Seabrook, Andrea (May 17, 2007). "The Musicians of !!!: Making Their Own 'Myths'" (MP3). NPR. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.

External links

• Official website
• "Profile on Music Agency Website". Archived from the original on August 7, 2019.