Part Chimp

Noisy, distorted, and loud are three words that have become synonymous with South London's Part Chimp. Formed in 2000 by Tim Cedar (vocals and guitar), Jon Hamilton (drums), and Nick Prior (bass) out of the ashes of the short-lived indie rock outfit Ligament, the band set about playing their first shows in December of that year, and bolstered their distortion-drenched sound with the addition of guitarist Iain Hinchliffe. A support slot for Mogwai at London's Shepherds Bush Empire in March 2001 saw them signed to the Glaswegian post-rockers' Rock Action Records. Their John Cummings-produced debut album, Chart Pimp, was released in 2003, and with the levels pushed to the max, the band earned comparisons to other gargantuan noise-mongers including My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., and Sonic Youth. With a prestigious John Peel session under their belt, original bassist Nick Prior departed and was replaced by Kling Klang member Joe McLaughlin for the recording of their second album. Produced again by Mogwai's John Cummings, I Am Come received critical acclaim across the board for its sheer ear-bleeding mix of sludgy guitars, distorted vocals, and pummeling drums. With the arrival of ex-Ikara Colt member Tracy Bellaries in 2008 on bass duties, Part Chimp returned to their own Dropout Studios to record their third album, 2009's Thriller. In 2011, Part Chimp amicably parted ways, with the members pursuing other projects. Five years later, the band reunited for live dates, and the shows went well enough that they opted to record another album. Part Chimp's fourth studio album, fittingly titled IV, was released by Rock Action in April 2017. ~ Richard Wilson