Chicanery is an American
experimental rock
Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...
band consisting of
Warren Cuccurullo
Warren Bruce Cuccurullo (born December 8, 1956) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, restaurant owner and former body builder who first worked with Frank Zappa during the 1970s. He was also a founding member of Missing Persons in the 1980s ...
and
Neil Carlill
Neil Carlill (born 20 March 1967 in Ripon, England), is an English singer, lyricist, poet, composer, and musician. He is known for his work with experimental and alternative rock bands including 1990s UK acts Delicatessen and Lodger, and more ...
. Based in Venice, California, with various members from across the United States and around the world, the focus of the project is to present an alternative musical form that is a psychotic and surreal vision of pop music.
History
The history of Chicanery extends back to the late 1990s in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
. With
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band wen ...
at that time, Cuccurullo had founded
TV Mania
TV Mania was a British-American electronic band founded in 1995 that consisted of keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (both of Duran Duran), long-time Duran Duran keyboard tech and collaborator Mark Tinley (a.k.a. Mark Ty-Wha ...
with
Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member, keyboardist, and only continuous member of the band Duran Duran. He is also informally monikered as "The Controller ...
, and he was searching for a lead singer for the second segment of that project. While working in his recording studio, Cuccurullo heard the voice of
Neil Carlill
Neil Carlill (born 20 March 1967 in Ripon, England), is an English singer, lyricist, poet, composer, and musician. He is known for his work with experimental and alternative rock bands including 1990s UK acts Delicatessen and Lodger, and more ...
, lead singer of the group
Delicatessen
Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
on one of that band's music videos, and thought that it would fit the project. Cuccurullo found Carlill through the group's record label, and invited him to record some music at the studio.
[Salvo Zuppard]
"duranasty.com interviews Chicanery"
"duranasty.com" response to 1st question Prior to that meeting,
Ustad Sultan Khan
Ustad Sultan Khan (15 April 1940 – 27 November 2011) was an Indian ''sarangi'' player and classical vocalist belonging to ''Sikar Gharana''. He was one of the founding members of the Indian fusion group Tabla Beat Science, with Zakir Hus ...
and Cuccurullo recorded material together in the summer of 1998, some of which was used for "Cut Me from the Mirror", a track on the ''
Chicanery
Chicanery is a form of deception involving trickery or subterfuge.
Chicanery may also refer to:
Film and TV
*''Chicanery'', 2015 film by Charles Dennis
* "Chicanery" (''Better Call Saul''), 2017 television episode
Music
* Chicanery (band), Amer ...
'' album.
When Cuccurullo relocated back to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
after his tenure with Duran Duran ended in 2001, he lost touch with Carlill for a period of time. After they reestablished contact, Carlill sent demos of his latest music to Cuccurullo. Four of those tracks were used on the ''Chicanery'' album.
In 2005 the bulk of the tracks for the debut album were cut in Los Angeles at Red Rum Studios, and some of the music was recorded in
. Often, tracks would be recorded at home studios, sent to
Simone Sello
Simone Sello (born July 4, 1968) is an Italian born guitarist, music producer, composer, filmmaker and music journalist. He is known for his work with the Sanremo Festival Orchestra, Chicanery, Billy Sheehan, Aaron Carter, Disney, Hannah Montana, ...
, and then on to the larger studios for recording and mixing to create the finished product. The album was released on May 11, 2010 through Recordings.
Also with Cuccurullo and Carlill on selected sessions are long-time Cuccurullo collaborator
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio (born December 27, 1950) is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa. He has been featured on nine solo or collaborative albums, 26 albums with Zappa and seven albums with Missing Pers ...
,
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of A ...
alumnus
Joe Travers
Joseph Patrick Francis Travers (10 January 1871 – 15 September 1942) was an Australian cricketer who played in one Test match in 1902. He played Australian rules football for Norwood in the South Australian Football Association
The Sout ...
, and various other guests.
[Luana Salvator]
"Chicanery, la vita oltre i Duran Duran"
"Rolling Stone Magazine", Italy
May 6, 2010 para. 3
Discography
Album
Singles
Videography
Music videos
References
{{reflist
External links
American experimental rock groups
Musical groups from Los Angeles
Progressive rock musical groups from California