Chalk: a relentless and genre-busting band from Belfast (Spotlight On : 194)

The Irish electronic/rock hybrid trio talk about their quick rise, how film school informs their DIY ethos, and their explosive new EP, Conditions II.
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Today, the Spotlight shines On the Belfast, Ireland, band Chalk.
Chalk is Ross Cullen on vocals, Ben Goddard on guitar, and Luke Niblock on drums. They cook up a pretty stunning racket with a unique sound that is nonetheless recognizable in its post-punk, dance, and industrial lineages. If that makes sense to you, you will love Chalk. If it does not, give them a listen. Chances are you will dig what they do.
This is the second of two episodes I recorded on-site, in my hotel room/recording studio, at the SXSW Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas.
The recording took place two days after Chalk pulled out of SXSW to protest the festival’s commercial alignment with the US Army and multiple weapons manufacturers, one of at least ten Irish artists to do so.
The band opened up about their process and development in this great discussion. Enjoy.
(all musical excerpts heard in the interview are taken from Chalk's new EP, Conditions II)
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00:00 Welcome to Spotlight On: Diving into the World of Chalk
00:34 Meet Chalk: The Band Behind the Music
00:59 Chalk's Stand at South by Southwest & Their Musical Journey
02:01 Exploring Austin and Discovering New Music
08:10 The Influence of Belfast on Chalk's Music
18:34 The Unconventional Rise of Chalk
25:32 Crafting the Sound: Chalk's Creative Process
27:06 Navigating the Studio with Chris Ryan
29:31 The Raw and Authentic Sound of Bedroom Recordings
29:50 Embracing Live Drums in Electronic Music
30:28 Leveraging Technology for Audio and Visual Creativity
31:27 The DIY Ethos of Video Production
36:39 Navigating Success and Maintaining Creative Control
38:25 Creating a Unique Live Show Experience
44:39 The Mystery and Appeal of Live Performances
49:03 Looking Forward: Future Plans and Aspirations
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Listen to Chalk's latest EP, *Conditions II*, on Bandcamp → chalkbelfast.bandcamp.com/alb...
or your streaming platform of choice → songwhip.com/chalk2/condition...
Follow Chalk on Instagram → / chalkband
Facebook → / chalkbelfast
and UA-cam → / @chalkband
Watch Chalk play live on KEXP → • Chalk - Full Performan...
For extensive show notes, links, and podcast information, go to www.spotlightonpodcast.com
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