Chakk existed between 1982 and 1987. Their first single, Out of the Flesh, was recorded by Richard Kirk at Cabaret Voltaire's Western Works Studio and reached No. 3 in the UK Indie Chart in the Autumn of 1984. The next single You/They Say, released on thier own FON label the following March, was also an Indie Chart top 10 and lead to publishing and recording deals with MCA Music and MCA Records.
The size of the advance they got from MCA Records is something of a legend since it was large enough to finance the building of Sheffield's first large commercial recording studio, FON Studios, completed in the summer of 1985.
Chakk's original sound was centred around Alan Cross' eight track tape machine, some self built effects and small mixing desk.They had always believed that the most important instument a band could use was the studio itself. FON became a successful commercial studio after the recording of Chakk's album Ten Days in an Elevator (1986), and was a focal point for local sound engineering talent. Robert Gordon, Alan Fisch, Steve Cobby and Phil Jones , to name just a few, spent time honing their skills there.
Chakk left MCA after their album failed to sell in sufficient quantities to satisfy the record label accountants and, back on the Fon label, released the Time Bomb ep in autumn 1986. The band decided to split in the following year.
FON Studio continued until 1996.
Sim Lister is a member of Heights of Abraham, JSTARRS and runs 23 Records.
Jake Harries is a member of Heights of Abraham, a sonic artist and makes experimental films
Mark Brydon is a producer and went on to international fame in the 90s as half of trip-hop duo Moloko.
Alan Cross is a dj and has his own label, Xtrax, in London.
Dee Boyle became a member of Brit-pop group The Longpigs.
John Stuart was a member of two bands in the 90s, The Lovebirds (with Richard Hawley) and Magic Bullets.
